HOW LONG WILL MY MAN OVERBOARD MANIKIN LAST.

 A response from Ruth Lee, Ltd.

What is the life span of the training aids?

This will be dependent on several factors such as environmental conditions, frequency of training, exact training scenarios etc.  Ruth Lee, Ltd. have some customers whose manikin is still in service after 10 years.   In contrast to this, in high frequency/extreme environments Ruth Lee, Ltd. have seen them need replacing after 12-24 months. In our experience,  taking good care of the manikin akin to treating a human casualty will in all cases prolong the lifespan of the manikin, and by replacing the consumable parts such as overall, boots, and floats when they are showing signs of wear will maximize the lifespan of the training manikin.

 

Once its life span is reached, will that affect the buoyancy of the training aid?

Over time, it is possible for the closed cell foams to lose some buoyancy. This is mainly down to friction during movement; however this takes many years to show as a buoyancy issue. This is extremely rare and Ruth Lee, Ltd. have only encountered 1 issue of this type over many years.

 

What other factors, if any, could cause the training aid to not float at the surface of the water?

There are several scenarios which could affect buoyancy of the manikin, further guidance below:

1. As standard, the Man-Overboard Training Manikin comes with a float set that fits into the pockets on the overall, this comprises of 6 pcs of closed cell foam – 3pcs go in each side of the overall chest or legs. It is possible that these get misplaced over time (or damaged) and without these it will reduce the buoyancy of the manikin. The water rescue float set is available to purchase separately if these require replacement.
2. On occasion people get creative and add weights to the manikin in order to meet a specific set of training criteria, additional weights are not recommended as they will adversely affect the buoyancy of the manikin.
   
3. As with the above point, on occasion we’ve experience of customers removing components from inside the manikin, if internal foams are removed then this will also adversely affect the buoyancy of the manikin.
4. Lastly, if the buoyancy issue is with the legs only, then there is a possibility that the internal structure has migrated lower down the leg – this alters the center of gravity and prevents the legs from floating as per standard. Again, this is a very rare occurrence.

Additional foam can be ordered (Water Rescue Float Set) which can be used not just in the overall pockets but can also be tethered to limbs of the manikin to aid buoyancy – this is an extremely rare requirement and normally only after some element of end-user modification has been conducted – so definitely not something which is required as standard.

 

 

 

 

PFD's:  "IMPACT RATED vs. PWC RATED

According to Edward Chen, President of FirstWatch, the “Impact Rated” category was eliminated a few years ago.  There is a small section of the standard that deals with “PWC-Rated” PFD’s. A PWC-Rated PFD is a Type III PFD that has both a zipper and buckle closure.  The webbing / Buckle size must be a 1.5” minimum width and must fully encircle the torso.

Here is some additional information that I found that is pertinent to the PFD questions that were posed at the conference.  

Type III PFDs are suitable for most paddlers where there is a chance for quick rescue. They offer freedom of movement and comfort for continuous wear. These PFDs are designed so wearers can put themselves in a face-up position, but they may have to tilt their head back to avoid being face down in water. Type III PFDs come in inherently buoyant, inflatable or hybrid designs.  Source:  REI

Type III Buoyancy requirement:  15.5 lbs.

Each person riding on a PWC must wear a U. S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III or V personal flotation device which is properly fitted and fastened. Inflatable Type V PFDs are not approved for PWC. Source: GA Dept of Natural Resources

Additional features that make a Type III PFD more personal watercraft specific, look for a beefy plastic D-ring sewn into the vest, typically along the bottom seam. The ring allows you to clip on a PWC’s safety lanyard, securing it to the rider while also keeping it out of the way.