Buoyancy Aid

A wearable flotation device that assists a conscious person in remaining afloat and swimming.

Buoyancy aids are commonly used for dinghy sailing, paddlesports and other activities where the wearer expects to enter the water and rescue is close. They are generally designed for active users and should not be assumed to turn an unconscious wearer face-up like a suitably specified lifejacket.

The device must be approved for the activity and conditions, correctly sized, fastened and maintained. In European classifications a typical buoyancy aid provides the 50-newton performance level; higher performance levels are generally lifejacket categories rather than simply stronger buoyancy aids.