So you’ve bought yourself a buoyancy aid to go paddling in. This is awesome! It’s important to take care of your safety whilst out on the water.
Here’s some insight on how to take care of your buoyancy aid to make it last longer.
Rinse
Make sure you rinse off any mud, sand or visible stains after every use. Always use clean water to rinse, especially when it’s been used in salt water. After rinsing you should hang the buoyancy aid to dry naturally out of direct sunlight.
Wash
It’s advised to wash your buoyancy aid each month when in use, to keep the smell away.
The tools you need to do the washing are: a plastic bucket, a water hose, a soft bristle brush and a laundry detergent with enough enzymes to break apart stain molecules.
Cleaning process:
- Fill the bucket with warm/hot water
- Add the laundry detergent to it
- Mix it all together
- Scrub the buoyancy aid gently with the brush
- Rinse thoroughly using a hose
- Hang to dry naturally out of direct sunlight
Dry
When your buoyancy aid is wet make sure you hang it to dry. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight. This can cause deterioration and fading of the fabrics.
Do not try to speed the process by putting it in the dry cleaner or expose it to direct heat. This will damage the product, and therefore reduce its lifespan.
Quality Control
Make sure you check your buoyancy aid regularly for rips, tears or holes, as well as damage to the zips and buckles. For your safety it’s important you have a properly functioning buoyancy aid. If you take good care of it, it should last for many years. However, there will come a time when it’s time to replace it. That’s why it’s important to test the buoyancy (flotation) of the buoyancy aid in for example a pool or bath tub before every season. Just to make sure it still properly functions and serves its purpose.
Safety first!
Storage
Buoyancy aids should be stored in a dry, dark and cool place. Never store a heavily soiled buoyancy aid. Stains become food for mould and mildew growth which weakens fabrics and destroy the effectiveness of the buoyancy aid.
It’s also good to ensure that when the buoyancy aid is stored, that there is no other objects applying pressure on it. This can cause the foam inside to deform or bend, which will cause the buoyancy aid to loose it’s buoyancy and function.
That’s it, 5 tips that will help you to take care of your buoyancy aid. For now, enjoy your time on the water!
If you have any questions or need recommendations and advice, then feel free to get in touch with us here at Canoe2 by emailing info@canoe2.co.uk or connecting with us on social media.
You could even pop into the Canoe2 Shop here at Rushden Lakes to have a chat, or come and visit us online at https://shop.canoe2.co.uk/
We are in The Boathouse, Boardwalk, Rushden Lakes, Northamptonshire, NN10 6FA.
This blog is courtesy of Jobe Watersports.
