Feature 3 | LIFE SAVING APPLIANCES


conventional lifejacket system, complete with fully automatic self-inflating and self-righting properties, featuring 150Newtons (N) of buoyancy. Keeping things cool, the jacket is fashioned from premium grade breathable fabric, with a mesh backing, and includes utilities such as an Aquapac mini-phone case, a flare pocket, a flash light and knife holder, in addition to large capacity pockets, a fleece- lined collar, two outside zipped and fleece- lined pockets and a crotch strap, for extra bodily protection. Te Pacific Lite is currently retailing at £250 (US$408). Meanwhile, BCB International, a supplier


of safety equipment for the UK Ministry of Defence and a number of international navies, has recently launched a new sea marker dye, to highlight MOB incidents in daylight conditions. The fluorescein dye, about 104g worth, is stored in a PVC pouch and, when released into seawater, quickly casts a bright green / yellow patch across the surface of the surrounding waters, drastically increasing visibility for overboard persons. Te dye can be viewed for a range of more than 1.6km for a period of approximately 40 minutes, aſter which the colour will fade. Te dye patches are being retailed at GBP£26 (US$42) apiece. And, as an added bonus for those


workboat and coastal vessel crew operating in shark-infested waters, BCB is also retailing a shark repellent dye solution, priced at GBP£9 (US$15) per pouch, which the group claims is proving particularly popular


among maritime companies


within the Mediterranean basin. Te shark repellent dye has been consistently used by the US Navy since 1967, when, according to BCB, “it was the only product out of 24 to achieve any success in repelling sharks”. Te


BCB’s fluorescein dye can be viewed for a range of more than 1.6km, for approximately 40 minutes.


solution releases a dense black dye into the water to repel attacks from sharks or similar “hostile organisms”, and, while the potential for Batman jokes is enormous, the solution can play an important part in safeguarding seafarers from serious bodily harm and death in the event of an overboard incident in areas where sharks are active.


Compact AIS Personal automatic identification system (AIS) devices for MOBs are becoming increasingly compact, increasing their commercial appeal to the operators and owners of small boats and craſt. McMurdo subsidiary Kannad Marine recently unveiled its SafeLink R10 Survivor Recovery System (SRS), a 120g, 24x47x124mm AIS device, which James Turner, the group’s product brand manager for emergency beacons,


42


describes as being suitable for all sorts of users, ranging from “mom and pop, sailing in their leisure boat in the Solent, to ocean-going tankers”. Te solution is scheduled for market launch in August 2011. Affixed to an individual’s lifejacket, the


unit’s antenna is automatically activated when the lifejacket inflates and tears the orange safety tab from the device. When operational, the R10 SRS transmits a special identity code to all AIS receivers located within an approximate four-mile radius of the MOB, while inbuilt global positioning system (GPS) receiver technology enables on-the-minute updates, so as to increase the degree of accuracy when it comes to pinpointing the exact location of the casualty. Te unit also features a flashing LED light, to assist localised rescue attempts in conditions of darkness or low visibility.


Ship & Boat International July/August 2011


Cosalt fi-fi kits break into marine sector


UK-based protective clothing manufacturer Cosalt Workwear has secured MarED approval to sell a range of its fire-fighting suits in the marine sector, the kit having met the fire protection requirements of the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) 96/98/EC. The MarED approval, which was formally given on 14 April this year, covers some 40 Cosalt fire-fighting suit designs. The Cosalt kit is constructed from 60% Kevlar, 40% Polybenzimidazole (PBI) fibre, to realise a solution capable of offering satisfactory heat transfer performance levels.


Cosalt explains that this latter factor is calculated in terms of the length of time it takes for flame and heat radiation to transfer from outside of the fire-fighting garment to inside, and to the point that it affects the wearer. “Our kit actually went beyond the minimum required amount of seconds specified for heat transfer performance,” a Cosalt spokesperson tells Ship & Boat International.


The suits are also designed to be breathable for operations in warm or tropical climates, and each makes use of a three-barrier layer _ the outer fabric, a moisture barrier and a thermal protection barrier – all components of which have been formulated to be as lightweight as possible.


The Cosalt kit is constructed from 60% Kevlar, 40% PBI.


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