Life Jackets for DCs for canal boat holiday- any advice?

[teslagirl]

Am looking at the 'crewsaver' type that automatically inflate if a DC hits the water- they're like a large, flat horseshoe around the neck usually; as opposed to a fat, bulky 'polystyrene floaties' ones. Anyone had any experience? The DSs (8 and 10) will be wearing them 16 hours a day for a week!

Can you hire the nice ones or do we have to pay out 35 quid each for a week's use?

they are good but pricey
IME you can't usu hire them as they're 'single use' and need recharging if they go off.

can't they swim? canals generally have no currents, aren't too depp. not too wide, so if they do fall in it's only a few strokes to the bank - keep them inside the boat in the locks.

sorry Loshad, they def need to wear them

1. They might be cruising on rivers, which are deep, wide and do have currents.
2. The main risk is having an accident (trip, bridge strike etc) and falling in unconscious or injured when swimming / walking to bank wouldn't help.
3. They will be missing the most fun bit of the holiday (not to mention making a lot of extra work for the OP and her DH) if they can't help at locks.

haven't found any cheaper than £35 but at least they're old enough to keep them on - we're meant to be visiting PIL's narrowboat with a crawling 11mo and keeping her in a lifejacket is going to be no fun at all...

we hired a boat on the broads and the kids were provided with lovely little navy flst life jackets by the hire company.

Def. wear them. To persuade our kids to wear them,i got one for the dog too - just as well because he fell in and it was all we could pull him out with.

you never know what might happen...

We have hired many narrow boats and boats on the Norfolk Broads. The jackets provided were the bulky type and it was an on going battle getting dcs to wear them. They are hot and bulky and pretty uncomfortable, but very necessary imo. I would go for the ones you describe. They sound much more comfortable and would be worth every penny rather than a week of arguing about uncomfortable life jackets. Plus you will have them for future use. Canal holidays are great and maybe you will go again?

Inflating type are very neat and more comfortable. Sounds like it would be worth investing in.

I once saw a small child, about 5 years, almost fall off a narrow boat as his parents let him wander the deck as they negotiated a lock. Instead the father toppled over and fell between other boats in the lock - incredibly dangerous, not to mention dirty. Luckily there was a lock keeper with a long pole who managed to fish him out.

Might be worth investing in for all the family. For the children, even if they can swim well please give them a talk about how to be careful, especially at locks and near weirs.

But, have fun!