CO2 Cylinder for Inflatable Lifejackets
Handheld Dry Bag for Phone and VHF
Lalizas in South Africa
Lalizas is a marine safety manufacturer based in Piraeus, Greece, making lifesaving equipment since 1982. Its own catalogue runs to more than 10,000 products, sold in about 130 countries to commercial shipping and leisure boating. In the shop it's the safety and boat kit that sits around a dive: what a skipper carries, what a paddler wears, and the dry bags that keep a phone and car keys out of the water.
Lifejackets and buoyancy aids
The number after the name is the buoyancy in newtons, and it tells you what the jacket is for. The 50N Performance, Pro Race X and Fit & Float are buoyancy aids for paddling, sailing and watersports close to shore. Lalizas lists each jacket's intended use on its product page, so check the rating against where you'll be. The Sigma 170N with harness and the Lamda 275N are auto-inflating lifejackets for offshore use; the Lamda is approved to SOLAS and MED. After an automatic jacket fires, Lalizas' re-arming instructions apply: it needs a new CO2 cylinder and trigger. Cylinders, bobbins and the re-arm kit for the JS1 inflator on the Sigma are sold separately. Compare the range in marine safety and lifejackets and buoyancy aids.
Sizing by body weight
Lalizas sizes most of its foam jackets by the wearer's weight rather than chest size, and the bands are printed on each product. The 100N Foam Lifejacket runs from Baby 3 to 10 kg through four child sizes to Adult over 120 kg, and Lalizas lists it to ISO 12402-4 with a large flotation collar for head support. The Fit & Float comes in a child 30 to 50 kg size and three adult bands, and the Pro Race X starts at child 25 to 40 kg with a side zip and double-sided waist straps. Check a child's current weight against the band rather than guessing. Follow the fitting and adjustment instructions on the jacket's own label and product page. The 100N and 150N Lifebelts are another option for adults who find a full jacket bulky.
Re-arming an automatic lifejacket
The Sigma 170N fires through a Lalizas JS1 head, and its re-arm kit holds a 33 g CO2 cylinder and an automatic re-arming unit. The water-activated bobbins come in a set of four for adult and child automatic jackets with JS1-type inflators, and they're replaced together with a new cylinder. The CO2 cylinders come in 33 g and 60 g, and Lalizas lists the 60 g with the Lamda SOLAS range. Fit the charge marked on the jacket's own label. Store spare cylinders and bobbins dry, since a bobbin is designed to react to water.
Rescue, signalling and boat kit
For getting someone back aboard there's a SOLAS lifebuoy ring with a container, lifebuoy lights and holders, an encapsulated 30 m rescue line, and the LifeLink throwing line and rescue sling, in water rescue. Signal horns, a floating fog horn, a nautical whistle, a megaphone and emergency navigation lights cover being heard and seen; find them in navigation and signals. Thermal and fire blankets, liferaft water and food rations and a pyrotechnics storage bottle fill out a grab bag.
On deck there are anchors, shackles, a telescopic boat hook, a bailer, a foot pump, a fuel tank and primer bulb and paddles, in boat hardware and deck, and repair kits for inflatable boats and neoprene in boat care. The rain suit is in sailing wear and bags. Roll-top dry bags, a dry briefcase and a handheld bag for a phone or VHF are in dry bags, and the Discovery and Security diving knives sit with the rest in knives and line cutters.
Deck and trailer details
The folding grapnel anchor comes in 1.5 kg or 2.5 kg of hot-dip galvanised steel, with flukes that fold for storage and lock open for use, and Lalizas lists it for rock, weed and mud and for tenders, kayaks, SUPs, jet skis and small boats. The omega anchor shackle is AISI 316 stainless steel with a screw pin, in 6 mm or 8 mm. The telescopic boat hook extends from 118 cm to 196 cm with a quarter-turn lock. Jerrycan fuel tanks come in 5, 10, 15 and 22 litres with a vented cap and pouring spout. The kill switch key set holds seven keys that fit most standard outboard kill switches, a cheap spare for the boat box. For the trailer, the 4 m tie-down strap has a 250 kg breaking load and a padded buckle.
Lights, sound and batteries
Several of these signals ship without batteries, so buy them with the item. The MOB Lifebuoy Light is approved to SOLAS, MED and USCG and runs on four D-cell alkalines, with space on the body to record the battery date. The Stella Lifebuoy LED Light takes a single D-size alkaline and flashes for about eight hours. The Flexy emergency navigation light set has red, green and white lights visible at 3 NM on a CR2032 coin cell, lasting about 12 hours. For sound, the Signal Horn Set has a range of about 1500 m and Lalizas says to store the canister below 40 degrees C and out of direct sun, the floating Fog Horn is mouth-blown to 105 dB, and the 20 W Megaphone reaches about 400 m on six C-size batteries.
Grab bag and liferaft supplies
A grab bag holds the emergency kit a crew keeps together. Lalizas liferaft drinking water comes as four 125 ml sachets and the food ration is a 0.5 kg block of 2503 kcal, both with a five-year shelf life. The 12 L Pyrotechnics Storage Bottle has a waterproof screw lid with a silicone gasket for hand flares, rockets and smoke signals, and the PVC Roll-Top Dry Bag in 5 L or 12 L is designed for grab bag kit, medicines and phones. The aluminium-coated Thermal Blanket measures 2.1 x 1.6 m. Check expiry dates when the boat comes out for its season, and write them on the outside of the bag.
Choosing a dry bag
Match the bag to what goes in it. The Tenere Dry Bag is hot-air welded 500D PVC tarpaulin with a three-roll closure, in 30 L yellow or 40 L red, and suits a change of clothes and a towel on the boat. The handheld pouches have a clear front so a phone or VHF can be read and most buttons used through the vinyl, in a 19 x 10 cm phone size and a 40 x 10 cm VHF size. The Dry Briefcase holds papers behind a clear panel with a Velcro seal. Lalizas notes that the pouches and briefcase may or may not float depending on trapped air and what's inside, so tie them on with the lanyard loop.
Questions we get asked
Where can I buy Lalizas in South Africa?
Scuba Evolution stocks Lalizas lifejackets, buoyancy aids, lifebuoys, rescue lines, signal horns, dry bags and boat hardware online and at Shop U44, Glenvista Shopping Centre, Johannesburg. Delivery is fast and tracked anywhere in South Africa, next business day in Gauteng.
What do the N ratings on Lalizas lifejackets mean?
N stands for newtons of buoyancy. The higher the number, the more lift the jacket gives. Check the intended use on each product page. The range here runs from 50N buoyancy aids to the Sigma 170N and the Lamda 275N.
Can I rearm an auto-inflating Lalizas lifejacket?
Yes. A fired jacket takes a fresh CO2 cylinder and trigger before it goes back on. We stock the re-arm kit for adult lifejackets with the Lalizas JS1 inflator, such as the Sigma 170N, plus bobbins and CO2 cylinders. Check the label on your jacket for the right parts.
How do I choose the right Lalizas lifejacket size?
Go by weight. Most Lalizas foam jackets and buoyancy aids are sized in weight bands, from Baby 3 to 10 kg on the 100N Foam Lifejacket up to adult sizes over 90 kg or 120 kg. Follow the fitting instructions on the jacket's label and product page.
Do Lalizas lifebuoy lights come with batteries?
No. The MOB Lifebuoy Light takes four D-cell alkaline batteries and the Stella LED light takes one D-size alkaline, and neither is supplied with them. The Flexy navigation light set runs on a CR2032 coin cell.
Which Lalizas dry bag suits a phone?
The handheld dry bag in the phone size, 19 x 10 cm, has a clear front so the screen can be read and most buttons used through it. There's also a 40 x 10 cm size for a VHF radio. Use the lanyard loop, since Lalizas says flotation depends on trapped air and contents.