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Crewsaver is a world leading designer and supplier of life jackets , buoyancy aids and dinghy sailing clothing and equipment. Established in 1957 in the south coast of England, Crewsaver has developed a specialist knowledge in safety marine equipment; pioneering the design of gas operated air only lifejackets in 1984 with the launch of the iconic Crewfit, and now providing innovative marine equipment for leisure and professional sailing.

At Marine Super Store we stock a wide range of Crewsaver products at the best prices, from the popular Crewfit 165N Sport Lifejacket to Crewsaver drysuits and life jackets parts and accessories.

Showing 1–36 of 63 results

Crewsaver Crewfit 165N Sport Lifejacket

Crewsaver Crewfit 180N Pro Lifejacket

Crewsaver Tender Air Deck

Crewsaver ErgoFit 190N Offshore Lifejacket

Crewsaver Atacama Sport+ Drysuit With Free Fleece Undersuit

Crewsaver Atacama Pro Drysuit with Free Fleece Undersuit

Crewsaver Response 50N Buoyancy Aid

Crewsaver Ergofit+ 190N Lifejacket

Crewsaver Long Boot

Crewsaver Crewfit+ 180N Pro Lifejacket

Crewsaver Automatic Rearming Kit ‘L’

Crewsaver Ergofit+ 290N Lifejacket

Crewsaver Crewfit 150N Junior Lifejacket

Crewsaver Pro 50N SZ Buoyancy Aid – Side Zip

Crewsaver Crewline Pro Safety Line

Crewsaver Horseshoe Buoy Set

Crewsaver ErgoFit Hammer Rearming Kit

Crewsaver Short Boot

Crewsaver Tri Season Glove

Crewsaver Spray Cag

Crewsaver Rescue Line Yellow 20m Throw Lines

Crewsaver Pet Buoyancy Aid

Crewsaver Elite Automatic Rearming Kit

Crewsaver Kortex Helmet

Crewsaver PVC rescue sling 30m

Crewsaver 3/4 Boot

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Crewsaver Hammar Re-arming Kit

Crewsaver Four B 70N Buoyancy Aid

Crewsaver ErgoFit Safety Knife

Crewsaver Spiral 100N Buoyancy Aid

Crewsaver Spray Top

Crewsaver Crewlift 40 Bosun Hard Seat

Crewsaver Lifejacket Light

Crewsaver Zip Boot

Crewsaver Pro 50N CZ Buoyancy Aid – Centre Zip

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

We Tested 16 of the Best Lifejackets for Boating and Sailing

• December 15, 2023

We tested 16 of the best lifejackets under £300 to find out what they're really like to use both in and out of the water

With over 3.5 million people in the US alone participating in sailing each year, it’s more important than ever to understand the fundamentals when it comes to being in the open water. One of the most important things any sailor or boater can own is a life jacket. Yes, all of the best lifejackets for boaters conform to a set of minimum ISO standards and are USCG approved, but how do you know which one is actually the best for your personal use and body type?

How to choose the best lifejacket?

From their basic ISO rated start point, all lifejackets take on their own characteristics and design elements. The positioning of the CO2 inflation bottle, the shape of the bladder, the position of the crotch strap and the way it is attached, the location of the whistle, the position of the oral inflation tube and the location of the lifting strop. Some of our lifejackets on test also have sprayhoods and water activated strobe lights.

I comprehensively put these lifejackets through sea survival drills and shoreside scrutiny. To learn more about what the team tested and how we did it, go to the bottom of this buyers guide to see our crew doing their thing.

Each lifejacket has its own review page. If you want a more in-depth review, simply click through to read more.

A note from the Tech Editor: Fox Morgan “I have a confession. I’ve been on boats since I was 4 years old  and it took until I was 32 before I started to wear one regularly. I was commuting to and from my boat daily in some cold and dangerously tidal waters.  A friend and sailing instructor saw me rowing in the dark late at night and reminded me that I will only ever fall in once if I don’t wear a lifejacket.  It was the wakeup I needed. I never go out without one now. In fact I have several for a variety of types of boating I do. My offshore one has a handy pouch for a knife and beacon, but I fill it with snacks sometimes.  The best lifejacket is the one you wear. (especially if it allows for onboard snacks) At a glance

Baltic Athena Auto Inflatable Lifejacket – Best women’s specific lifejacket  – Buy Now

Seago Seaguard 165N – Best budget friendly lifejacket – Buy Now

Crewsaver Crewfit+ 180N pro – Best premium costal lifejacket– Buy Now

Spinlock 6D Deckveset – Best offshore lifejacket

Coastal Lifejackets 150-180N

The best lifejackets for boaters and sailors.

fitting and adjusting with Anna

Baltic Athena Auto Inflatable Lifejacket

“best women’s specific lifejacket”.

Specifications:

•  Size: Adult (one size)

•  Colour: White

•  Inflate: Auto inflatable

Reasons to Buy: This lifejacket is cut for women and fits really well over foul weather clothes and light weight layers. It is comfortable and easy to move around in. It is easy to fasten in all conditions. It is easy to repack and easy to check the firing mechanism.

Reasons to Avoid: The bladder might be a bit tight around the neck when inflated wearing a large foul weather jacket collar and this can be uncomfortable.

Verdict: This is an excellent choice of lifejacket for women who do a host of boating activities. High praise from all who tried this lifejacket in the dry.

Read the full Baltic Athena review

Buy Baltic Athena Auto Inflatable Lifejacket from tradeinn.com

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Fox adjusting

Spinlock Deckvest Lite

“best coastal on test for everyday wear and general purpose water activity”.

•  Buoyancy: 170N

•  Material: Nylon

•  Colour: Black Graphite, Pacific Blue, Flow Green, New Bleach White, New Seagrass Green and New Mercury Red

Reasons to Buy: This is a smart looking lifejacket with a slimline feel. There are very few details to get caught or snag. The best feature are that it’s really easy to repack, fits smaller adult body types and has a high visibility bladder.

Reasons to Avoid: This might feel a little restrictive on some people with the over-the-head method of donning. It might not suit larger bodies.

Verdict: This no frills but stylish lifejacket performs well both off and on the water. It is great for everyday wear and is unobtrusive and easy to forget you’re wearing it.

Read the full Spinlock Deckvest review

Buy Spinlock Deckvest Lite from Amazon

Seago Seaguard 165N

Score 69/100

“best budget friendly lifejacket”

•  Buoyancy: 165N

•  Colour:  Navy/grey

Reasons to Buy: Excellent value for money. The cross over bladder design works well. There’s room in the casing to add a sprayhood and light. It also comes in a version with a harness loop.

Reasons to Avoid: There are a few little snaggy areas where the straps or toggles could be tucked away better.

Verdict: We were very pleased with the performance of this lifejacket. Some would argue that it doesn’t look super stylish, but it doesn’t offend either. Where it excels is as a lifejacket in the water, and that’s where it really counts.

Read the full Seago Seaguard review

Buy Seago Seaguard 165N from Amazon

Buy Seago Seaguard from Pirates Cave

checking adjustment

Crewsaver Crewfit+ 180N pro

“best premium coastal lifejacket”.

•  Buoyancy: 180N

•  Colour:  Black

•  Features: Soft loop D-ring for attaching harness

Reasons to Buy:  It’s a smart black lifejacket that will blend in with any outfit. If you’re all about minimal, understated style this is the lifejacket for you. Along with being fitted with sprayhood and light as standard, it also has a well designed wide bladder. It is very comfortable when worn day to day. Plus, it’s easy to adjust.

Reasons to Avoid:  At the end of the day unpacking and repacking will take a longer as the rearming the firing mechanism is really fiddly. If you fly regularly with this lifejacket, the CO2 bottle seal will be an annoyance.

Verdict: This is an excellent lifejacket, leading the way with coastal lifejackets that will take you offshore and into the night with its well positioned strobe light and nicely designed sprayhood. The thoughtful design is apparent throughout, but perhaps was taken one step too far with the CO2 bottle anti-unscrew seal feature making it a poor choice for frequent flyers but an excellent choice for people who worry about their CO2 bottles coming unscrewed.

Read the full Crewsaver Crewfit+ review

Buy Crewsaver Crewfit+ 180N Pro from Marinestore

TeamO Micro lifejacket adjustment

TeamO Micro

•  Colour: Black/Orange, Black/Yellow and Blue/Yellow

•  Features: U ltra light weight (approximately 900g),  a djustable waist belt and 170 Newtons of Buoyancy

Reasons to Buy: Super skinny lightweight lifejacket, one of the lightest on test at 860grams.

Reasons to Avoid: A bit of a pig to repack. Very basic with no room for add-ons such as a light or sprayhood

Verdict: The target market for the stylish TeamO Micro is likely to be for those who use RIBs, go day boating and motorboating and for other inshore sheltered water activities. If you want a lifejacket with the smallest footprint, then this may well fit the bill. If you are looking for a lifejacket that you can add to later with additional safety gear, then you might look elsewhere.

Read the full TeamO Micro review

Buy TeamO Micro Ultra Light from sheridanmarine.com

lifejacket worn by Alex

Ocean Safety Sport 170 ADV

•  Colour: Navy, red and carbon

•  Features:  Single crotch strap, side adjustment for bespoke fit and soft loop harness point for safety harness (harness version only)

Reasons to Buy:  One of the reasons to buy this option is that it’s a smart looking lifejacket. It’s also a ocean safety brand is well established and trusted with service centres readily available everywhere. Plus, it has a crossover bladder design.

Reasons to Avoid:  As per a previous test conducted on this lifejacket, it has suboptimal positioning of the CO2 canister on the curve of the bladder which causes it to rotate on inflation and jab into the chest or ribs of the wearer.

Verdict: Whilst there’s no doubt this is a good quality ISO rated lifejacket, it is smart and fits well, adjusts well and functions well in all aspects, however there’s no escaping its shortcomings in respect to the bottle position and the underwhelmingly small sprayhood.

Read the full Ocean Safety Sport review

Buy Ocean Safety Sport ADV from Ocean Safety (UK)

James wearing the lifejacket

Helly Hansen Sail Safe

Score 56/100

•  Size: STD

•  Colour: Navy and alert red

• Fiber content: 100% Polyamide

•  Features:  UML Water activated automatic inflation sensor

Reasons to Buy:  This option is lightweight and easy to stow. It has a no frills design, neat stowage for the crotch strap on the back of the life jacket straps.

Reasons to Avoid:  The performance was adequate in all areas but didn’t excel in any particular area.

Verdict: The Helly Hansen Sail Safe lifejacket is a lightweight coastal lifejacket with the ubiquitous HH branding. You get good performance all over but for the (relatively high) price it does feel that you are paying for a name and higher specified lifejackets are available at a lower price.

Read the full Helly Hansen Sailsafe review

Buy Helly Hansen SailSafe from hellyhansen.com

Toby wearing lifejacket

Waveline lifejacket

Score 61/100

•  Size: Suitable for weights above 40kg

• Material: 600D polyester outer shell and coarse polyester webbing

•  Features:Velcro closure cover and lifting loop

Reasons to Buy: This is the lightest on test and weighs just 800g fully armed. The flat profile is comfortable to wear. The velcro closure makes this life jacket really easy to check the arming mechanism and really easy to re-pack. It’s also very good value for money.

Reasons to Avoid:  If style is something you want to consider, this is probably not the option for you. There’s also nowhere to stow excess webbing after adjustment.

Verdict: The Waveline 165N auto lifejacket is an excellent budget option that works well in the water when inflated and is a no frills option for getting out on the water boating safely. A lightweight and simple lifejacket that is tried and tested the world over.

Read the full Waveline review

Buy Waveline 165N from eBay

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Where indicated, items have been tested independently of manufacturers influence.

Offshore lifejackets 190n, spinlock deckvest 6d, “highly commended best all round”.

• Buoyancy: 170N or 275N

• Colour: Black, pacific blue, tropic white, citrus yellow, black with HRS, pacific blue with HRS, tropic white with HRS and citrus yellow with HRS

•  Features:170N autoinflation, harness release system, crotch strap, sprayhood, lumeon bladder illumination, automatic strobe light,  adjustable body height

Reasons to Buy: Its form-fitting sculpted design and bright colour of casing make this a stylish lifejacket. It has excellent elevated lighting and reflective visibility, good snug fit holding the user high in the water and good sprayhood. The harness release system is another good feature.

Reasons to Avoid: The bladder is a darker orange and may not be as visible as some of the brighter bladders available. The extra sculpting can make the lifejacket feel a bit stiff to wear and makes it heavy.

Verdict: This is an outstanding lifejacket with great performance across the score board. The standout features are the lighting, both elevated and lumeon, lighting the entire bladder. The essentials are labels and easy to find and this feels like a lifejacket that has really been designed with the user in mind. Every query has been answered. If we were challenged to find a way to improve this, we’re really not sure how we would.

Read the full Spinlock Deckvest 6D review

Buy Spinlock Deckvest 6D from marinesuperstore.com

Mustang Atlas 190 lifejacket

“raises the bar in bladder design”.

Specifications: 

• Buoyancy: 180N • Colour: Black, Red/Black • Weight 1.2kg •  Features: Pro Sensor auto inflation, crotch strap, pram style sprayhood, automatic strobe light, smart bladder design

Reasons to Buy: Very comfortable, innovative bladder design, high freeboard, understated casing design

Reasons to Avoid: Conservative outer styling might not appeal to those who like to make a statement.

From the outside the casing looks pretty standard and dare I say it a bit bland. It doesn’t shout look at me, which I suspect will have as many nods of approval as there will be shrugs of where’s the pizzazz?

It has a smooth contoured shape to fit the body and once it’s on you can easily forget you’re wearing it. The back section is cut low and doesn’t impede on a collar or the back of your neck.

The weight is also distributed nicely across the whole body so there’s no hot spots. I tried this on over the top of a T-shirt and then later with a lightweight foul weather jacket and both options were comfortable.  The quick adjust side buckles are a familiar premium feature and the tail end excess is dealt with neatly with velcro loops.

Where the lifejacket really shines though is when it is deployed as an inflated bladder. The shape is really unlike all other lifejackets currently available. The bladder at the front is more pointed or conical, with additional wave baffles built into it. This acts doubly to make waves pass around you and those that hit directly are baffled by the webs. There’s an additional little “pillow” to raise your head further still and this gives a feeling of really being raised out of the water.

The sprayhood has a pram-style arch support which keeps it from collapsing on your head and keeps the plastic away from your face. It also makes it very easy to deploy and pull forward.  Two loops pull down and go over each bladder end.

They’ve thought about emergency beacon positioning too, though these were still being certified for use at the time of testing. There’s a dedicated area for a personal locator beacon or personal AIS beacon to attach to on the right-hand lower bladder section which is unencumbered by the sprayhood.

In the water I was able to scull backwards and maneuver really easily as there was plenty of room for arm articulation. I strongly believe that all other lifejacket manufacturers are going to have to up their game in terms of bladder design. The Mustang Atlas 190 DLX has set the bar very high indeed.

Baltic Force 

•  Size: Adult

• Colour: Black

•  Features:Integrated safety harness with twin loops for attaching the safety line and detachable crutch strap.

Reasons to Buy:  The larger/longer bladder provides higher buoyancy and the smart outer casing looks stylish. It also comes in a range of specification levels to suit individual needs.

Reasons to Avoid: This test model version comes without a sprayhood or light which would be essential for any offshore or coastal use after dark. Make sure you opt for the higher spec model.

Verdict: This is without doubt a highly capable lifejacket. It fits well both shoreside and in the water. The extra buoyancy is noticeable in the longer bladder. We were unable to test the fully fledged offshore equipped lifejacket and if this lifejacket suits you, then make sure you opt for that extra specification.

Read the full Baltic Force review

Buy Baltic Force from tradeinn.com

Toni wearing Seago 3Dynamic 190N lifejacket

Seago 3Dynamic

Score 62/100

•  Chest size: 55 to 140cm

•  Buoyancy: 300N

• Colour: Carbon/black

•  Features: Double crutch strap, pro sensor firing head, neoprene collar,  harness included

Reasons to Buy:  This lifejacket looks smart and generally well sculpted to form fit. The bladder has a crossover design to stop waves funneling into your face.

Reasons to Avoid:  It is really difficult to re-pack after inflation/re-arming. It also has a poorly designed sprayhood, the light us poorly positioned and might be a bit snug on larger people.

Verdict: The Seago 3Dynamic looks to offer so much on paper but in practice we found it had one too many compromises for our tastes. It is comfortable, but repacking is a real faff. the buckle was fiddly and the sprayhood was subpar. A little more thought into the layout and practicalities of this lifejacket could turn it around though to be a solid contender.

Read the full Seago 3Dynamic review

Buy Seago 3Dynamic from eBay

worn by Anna

TeamO Backtow

“highest scoring on test”.

Reasons to Buy:  This lifejacket has a smart sculpted design, excellent sprayhood and innovative design with backtow harness.

Reasons to Avoid:  If you deploy the backtow, you’re going to need to know how to put that back together or take it to a service centre.

Verdict: A truly excellent lifejacket with innovation at its heart and the user practicality forefront.  The complexity of the backtow element means that rearming it in a hurry, unless you’re a dab hand already and have practiced shoreside, might leave you reaching for the spare lifejacket and sending this one off for someone else to do it for you.

Read the full TeamO Backtow review

Buy TeamO Backtow from promarinestore.co.uk

Ocean Safety Sport Pro 170 ADV

Score 78/100

• Colour: Carbon / Sky

•  Features:  Pro sensor with indicator window,  spray hood, s torage pocket

Reasons to Buy: smart stylish design from a reputable brand, neat built in stowage pocket suitable for a PLB

Reasons to Avoid: small sprayhood feels claustrophobic and too tight around the head, the trigger toggle should have better stowage to avoid accidental trigger or to avoid unsafe tucking away by users.

Verdict: This is a comfortable, sturdy, good quality and relatively well specified lifejacket at a good price. It has some great features and comes as standard with the basic equipment for going out of sight of land at night. The crossover bladder is a good design to stop waves funneling into the face, but we would advise to upgrade the sprayhood and light position to have a better in-water performance should you ever need it.

Read the full Ocean Safety Sport Pro review

Buy Ocean Safety Sport Pro 170N ADV from marinestore.com

Spinlock Vito 170N Hammar

• Buoyancy: 170N

•  Features: Pylon Lifejacket Light™, Lume-On™, Toggle attachment point for optional Chest Pack (DW-PCC)

Reasons to Buy: One of the best sprayhoods we’ve tested, low profile lifejacket casing, Hammar trigger means you can use this in wild sailing conditions without accidental triggering.

Reasons to Avoid: Hammar trigger means re-arming this is a faff. Quite rigid construction, might not fit smaller people as adjustment will go as small as a size 8 European female.

Verdict: This is used by a variety of professional teams, including Volvo ocean racers. The Hammar trigger mechanism is a matter for you to decide if it’s right for you. They do sell the Vito with the pro sensor trigger too. The over the head donning is a love it or loathe it style and whilst it can feel very secure and the harness loop is excellent, passing this over your head, large collar and other foulies in a rush can feel a bit claustrophobic. The back is low cut though and the sprayhood is stowed in a back panel keeping the bulk away from the collar area. It is an excellent lifejacket and has scored highly in our early test scores. The full test review is coming soon,

Buy Spinlock Vito 170N Hammar from thewetworks.co.uk

Ocean Lifejackets 270N +

Spinlock deckvest 6d 275n.

Full review coming soon…

•  Features:  Pro sensor automatic inflation, spinlock harness release system, structured spray hood

Reasons to Buy:  It has a larger capacity bladder for superior righting and buoyancy. It can have HRS facility and is compatibility with other spinlock products.

Reasons to Avoid:  It feels noticeably larger/bulkier than a 190N. It might impede access to liferaft if you are a smaller person.

Verdict:  Our pool tester Phil noted how much confidence this lifejacket inspired in the water. The bladder is significantly larger and provides a much greater buoyancy and visibility. It is large though, so we don’t recommend this for day to day sailing. The weight of the lifejacket comes in at 1529grams, which is 200g more than the standard 170N deckvest. This might not seem a great deal but over the course of a day, wearing this might be quite fatiguing. Of course, if you are wearing a large immersion suit or other bulky clothes or dry suit for use in deep ocean conditions, you will be very glad of the extra this lifejacket offers.

 Buy Spinlock Deckvest 6D 275N from piratescave.co.uk

Our previously tested lifejackets from 2017 Group test

Baltic 150 Race SL lifejacket

Read the full review for the baltic race sl lifejacket.

•  Size: ‎50-110 Kg

•  Features: Anti tangle back, padded shoulders, integrated safety harness, etro-reflective patches, whistle and detachable crutch strap

Reasons to Buy:  It has good padding and a metal harness tether loop.

Reasons to Avoid:  The lifejacket’s smaller buoyancy meant a slower roll over time.

Verdict: The padding was comfortable, although the inflation tube and light assembly inside the lifejacket sat over the collar bone, which could create a pressure point over time. Unlike the longer bladder of the other Baltic lifejackets, this had a shorter, higher bladder with more rounded lobes. The standard Baltic hood had a good support arch, but the elastic straps tended to slip off the bladder. It also let spray in.

Buy it now on Amazon

Crewsaver Ergofit+ 190N lifejacket

Read the full review of crewsaver ergofit 190.

•  Buoyancy: ‎190N

•  Features: Three-layer cover, inflatable chin support, stainless steel buckle, AIS and MOB Lifesavers compatible

Reasons to Buy: Impressive buoyancy and has an excellent sprayhood.

Reasons to Avoid:  It’s a little rigid and bulky.

Verdict: If performance in the water is the most important aspect of a lifejacket, the Ergofit+ 190N was streets ahead of the other lifejackets tested. It was one of the fastest to inflate, but more importantly it was a good second or two ahead on the rotation test. It was very difficult for the tester to get onto their front to begin the test at all, and they spun over in close to one second. The Crewsaver Ergofit+ 190N also produced the best freeboard figures with up to 4cm more than some of the other lifejackets.

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Helly Hansen Sailsafe Race 170 Auto lifejacket

Read the full review of the helly hansen sailsafe race.

•  Buoyancy: ‎170N

•  Features:  Hammar Hydrostatic pressure automatic inflation sensor, SOLAS approved Reflective elements, 5000N reinforced grab loop

Reasons to Buy:  The hammar has an auto activation function and is fast to inflate.

Reasons to Avoid:  The thigh straps might not be for everyone and its buckles slip too easily.

Verdict: Hammar inflation and an inspection window make checking and maintaining the lifejacket simple. It sits flat against the body but includes space to add in an MOB beacon or PLB. The thigh straps are slightly more complex to fit, they need to be snug so they don’t slip down and limit movement. The lifejacket was the fastest to inflate on test (2017) The hood is well-made with a supporting arch and good ventilation at the sides and front, and well-located reflective strips.

Buy it now on Hellyhansen.com

The back length is adjustable, one of only two lifejackets to offer this

Plastimo SL 180 lifejacket

Read the full review of the plastimo sl 170.

•  Buoyancy: ‎180N

•  Features: Double thigh support, retro-reflective tape, quick-closing zip

Reasons to Buy:  The adjustable back, good maneuverability in the water and storage for MOB built-in make this a good lifejacket for your yacht.

Reasons to Avoid:  It has a slightly disconcerting soft feel when inflated compared to other conventionally constructed lifejackets.

Verdict: With adjustable back length, (one of only a couple of lifejackets to offer this) and inspection windowvia dedicated zip opening and a separate stowage place for a personal beacon, this is a versatile lifejacket.

This jacket is designed to remain soft and flexible once inflated. We found this disconcerting initially as it felt like it had not fully inflated. The sewn-in sprayhood was easy to find with a string to pull forwards. The oral inflation tube was less simple to use.

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Lifejackets group test – what we scored our lifejackets on

Adjust speed ease difficulty

Our testers checked how easy and quickly our lifejackets were able to change from full foulies, then down to a t-shirt then back again. The double adjuster was a popular method and was scored highly by our testers.

Fastening buckle ease with gloves

The ease with which we can fasten and unfasten the various buckles, including with gloves or cold hands. Seabelt style buckles were generally scored very highly.

Comfort men women body size

Front cross-over design

The cut and design of lifejackets varies a lot. From high cut waistcoat styles that suited the men or wider shouldered and taller people and the longer in the body cut lifejackets tended to suit a slimmer person with a waist for the lifejacket to cinch into.

Practicality . bulk snagging

Waistband stowage

Some lifejackets have been well thought through. What do we do with the long surplus piece of webbing? what about all the flappy strappy bits? Are they neatly stowed? Lifejackets that had better stowage of surplus dangly bits were scored highly.

Manual inflated view and fitment

We tried all of the lifejackets shoreside, manually inflated and looked for the essential gear, whether it fell readily to hand and how the lifejacket fitted around the body in its fully inflated lifejaclet mode. A couple of the lifejackets had top up tubes that were a bit of a stretch to reach and some were difficult to locate the whistle or lifting strop.

Ease of checking and repacking

Repacking the lifejacket

Some of our lifejackets just slipped back into their casing without a fuss, others didn’t want to go back in without a bit of a wrestle. The velcro closure lifejackets are the easiest and the tightly packed ones with all the bells and whistles required a little more consideration to careful tucking and folding. Most had easy access to check the arming mechanism within a few brief seconds.

Phil during the pool test with sprayhood deployed

Where a lifejacket was fitted with a sprayhood we scored it. Some sprayhood were considerably better designed than others. Of the coastal lifejackets on test the Crewsaver was outstanding.

Personal Beacon stowage

The offshore lifejackets should reasonably be expected to have adequate stowage provision for a personal locator beacon or AIS.  Some were much better equipped than others. The Ocean Safety Sport Pro ADV has a pocket built in, the Spinlock Deckvest 6D has an optional side pouch which is excellent.

In water testing

Plunge test

We tested every lifejacket in the pool and ran each one through basic personal sea survival drills, from manual inflation, auto inflation, swimming, rafting and climbing into a liferaft, we looked at the performance of all our best lifejackets for boaters in general use.

It is clear to see that all lifejackets are not made equal. Certainly not in how they feel from person to person.

Whilst all of our lifejackets on test performed well according to basic safety standards, they all have elements that could be tweeked and adjusted to be better functioning or designed and all of them have their unique selling points.

A final note from the Tech Editor : Fox Morgan My personal favourite lifejacket is the old Kru Sport, as it fits me so well. They no longer make this waistcoat style model, but the sprayhood and equipment storage capacity on this one is excellent. My AIS beacon fits on a webbing belt on the bladder. I familiarise myself with my lifejacket manually inflated once or twice a year or before every big offshore race. I inspect it on a regular basis and check the arming mechanism before every outing. Once you have chosen the best lifejacket that suits your needs, make sure you get to know it well. Not just in it’s rolled away form, but as a lifejacket, inflated. Know where your essential safety kit is stowed. Where is the whistle and lifting strop? Put your lifejacket on and feel around for them. Store this in your memory. The least sensible time to be doing this for the first time is when you actually need them.

Our lifejacket testing team were:

Alex :  Professional Skipper of traditional sailing vessels (Charlestown Harbour)

Paula : Chief at Charlestown Harbour

Toni : Ex RNLI lifeaboatman, Ex Brixham fisherman, Professional skipper and owner of traditional sailing and fishing vessels

Phil : Ex Lifeboatman, Ex Brixham fisherman, Ex Navy Chief Engineer, Principle sea survival skills training officer, Professional Skipper and University HE lecturer.

Anna :  Clipper Sailing Crew and experienced offshore sailor/racer

James : Retired GP and experienced offshore sailor/racer

Mike : Outward bound sailing instructor, poolside safety and drills at Western Maritime Training

Toby : Experienced sailor and dinghy racer, Senior writer at Future Marine Group

Fox : Professional sailing skipper, experienced offshore sailor/racer, Senior HE University lecturer, Tech Ed at Future Marine Group

Our lifejacket testing was held over several days.

Our dry testing day was hosted by Charlestown Harbour.

We tested all of our lifejackets for the ease of adjustment from wearing it over bulky clothes to t-shirts and then back to bulky clothes.

We looked at how easy or difficult our lifejackets were to fasten and unfasten and then try that again with cold hands or with gloves on.

We looked at the fitment of crotch straps and for any loose or dangling straps or toggles that might get snagged by accident when worn in a marine environment.

We manually inflated all of our lifejackets and assessed their onboard equipment and location. Some lifejackets have the minimum or lifting strop, whistle and top up tube, others have spray hoods fitted and lights. We assessed how easy those items were to find and use when wearing the lifejacket inflated.

Where suitable, we looked at where a personal locator beacon or personal ais beacon would fit on or within the lifejacket casing or bladder.

We packed away our lifejackets and assessed how easy or difficult they were to stow back into their casings. While we were doing this, we also looked at how easy it would be to rearm a lifejacket if it had been triggered.

Our Pool testing day was held in Plymouth Life Centre Diving Pool and organised by Western Maritime Training.

In the pool we had a liferaft set in place for us to run through standard sea survival drills and practice. Western Maritime Training kindly set the pool up for us as per standard STCW personal survival techniques training days .

We highly recommend that anyone who spends time heading out of sight of land for leisure or pleasure should consider doing this course.

While we were in the pool area, we assessed the manual trigger mechanism and auto inflate mechanism of lifejackets. How hard is it to pull the trigger to activate the gas canister or when auto inflating, did the lifejacket turn us over quickly?

We assessed the comfort of the lifejacket when inflated and how easy or difficult they are to readjust whilst in the water. such as tightening crotch straps or cinching in waistbands.

Where lifejackets were fitted with a sprayhood, we looked at how easy it was to locate and pull over the bladder, checking its effectiveness/practicality.

We formed a human safety circle and assessed what practical grab holds our lifejackets had, then we climbed into a liferaft, also checking for practical use and ability to physically handle a person giving them assistance to enter the liferaft.

After testing

We hung up our inflated lifejackets to dry and confirmed that all remained fully inflated for well over 48hours. In fact all of our test lifejackets remained inflated for two weeks, by which time only one of them had slightly started to soften.

What’s the scores?

Each lifejacket was independently scored by members of the testing team.

We took those scores and averaged them for each criteria.

We added up the individual element scores and converted this to a percentage rating.

Throughout the process all notes were taken from our testers and those comments can be seen in each review and within our buyers guide.

Note: all of our lifejackets tested conform to either  ISO 12402-3 (coastal/non harness) or iSO 12401 (harness versions), and this means that they all meet the basic safety standards you would expect from a lifejacket.

In order to conduct unbiased testing, our test team were given full freedom to test and evaluate the lifejackets presented to them on the tests days. their opinions are made in a professional capacity and skippers and end users of the products and are a result of direct hands on experience. this does not override any official safety rating or certification. legal disclaimer is available here.

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Survitec Premier Foam Lifejacket

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• Specifications

Since its introduction in July 2010, the Crewsaver Premier lifejacket has lead the way in passenger and crew lifejacket safety. The first lifejacket to be approved to ISO 200(80), the Premier has since gone on to be the choice of both the largest Cruise ships and some of the most discerning superyachts and commercial vessels worldwide.

The unique design of the neck opening allows for increased wearer comfort, while durability is assured by the use of tried and tested quality components.

• MED approved lights
• Optional spray hood
• Donning instructions
• Available in adult, child and infant sizes
• Highly visible colour with solas approved retro reflective tape
• Buddy line and whistle stored in recessed pocket
• Waist belt designed to fit chest girth of 1750m
• Sacrificial stitch at the end of the waist belt to allow it to run free if caught, helping to prevent snag hazards
• Yellow crew option available

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Best lifejackets: 10 of the best lifesavers tested to the max

We tested 10 of the best lifejackets on the market in a full-open water test to see how quickly they fire and how comfortable they are to wear

As the season gets off to a tentative start, we thought there was no better time to test one of the most essential pieces of boating kit, which could save your life, the humble lifejacket.

In our 10 of the best lifejackets test we flew out to the south coast of Mallorca where we threw our poor put-upon staff writer, Greg, in the water multiple times to test the lifejackets in open water.

We were interested in how comfortable each lifejacket was to wear around the boat, how easy it was to adjust, how quickly it fired and turned the casualty over in the water, how comfortable it was in the water once it had inflated and how effective and efficient all of the safety features were.

With each product is a ‘Buy Now’ or ‘Best Deal’ link. If you click on this then we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer when you purchase the item. This doesn’t affect the amount you pay.

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Previously, we had tested jackets in swimming pools, both heated and unheated. This time we decided these were no substitute for the real thing.

Waves, even small ones, currents and the temperature of open water can all have an effect on a casualty, so we decided the only course of action for this test was to do it off the back of a boat in a saltwater environment.

Read on to see how all ten lifejackets performed in this real world environment.

The best lifejackets available now

Marine pool 180n racer plus lifejacket.

• Crotch-strap: Yes (single)
• Light: No (but available to buy for an extra £19.95)
• Sprayhood: No (but available to buy for an extra £19.95)
• Harness: Yes
• Firing mechanism: United Moulders UML Pro Sensor
• Fastening mechanism: Metal buckle
• Price: €159.90
• Rating: 3/5

Performance

The Marinepool jacket had the traditional single-sided adjustment, making it easy to tweak by the wearer once on, and the jacket was comfy on board because it felt compact.

It took just five seconds for the jacket to fully inflate and turn Greg over, and it kept his head nicely clear of the water.

However, he reported that the jacket inflicted some compression on his chest, meaning the Marinepool wasn’t that comfortable once inflated.

The reflective material seemed a bit limited and with a vast area of yellow bladder on either side going begging, it wouldn’t take much to beef this up a bit.

The bottle and firing mechanism could be found inside their own zipped panel, which makes checking very straightforward, and a firing mechanism status panel with simple key can be found on the front.

Just unscrew the existing bottle, throw it away and screw in the new one and firing mechanism – simple. Rearming kit: £18.95

This was the easiest of the jackets to repack because it was constructed with a single component, which formed the cover and bladder. The downside of this is that any damage to the cover means it won’t hold air.

Contact: Marinepool Tel: +49 89 8996190

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Viking Conquest lifejacket

• Light: Yes (but costs extra £12.95)
• Sprayhood: Yes
• Firing mechanism: Halkey Roberts
• Price: £101
• Rating: 4/5

Like the Marinepool, adjustment of the Viking lifejackets is a simple one-side operation. Viking even supplies a couple of clips to keep the excess webbing tidy.

Comfort levels on board were described as good and activation and casualty turning, while a little slower than most models, was acceptable at seven seconds.

Once inflated the jacket drew positive comments from our tester, including better than average support for his head, which was held well clear of the water.

The sprayhood was easy to find and simple to put on. Though it looked a little twisted when pulled on, it provided a secure environment.

Many of the test jackets came with a lifting strop, but only the Viking made its location obvious and easy to get at before inflation.

The reflective panels were pretty well placed and, like the light, were covered by the sprayhood, but a large clear panel allowed both to do their job. The sprayhood itself also incorporated a number of reflective strips.

Like the Stormy’s UML-5 system, the Halkey Roberts simply requires a new bottle and firing mechanism to be screwed in. Rearming kit: £12.95

The separate bladder was repacked into the cover with ease, made simpler by having a Velcro closure all around the cover.

However, it seemed that the sprayhood had nowhere to go – there didn’t seem to be room for it inside the cover. I did eventually get it in but the fit was hardly neat.

Contact: Viking Life Saving Equipment Ltd Tel: 023 8045 4184

Bluewave lifejacket

• Crotch-strap: No (but available for £8.99)
• Light: No (but available for £14.99)
• Sprayhood: No
• Harness: No (but available for £59.99 and includes crotch-strap)
• Firing mechanism: United Moulders UML-5
• Fastening mechanism: Plastic buckle
• Rating: 2/5

We know that many motorboaters buy on price, so we decided to include this British-made budget jacket to provide a direct comparison to the more expensive products.

As the features list above reveals, it is light on specifications but most of the important bits can be added afterwards and you can choose a harness version if you wish.

So how did the Bluewave perform on the day? Adjustment was easy and the wearer reported very high levels of comfort on board due to the jacket being so light and compact.

Obviously, adding extra components will reduce this benefit to some extent. Nethertheless, this was the most comfortable jacket on the day.

In the water things weren’t quite so good. Inflation was fairly slow at eight seconds and a lack of crotch-straps on our test model meant the jacket rode up, leaving Greg’s head too close to the water and compressing on his neck.

The Bluewave was also light on reflective panels. This cost-effective jacket could be upgraded easily with a crotch-strap and a light to make it comparable to the other jackets here (sprayhood aside) and if you did this it would still be very affordable.

This budget jacket shares the same firing mechanism as most of the  more expensive models on our test, which means it is just as easy and cheap to rearm. Rearming kit: £16.99

With Velcro cover fastenings, this was the easiest and quickest of the separate cover and bladder jackets to repack.

Contact: Marine Warehouse Ltd Tel: 01792 474300

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Spinlock Deckvest Lite

• Light: No (available for £39.95)
• Sprayhood: No (available for £20.35)
• Harness: No
• Price: £139

The Spinlock jacket is an unusual design in that it slips over your head rather than being worn like a waistcoat.

It was easy to put on if you were flexible enough to reach behind for the strap, and very easy to adjust thanks to a system that required just a single pull on the loose end of webbing.

Wearing it on board, the Spinlock not only looks different but feels different too, which might take some getting used to.

Having said that it was comfortable, with a superbly soft neoprene collar. As an aside, our tester also thought it looked great too.

The jacket inflated and turned our tested over in a respectable 4.5 seconds but when inflated he reported some compression on the neck to the extent of slightly restricting his breathing.

It’s got the ubiquitous United Moulders UML-5 mechanism, so simply unscrew the old and screw in the new. Rearming pack: £19.95

The Deckvest Lite is very compact and this works against it when it comes to repacking. It wasn’t particularly easy and the end result was more shoved in than carefully packed. If I had a sprayhood to get in as well it may well have beaten me.

Contact: Spinlock Ltd Tel: 01983 295555

Ocean Safety Kru Sport Pro lifejacket

• Crotch-strap: Yes
• Light: No (but the AQ40 light is available to buy for £20)
• Fastening mechanism: Zipped panel
• Price: £160
• Rating: 5/5 (best buy)

The adjustment of this jacket is very easy; simply loosen right off before putting on and then pull the loose ends either side.

Once donned, the Kru Sport Pro felt comfy and offered a great feeling of security due to the large meshed back and zipped front panel.

In the water it was joint fastest at firing and turning our casualty over in just four seconds. Once inflated the head was held nicely above the waterline and the jacket still felt comfortable.

The sprayhood took our tester a while to find in the water but once he had hold of the tab to pull it out it was very easy to fit.

This made us realise how important it was to familiarise yourself with any lifejacket you buy. If you have a sprayhood, get to know how it works – it is definitely time well spent.

One quibble was that there seemed no obvious way of securing the loose ends of the sprayhood and I would have liked another reflective panel on the bottom of the righthand bladder because the one that was there was obscured after inflation.

Simply unscrew the cylinder and firing mechanism and screw in the new ones. Replace the plastic manual firing pin if required. Rearming kit: £20

Although it looked complicated, with a separate bladder and cover, this turned out to be very straightforward to repack due to the two separate halves, each with a zip, and a separate compartment for the sprayhood.

Contact: Ocean Safety Ltd Tel: 023 8072 0800

Crewsaver Ergofit 190N Coastal lifejacket

• Crotch-strap: Yes (double)
• Firing mechanism: Hammer
• Fastening mechanism: Zipped panel plus plastic buckle
• Price: £165
• Rating: N/A

Adjustment was easy, with two loose ends of webbing to pull on either side. The Ergofit is quite a big heavy lifejacket but it has that cool Navy SEAL look about it and feels reassuringly solid.

However, on test the Ergofit failed to fire automatically, despite Greg jumping in on two occasions. Firing it off manually only partially worked, with only the right hand side inflating.

Once out of the water and with a little prodding the second half burst into life. Back in the water, the sprayhood was easy to find but difficult to deploy – it needed a really good tug to separate the Velcro and enable the hood fixings to be stretched over the bladders.

On the plus side, the one thing that was very noticable was how well the Ergofit held the casualty in the water. Good design of the bladders kept the head held comfortably and well clear of the water.

The jacket also features a handy zipped pocket on the front, a Velcro tab to affix a PLB (personal locator beacon) and a clear window to check the status of the firing mechanism.

After the initial failure we contacted Crewsaver, who responded by conducting a series of tests with over 60 identical lifejackets. In their tests they could not replicate the failure we experienced, despite extensive environmental and in-water testing.

They then supplied us with another Ergofit jacket of exactly the same specification which we took to a local pool to test. This jacket fired correctly and turned the casualty over in five seconds.

The Hammer rearming kit is about twice as expensive as the UML-5 and because the bottle is mounted inside the bladder it is a more complex operation to change. The Ergofit is also available with non-Hammer automatic inflation. Rearming kit: £39

Spread out on the floor like some luminescent roadkill, the Ergofit looked like it was going to be a tricky customer.

Once I got going though it was relatively painless and although I wouldn’t say it was as neatly packed as when it came out of the factory, the firing mechanism was in line with the window and it looked OK.

Contact: Crewsaver Tel: 01329 820 000

Seasafe iZip lifejacket

• Price: £140

Our tester, Greg, described the iZip as very comfortable to wear. Adjustment was pretty straightforward using a single slider on the righthand side.

Just four seconds after hitting the water the jacket was fully inflated, with the casualty face up, making the iZip one of the fastest on test.

Once inflated the casualty’s head was kept clear of the water and Greg reported that the jacket was still comfortable to wear.

The sprayhood was a little tricky to find and get hold of but once located it was easy to put into place and offered good protection. Reflective strips were abundant, both with and without the sprayhood.

Other features include a fleece-lined collar for additional comfort and a separate zipped section for easy access to check the firing mechanism and gas bottle.

The colourful array of covers may make you think the iZip is a bit of a novelty product but that is far from true. Our casualty liked this jacket.

This was simple – just unscrew the old bottle and firing mechanism and screw in new ones. Replace the green manual fire-clip if required. Total rearming cost: £12.95

The iZip comes with a separate zipped cover and bladder. The slightly larger cover meant repacking was very easy, even with the extra material of the sprayhood to pack away. The iZip was the easiest jacket with a separate cover and bladder to repack to a high standard.

Contact: Seasafe Systems Ltd Tel: 01983 282388

Stormy LifeVest

• Crotch-strap: No (available with harness)
• Harness: Yes (£77 inc with crotch-straps)
• Price: £168

Unlike the other lifejackets on test, the Stormy is also a fleece-lined gilet or jacket. This made adjustment a little bit trickier but once set up the Stormy was comfortable to wear on board.

Our tester remarked that it felt just like an ordinary boat jacket. In the water, activation and casualty turning was quick at just 4.5 seconds, but with no crotch-straps the jacket did ride up a little.

Because the Stormy is a gilet/jacket it comes in sizes from XS to 3XL and getting the right size is important because once it is inflated there isn’t much room to spare.

We found that it became tight under the arms despite the expansion poppers and also tight enough on the chest to restrict breathing somewhat.

The Stormy was also quite low on reflective panels and looks rather dull in the water. But it did come with a useful blanking cap to turn it from an automatic into a manual jacket, should the need arise.

This was very simple. The Stormy uses the same kit as the iZip and has a separate Velcro panel for easy access. Rearming kit: £19

It doesn’t get any easier: simply press the valve to let the air out and it’s ready to go.

Contact: Adec Marine Tel: 020 8686 9717

Secumar Ultra AX Plus lifejacket

• Firing mechanism: Secumatic 4001S
• Fastening mechanism: Seatbelt-style plastic and metal buckle
• Price: €123.90

The Secumar is a reasonably bulky jacket but feels rugged, almost commercial. The easy-to-use seatbelt buckle provided a secure fastening and was the easiest on test to use, according to Greg.

Adjustment was simple, with a single-side slider, and despite the bulk this wasn’t an intrusive jacket to wear around the boat and was very comfortable thanks to its fleece-lined collar.

In the water the Secumar took a full 15 seconds to inflate – initially we thought we had a failure on our hands. But once it had fired, the Ultra did its job and turned our casualty over.

In the water, the jacket held Greg’s head high with ease. The sprayhood fell to hand easily, was straightforward to put on and offered a good degree of protection.

Reflective panels were adequate, including a nice big one across the front of the sprayhood. This jacket also provided a clear window through which to check the status of the firing mechanism, with a manual over-ride tab should this be required.

This jacket uses a salt pill that comes in a plastic carrier. Reinstallation is simple. A new bottle is fitted with a bayonet fitting rather than the ubiquitous screw-thread, which should prevent the problem of bottles working loose. Rearming kit: £20

The bladder packed away easily into the cover, which was fixed by Velcro. The only snag was working out how the sprayhood packed away.

In the end, I just shoved it unceremoniously into the collar but it wasn’t right and marred an otherwise easy repacking experience.

Contact: Secumar UK Tel: 01621 782078

Baltic GP 150SL lifejacket

• Harness: No (available on the Baltic Race 150 Jacket, £229.46)
• Price: £209

The GP150 is another compact jacket which is simple to adjust and comfortable to wear on board. It uses the same firing mechanism as the Marinepool and has the same useful window and a clear key to check the status.

The jacket also has a fleece collar and mesh-lined back panel for additional comfort. In the water the Baltic took eight seconds to fully inflate and turn over our tester and, despite the sprayhood being very obvious to us onlookers, it took Greg a while to get hold of it due to its being tucked so neatly right behind his head.

Once found though, the hood was easily fixed in place and we liked the straightforward way it attached to the bladders with large, easy-to-use elasticated hoops. The jacket was comfy once inflated and came with a good array of reflective panels.

Just unscrew the gas and firing mechanism and screw new ones in place. Rearming kit: £30.97

Another jacket with a separate bladder and cover. This one came with some printed instructions as to where to fold the bladder, which should have made it easier.

In fact, this was one of the hardest jackets to repack due to the tightness of the cover and the fact that the zip kept bursting open during packing.

When the jacket was finally squeezed in, the firing mechanism was not lined up as it should have been within the clear window. If this was my jacket I don’t think I would be doing a test-inflate very often.

Contact: Baltic Safety Products Tel: 023 8045 7272

What was the best lifejacket on test?

As the RNLI says, lifejackets are useless unless worn. I would add that they might also be useless if the wearer doesn’t know how a jacket works or if it isn’t serviced regularly or isn’t fitted correctly.

The bottom line is any lifejacket will hugely improve your chances of survival in cold water. But you can increase the odds further by buying one fitted with a sprayhood, crotch-straps and a light if you cruise at night.

If you buy one that is comfy to wear on board you are more likely to put it on. Buy one that is easy to repack and you are more likely to inspect it.

The most comfortable on board was the budget buy Bluewave, but unless you are going to pay extra for all the additional bits its performance in the water will suffer.

The Seasafe iZip is a definite contender for top honours. It comes with all the right kit, is available in a multitude of designs, performed exceptionally well and was easy to rearm and repack.

The Viking is another good all-rounder that I would also be happy to have on board my boat, as was the Secumar.

Adding all these factors together, we came to one conclusion: the Ocean Safety Kru Sport Pro is the one you should get for you and your crew.

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Now offered in our exclusive Graded Sizing®. The Cruiser is designed specifically for the female touring kayaker and sit-on-top paddler. The Cruiser is shaped for women, with a smaller cut, shortened torso, supportive inner cups, and the new WRAPTURE® shaped torso. The back side has half flotation & half cool mesh to fit comfortably above the seat back found in today’s rec-tour boats. Padded mesh shoulders and lower back waistband are easy on the skin when worn with a swimsuit.

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Chrome Industries Rostov Backpack

• Regular price €119.00
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• Description

The Rostov is a compact, rugged daypack that can stow a surprisingly large payload. Constructed from military-grade materials and supported by a plush EVA back panel and harness, the Rostov also sports a padded laptop sleeve and internal organization. Guaranteed for Life. 

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Rostov-on-Don (Russia)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Region Russia Rivers

Local Time 2024-04-29 03:00

Rostov-on-Don is a Don River cruise port and city in southeastern Russia, located approx 32 km (20 mi) from the Azov Sea. The city has a population of around 1,2 million, ranking it Russia's 10th largest.

The town was established in 1749. The first railway was opened in 1875. Before the Russian Revolution (1918), the city was the Empire's most heavily industrialized. During WW2 (1939-1954), the city was occupied by the Germans for 7 months (July 1942 - February 1943) for its strategic railway junction and river port connecting to the Caucasus region (oil and minerals).

Volga-Don Canal connects Volga and Don rivers at their closest points. The shipping canal was opened in 1952, connecting the city to 5 seas: (Black, Azov, Caspian, White, and Baltic).

The city's economy is based on its location on Don River - a major waterway connecting (via Volga River) southwestern with northern Russia. The main river shipping goods are timber, minerals, wool, wheat, oil. Passenger shipping is also very important. Region's agriculture industry produces 1/3 of Russia's vegetable oil from sunflowers. The city's manufacturing industry includes helicopters and farm machinery.

Public transportation includes buses, trolleys, trams, bus cabs, Metro (under construction). Rostov-on-Don Airport serves domestic and international flights (Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia). Platov International Airport was opened in 2017.

The international river port serves passenger and freight ships (carrying mainly minerals, oil, and timber). The city is served by a direct railway (connecting St Petersburg with the Caucasus) and several highways. Russia has a program to create a total of 8 megapolises, and Rostov will be one of these mega-cities. Greater Rostov metro area will include Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk, Taganrog, Aksay, Bataysk, and Azov.

Rostov-on-Don cruise terminal

Among the Russian cruise ships visiting Rostov-on-Don are the VODOHOD-owned boats MS Kuchkin, MS Budenny, MS Korotkov, MS Suvorov, MS Frunze, MS Krylov.

Departure ports are  Saratov ,  Volgograd ,  Samara ,  Nizhny Novgorod ,  Cheboksary ,  Kazan ,  Astrakhan ,  Moscow . The VODOVOD-operated routes are:

• Saratov-Rostov-Saratov (9-day cruisetour)
• Volgograd-Rostov-Volgograd (7-day cruisetour)
• Rostov-Nizhny Novgorod-Rostov (9-day cruisetour)
• Nizhny Novgorod-Rostov (7-day cruisetour)
• Nizhny Novgorod-Rostov-Nizhny Novgorod (16-day cruisetour)
• Rostov-Nizhny Novgorod (9-day cruisetour)
• Rostov-Samara (6-day cruisetour)
• Rostov-Samara-Rostov (12-day cruisetour)
• Samara-Rostov-Samara (11-day cruisetour)
• Cheboksary-Rostov-Cheboksary (14-day cruisetour)
• Kazan-Rostov-Astrakhan-Kazan (16-day cruisetour)
• Kazan-Rostov-Kazan (14-day cruisetour)
• Saratov-Rostov-Astrakhan-Saratov (12-day cruisetour)
• Volgograd-Rostov-Astrakhan-Volgograd (10-day cruisetour)
• Moscow-Rostov-Moscow (22-day cruisetour)

Vodohod’s first Project PV300 river ship departs on maiden cruise

Project PV300 built by United Shipbuilding Corporation's Krasnoye Sormovo Shipyard (Sormovsky-Nizhny Novgorod, Russia) and recently delivered to...

Vodohod’s Mustay Karim cruise ship to be delivered by July 10

Russia's largest cruise company and tour agency Vodohod expects its newbuild cruise ship MS Mustai Karim (currently under construction at Nizhny...

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Rostov-on-Don - user reviews and comments

Cruise - Along the Volga: St. Petersburg - Astrakhan - Volgograd - Rostov - 20 Days (CR-11)

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We are the world leader in the supply, inspection, testing and maintenance of safety and survival equipment. Through our network of 500+ accredited service stations, we are able to offer a truly global service covering 2,000 ports worldwide.

We have a strong reputation for reliability of service and workmanship. Our work is always of a high standard and our technical ability is continuously being upgraded with the latest equipment, facilities and training. With over 160 years’ total experience to our name, we ensure your equipment receives only the very best care and attention throughout its entire safety lifecycle.

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As a lifejacket manufacturer we would always recommend an annual service however depending on your operation and the approval authority you are governed by it may also be a legal requirement.   

SOLAS – If you are operating under SOLAS professional lifejacket servicing is a legal requirement and must be performed annually

ISO – The MCA state that the owner should follow the manufactures guidelines for servicing, in this case this means performing a professional service annually

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All Survitec and Survitec approved service stations are audited and approved to the highest standards of legislative organisations and government associations as well as the product original equipment manufacturer (OEM).    

When organising your lifejacket servicing owners should ensure they are using a fully approved service station for the brand of lifejacket owned. Authorised service centres will have access to the correct service manuals for your lifejacket and would have undergone all of the relevant product training.  These highly technical documents are a key tool for the lifejacket service engineer.

Not using an authorised service centre could potentially increase the risk of your lifejacket failing to perform at a critical moment.  Unauthorised service centres may not use genuine parts from your lifejacket manufacturer, and these may end up damaging your lifejacket – all lifejacket spare parts are not made equal.  If you do use a non-approved service station please note that this will not only invalidate your warranty and any liabilities, but crucially will leave you and your crew at serious risk.

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REMEMBER: In addition to this annual service you should also be following the care and maintenance guidelines to make sure your lifejacket is action ready should the unexpected (but certainly possible!) happen. Checking your lifejacket before use should be second nature. It should be done every time you are going to be using it, and certainly before a long passage. Follow the care and maintenance guidelines in your user manual to see what you need to be looking out for!

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Urban Soundtracks: Rostov-on-Don According to Motorama

For reasons unknown to me, Russian music has never broken into the Western consciousness, beyond that brief t.A T.u phase in the 2000’s. Americans just never caught on to the wonder that is Philipp Kirkorov, I suppose. Nonetheless,  Motorama has carved out a small niche for themselves as an underground hit. Maybe this is down to their lyrics being in English, or perhaps it’s the fact that they have a near-perfect capacity to summarize our twisted emotional landscape with their own brand of Post Punk.

Hailing from Rostov, Russia, they were formed outside the Moscow and Saint Petersburg cultural centers, which produce the bulk of the nation’s cultural exports. Known for being a far more rough city, Rostov appears to be the ideal backdrop for Motorama’s amazing capacity to engender emotions, like disappointment and anxiety. However, little writing is produced about the city and it attracts few tourists from outside Russia. As such, we spoke to  Vladislav Parshin from the band, and he kindly put together a bit of a mix to understand the place a bit more.

For most people anything outside of Russia, the country is a complete mystery. How did being from Rostov shape your musical tastes and you guys as artists?

For me the main influence was my father who showed me tons of great music from the Soviet Union and abroad and all these songs formed my tastes. Rostov-on-Don is also an important part of shaping the taste, as I knew personally the members of the New Wave/Post-Punk 90’s bands like Elen  and Matrosskaya Tishina , they influenced me in the beginning of the 2000’s.

It is interesting looking at musical scenes that are outside the centers of arts like Manchester, Seattle, and Louisville. It is as if being removed from the mainstream conversation allows you to produce something completely unique and personal. To a certain degree, do you think that your band was almost blessed to be outside the major cities of mainstream culture?

I won’t say that it was a blessing, but it was fine for us as a band. I think that living outside the big cultural spots is a good chance for creating something by yourself, you have more free time, instead of visiting never ending exhibitions, concerts and parties. But at the same time it’s harder to meet people who share the same ideas and who can help you in what you are doing. In general I feel comfortable living in Rostov-on-Don, we are flying to Moscow and St. Petersburg from time to time only because of the concerts.

The mix is fantastic. It is very Post Punk/synth-inspired. However, it is hardly the most ‘sunshine and rainbows’ mix. You’ve said in other interviews that there is nothing exciting about your home city of Rostov. Does that contribute to the sound of the mix?

I like such music and I think it suits our city.

In many articles, your work has been compared to British post-punk bands but I think it is fair to say that you’re part of a broader Soviet/post-Soviet tradition of bands like Kino. What is it about this darker style of music that continues to attract people across different generations in the former USSR?

I think that there’s a specific side in Russian character that is connected with such dark or sorrowful music. For example, lots of traditional folk songs from different parts of Russia are based on metaphysical stories connected with faith and death. All these existential problems are reflected in different art genres here, not only with music, but also literature.