Servicing is tremendously important. Through this servicing and care, the lifetime of the life jacket will be prolonged and the safety of the product increased. There are gaskets in the inflation device which have to be renewed. These age too. The triggering forces have to be tested. The cartridges are tested for hairline cracks. The buoyancy chamber is checked for airtightness and damage. The seams undergo a check.
Can the sport kayak be used with an outboard engine?
Outboard engines are too heavy and have too much power to be used with the sport kayak. You can, however, power the boat with an electric engine. This way, both you and the environment will benefit.
What kind of equipment do I need – standard or emergency?
This depends on where you are going. If you are travelling in an area relatively close to the shore, you can assume you will be picked up within 24 hours of an emergency at sea. In that case, the emergency pack would be overdoing it. However, if you are doing offshore sailing, then you should have an emergency pack with you. Another solution would be a “grab-bag”, i.e. a bag which can be grabbed quickly and which contains all the necessary emergency supplies.
My kid is one year old, which lifejacket do you recommend? ( Inflatable / Inherent buoyancy )
This is one of the most difficult decisions. Our inflatable lifejackets are suitable from a body weight of 35 lbs. (15 kg) upwards but are a problem when a child wearing nappies falls into the water.
It goes without saying that this is also true of inherent buoyancy lifejackets, which we have in our programme from a size of 12-35 lbs. (5-15 kg) upwards. Here the motto is: You ought to be close by when your child falls into the water. The inflatable lifejacket will inflate in the water and bring your child to the surface. The necessary buoyancy is in the right place and will mean that his mouth is out of the water. The child will not get into a sweat as easily as he would in an inherent buoyancy lifejacket in the sun on the jetty.
The inherent buoyancy lifejacket, on the other hand, has the advantage of being virtually indestructible and not needing servicing. On the other hand, the buoyancy is immediately available but distributed on the whole body and not optimal because of this.
How long do the emergency life jacket lights shine for?
There are several variations of emergency life jacket lights. The SECUMAR WAB-MX 8 shines for 8 hrs with an intensity of 0.75 candelas. The SECUMAR WAB H12 shines for 12 hrs.
What are the weight capacities of the kayaks?
The total permissible weight is printed on the DIN-label. The greater the load, the more one must paddle in order to move forward.
Is there forced ventilation?
Yes. There is an opening in the canopy, in order for the CO2 produced by breathing to be released. In addition, this allows for an exchange of fresh air.
How do I have to store my lifejacket?
Several possibilities:
While sailing: Ready for use, or even better, always on the man/woman. A lot of accidents happen when peeing.
After sailing: dry, in the dark and not too warm or too cold.
Can I carry out the service myself?
To check the buoyancy chamber and the seams definitely makes sense. You should always do that before a sailing trip. You cannot service the inflation device yourself because you have not got the appropriate tools and spare parts. For this you would require the equipment which a service station has .
What kind of material is the kayak made of?
The boats consist of a double-layer-system. The inside layer is made of flexible polyvinyl chloride while the outer layer is made of highly tear-resistant coated material. This way, the boat's hull is especially protected.
Is the floor insulated?
Yes, every SECUMAR ISLAND has an inflatable insulated floor.
Is one obliged to have one´s lifejacket serviced?
If we had our say, yes. If you had the final say, that ought to be the case, too. If we go by legislation, the law is keeping out of it in this case. But if there has been an accident which was due to a lifejacket not having been serviced, then the law becomes involved again and makes it clear to the person who has no obligation to take the lifejacket for a service that it is his duty to service the lifejacket.
How long is the life time of a life jacket?
The average life time is 10 years. After that life jackets are only serviced by us at yearly intervals. When a life jacket reaches an age of 15 years, no further service is carried out.
How many chambers does the kayak have?
All SECUMAR kayaks are equipped with a double-chamber system. This is a requirement of the DIN standard.
Does the emergency pack contain food?
To call it food would be an exaggeration. However, our emergency pack does include drinking water, packaged in 100 ml bags, and emergency sea rations. In the first 24 hours after an emergency at sea, one should not consume any food or drinking water due to a shock effect. As a rule of thumb, a value of 100 ml of water per person per day later takes effect.