Aqua Academy Marine Safety Equipment and Skipper Training Life Jacket Personal Flotation Device Bucket Bilge Pump Boat Inspection SR Number Sea Dam Inland Water Flare Anchor Drogue Rope Motor Prop Impellor

There have been a few changes concerning Category R vessels. Firstly, SAMSA have advised that SABS,CE, ISO and USA Coat Guard life jackets and buoyancy aids are acceptaple for Category R, E and D. Jackets with the SAMSA stamp are also acceptable.

The SABS (South African Bureau of Standards) “standard 1417” no longer exists and has been replaced with a SANS standard, which is the SABS and ISO standards combined. The NRCS (National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications) regulate compulsory standards in South Africa, and even if it is CE, ISO or US Coast Guard approved, it has to have approved by them as well. Well, that’s how I understand it anyway.

You might ask how we know all this. Well, Aqua academy has been developing a life jacket of their own. We have a local manufacturer doing the design and testing and we hope to develop a life jacket that will suit fisherman and be compliant with all the regulations. The biggest question is: would you buy a life jacket that is red in colour, slightly bulky yet comfortable to wear, and of course give you a better chance of surviving the impact of hitting the water at high speed? Or would you buy a buoyancy aid that simply assists you in swimming to shore if you need to, but looks cool and is cheap? Well the good news is we are developing a life jacket that can be customised to put your sponsors name or boat name on it, it’s comfortable and it comes in at the right price.

Buoyancy

SAMSA have agreed that some boats are impossible to fit with 30% buoyancy (Category R) and have said that if that’s the case, then the boat must carry life rings (1 for every 2 persons on board). Good news for some, but not suggested!!

Skippers

Category R (R) Skippers Courses has been discontinued and is being replaced by Category R, which will cover inland waters and estuaries, lagoons, etc. The course contains a little more information, but is still easier that the R-E. Aqua Academy will run lectures every week of the month and the exam will be during the last week of the month. The course fee is R1 200. Bookings are essential and payment must be made on the night of the lecture.

General

We are hard at work getting our online store up and running. Our product list is growing but we depend on what our customers have to say when it comes to products. We take every comment seriously, so please give us feedback via aquaassist@gmail.com.