RNLI Lifejacket Clinic: Safety, Seamanship, and Community in Action
Published 10:34 on 1 Nov 2025
On Saturday 25th October, Brighton Marina Yacht Club hosted a Club Class Special featuring a free RNLI Lifejacket Clinic and a practical safety talk led by RNLI member and club friend Tim Kingston. The event was a powerful reminder that safety starts with knowledge and that community is built through shared action.
RNLI volunteers Tim and Nathan White worked tirelessly to inspect 33 lifejackets brought in by club members. Their findings were eye-opening:
- 21 expired hydrostatic operating units may not inflate automatically
- 3 hidden manual toggles impossible to activate in the water
- 3 oral inflation tube caps missing risking contamination and deflation
- 3 corroded gas bottle threads potential for pinhole leaks
- 3 defective zips risking jacket integrity
- 2 loose gas bottles and 4 corroded bottles compromising inflation
- 2 expired lights reducing visibility in emergencies
Safety Talk Highlights
Tim's talk offered practical, actionable advice on what to do aboard if help is needed. From checking your gear to understanding emergency protocols, attendees left with renewed confidence and clarity.
A Proud Collaboration
We're proud to collaborate with the RNLI an organisation whose values of safety, seamanship, and community mirror our own. This time, the RNLI shop was also present, run by Heather, and together we raised around £150. A huge thank you to everyone who supported it.
You can continue to support the RNLI by visiting their online shop or by dropping into the RNLI shop at the end of The Boardwalk (BN2 5ZB). With Christmas coming up, it's the perfect opportunity to find gifts that also support a life-saving cause.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who joined us, asked questions, shared stories, and helped build the kind of boating network that keeps us all safer. Every conversation is a chance to learn, connect, and grow and this event was full of them.
