Should crew on a Maltese-flagged commercial yacht wear 150N or 275N lifejackets?

It depends on workwear and operating area. The Crewfit 150N XD is the working baseline for crew on deck in temperate conditions wearing standard clothing. Crewfit 275N XD is required where crew wear heavy foul-weather gear, immersion suits, tool belts, or operate in cold water — the extra 125 N of buoyancy compensates for the additional weight and entrapped air. Both are SOLAS approved (ISO 12402-2). Most large commercial yachts carry a mixed inventory: 150N for routine deckwork, 275N for offshore passages and bunkering.

What is the difference between automatic and manual inflation lifejackets?

Automatic lifejackets fire the CO2 cylinder when the firing capsule contacts water — used wherever wearers may be incapacitated or non-swimmers (passengers, children, working crew). Manual-only PFDs require the wearer to pull the toggle — used in environments where accidental immersion in shallow water (e.g. dinghy work) shouldn't trigger inflation. Every Crewsaver inflatable lifejacket also has a manual oral inflation tube as backup. Mercer recommends automatic firing for guest and crew lifejackets on yachts.

Hammar hydrostatic vs Pro-Sensor (pellet) firing — which is right for our yacht?

Hammar hydrostatic heads only fire when submerged below approximately 100 mm of water — they don't activate from spray, rain, or accidental washdown. They're the better choice for crew working open decks, RIB drivers, and anyone exposed to consistent water spray. Pro-Sensor (pellet) heads use a salt-tablet capsule that dissolves on direct water contact — slightly cheaper to rearm and the long-standing standard for passengers and recreational sailors. Both are SOLAS-grade and supported across the Crewfit XD range.

How are child lifejackets sized on Crewsaver and Survitec?

Crewsaver child sizing is body-weight based, not age. The Crewfit 150 Junior is intended for children whose weight falls within the manufacturer's stated band on the label — verify each lifejacket fits the specific child by checking jaw clearance after fitting and webbing snugness. The Premier foam lifejacket is offered in dedicated Child and Infant variants for passenger-vessel inventories. Children should never wear adult-sized jackets — they ride up over the head in water.

How often does the CO2 gas cylinder need replacing?

Crewsaver advises checking the cylinder at every wear: it must be fully threaded into the firing mechanism, must show no corrosion, and must weigh at least the minimum stamped weight. Cylinders are replaced after any inflation (manual or automatic), if the firing capsule has expired, or if corrosion is found. The auto firing capsule itself has a printed expiry date — typically 2-3 years — and must be replaced at or before that date. The full system is checked at the annual service.

Are Survitec lifejackets serviced annually, and where can we get this done in Malta?

Yes. Crewsaver advises that all lifejackets are serviced annually at an approved service station. This is mandatory for commercial vessels and required under most flag-state inspection regimes including Malta. Mercer Yachting does not operate an in-house service station — we coordinate annual inspection through Survitec-authorised partner stations and re-deliver to the vessel. Plan a 2-3 week turnaround during shoulder season; we book service slots in advance for charter fleets.

Survitec Lifejackets Malta | Mercer Yachting

Q: Are leisure lifejackets allowed on commercial yachts under charter?

No. Once a yacht enters commercial use under a Commercial Yacht Code (CYC) or equivalent, every guest and crew lifejacket on board must carry SOLAS approval. EN ISO 12402-3 (150N) and 12402-2 (275N) leisure lifejackets are not interchangeable with their SOLAS counterparts despite identical buoyancy ratings — the SOLAS test regime adds head support, sprayhood retention, and visibility checks. When yachts switch from private to charter, lifejacket inventory must be upgraded before the first guest embarks.

Survitec lifejackets, supplied and serviced from Malta

Mercer Yachting is the Authorised Survitec Distributor for Malta. Survitec manufactures the SOLAS Crewfit XD range and the Crewsaver family of leisure inflatables, foam lifejackets, work vests, child sizes and offshore vests. Popular models — Crewfit 150N/275N XD, ErgoFit, Premier — are stocked at Marsaskala; specialist references ship direct from UK on 5–15 working day lead times. Annual inspection, capsule and cylinder replacement are coordinated through Survitec-authorised partner stations — we collect, deliver and re-deliver ahead of charter season.

How to choose

Four questions decide SOLAS vs leisure, buoyancy class, and firing mechanism.

1. Flag status

Commercial (CYC, MCA Large Yacht Code) or private?

Commercial → SOLAS only. Private → EN ISO 12402 leisure acceptable.

2. Operating area

Coastal, offshore, or ocean? Light gear or foul-weather kit?

Coastal & light → 150N. Offshore foul-weather → 275N. Open ocean → 290N twin-chamber.

3. Wearer profile

Working crew, passengers, children, or non-swimmers?

Crew → automatic Crewfit XD with harness. Guests → automatic. Children → weight-banded Junior or Premier Child. Non-swimmers → foam Premier with sprayhood.

4. Storage & firing

Spray-exposed wear, cabin stowage, or continuous?

Spray-exposed → Hammar hydrostatic. Locker stowage → Pro-Sensor pellet, cheaper to rearm.

Range comparison

Buoyancy, certification and inflation for the models we most often supply. Confirm current revisions on the product label before ordering.

Model	Buoyancy	Certification	Inflation	Primary use
Crewfit 150N XD	150 N	SOLAS ISO 12402-2	Auto / Pro-Sensor or Hammar	Commercial yacht crew, deckwork
Crewfit 275N XD	275 N	SOLAS ISO 12402-2	Auto / Pro-Sensor or Hammar	Commercial crew, foul-weather, offshore
Crewfit 275N XD Fire Retardant	275 N	SOLAS ISO 12402-2	Auto / Pro-Sensor or Hammar	Engine room, fire teams, bunkering
Premier (foam)	200 N (ISO 200(80))	SOLAS	Inherent foam	Cruise, passenger, abandon-ship lockers
ErgoFit 290N	290 N	EN ISO 12402-2	Auto + manual	Leisure offshore, ocean cruising
ErgoFit 190N	190 N	EN ISO 12402-3	Auto + manual	Leisure inshore / coastal
Crewfit 165N Sport	165 N	EN ISO 12402-3	Auto + manual	Leisure coastal & sailing
Offshore 290N	290 N twin-chamber	SOLAS ISO 12402-2	Auto + manual	RNLI-developed offshore rescue / MOB recovery
Crewfit 150 Junior	150 N	EN ISO 12402-3	Manual	Children (weight-banded)
Imperial Workvests range	varies	EN ISO 12402-4 / 12402-5	Inherent foam	Deck crew, watersports operators, ferry

Sources: crewsaver.com and survitecgroup.com datasheets.

SOLAS lifejackets — commercial yacht use

For yachts in commercial service under CYC, MCA Large Yacht Code or comparable regimes. The Crewfit XD modular range is the standard fit: interchangeable covers, choice of Pro-Sensor pellet or Hammar hydrostatic firing, modular harness, sprayhood, light and strobe.

Crewfit XD & Premier — SOLAS range

SOLAS approved to ISO 12402-2 with Marine Equipment Directive (MED) wheelmark. Approved for commercial passenger and crew use worldwide.

Crewfit 150N XD

150 N · SOLAS · auto

Working baseline for crew on deck. 500D cover, twin waist adjusters, external indicator window. Pro-Sensor pellet or Hammar hydrostatic; optional sprayhood and harness.
Crewfit 275N XD

275 N · SOLAS · auto

Step up for foul-weather gear, immersion suits or tool belts. Inflatable chin support, manual oral tube, modular accessory mounts.
Crewfit 275N XD Fire Retardant

275 N · SOLAS · FR cover

Fire-retardant outer for engine room, fire parties and bunkering. Otherwise identical to the 275N XD.
Premier (foam, ISO 200(80))

200 N · SOLAS · foam

First-choice foam lifejacket for cruise, superyachts and commercial vessels. Patented Reverse Angle Head Support, MED light, optional sprayhood, buddy-line and whistle. Adult, Child and Infant.
Premier Compact Crew

EN ISO 12402-4 · foam

Slimline foam for repeat donning during drills and crew changeover.
Offshore 290N

290 N · SOLAS · twin-chamber

Twin-chamber rescue jacket developed with the RNLI. Heavy-duty cover, sprayhood and thigh straps as standard. Reference for offshore MOB recovery.

Leisure inflatable PFDs — private yacht use

Private use only. EN ISO 12402-2 (275N+) and 12402-3 (150N–190N) certified, automatic firing with manual oral backup.

ErgoFit & Crewfit Sport — leisure range

EN ISO 12402 certified for private and recreational use. Automatic + manual inflation, oral tube, reflective tape; sprayhood, light and harness optional.

ErgoFit 290N

290 N · EN ISO 12402-2 · auto + manual

Ocean and offshore use. The leisure equivalent of the Crewfit 275N XD for owner-operated bluewater yachts.
ErgoFit 190N

190 N · EN ISO 12402-3 · auto + manual

All-rounder for inshore and recreational use — coastal cruising, day-sailing, tender driving.
Crewfit 165N Sport

165 N · EN ISO 12402-3 · auto + manual

Sports-cut profile for active sailing crews. Comfort and mobility during coastal use.
Crewfit 180N Pro

180 N · EN ISO 12402-3 · auto + manual

Sport-cut for racing and powerboat use. Pro variant adds Hammar hydrostatic option.
Supersafe 150N (foam)

150 N · EN ISO 12402-3 · foam

Inherently buoyant foam for guest cabins where automatic inflation isn't desirable — children, weak swimmers, occasional use.

Work vests — deck crew & watersports

Foam work vests — continuous buoyancy without a CO2 cylinder. The Survitec Imperial range, EN ISO 12402-4 / 12402-5.

Imperial Basic Offshore PFD

Standard work vest for deck crew. Inherent foam, EN ISO 12402-4, comfortable for full-shift wear.

Imperial Mesh Workvests

Ventilated mesh outer for hot-weather Med operations — bunkering, tender driving, watersports instruction.

Imperial Rigger Workvests

Multi-pocket rigger configuration for deck and rigging crew handling lines, tools and fittings.

Imperial Vinyl-Dipped Workvests

Vinyl outer for fuel handling and oil-product exposure. Wipe-clean and chemical-resistant.

Imperial Deluxe Versatile

Flexes between crew and occasional guest tender duty — useful for charter yachts.

Imperial Emergency Response

High-vis vest for rescue crew, MOB officers and tender deployment teams during drills and live ops.

Child & youth lifejackets

Children wear by body weight, not age — adult jackets ride over the head. Crewsaver uses weight bands stamped on each jacket; foam Premier is supplied in Child and Infant variants for passenger inventories.

Crewfit 150 Junior & Premier Child

Built for children — never adult jackets in smaller adjustments.

Crewfit 150 Junior

150 N · EN ISO 12402-3 · manual

Junior inflatable. Manual firing by design — CO2 firing in shallow water can panic small children. Verify the weight band on the label matches the specific child.
Premier Child & Infant (foam)

Foam · SOLAS variants

Foam Premier in dedicated Child and Infant sizing. Patented Reverse Angle Head Support, optional sprayhood, MED-approved light. Standard fit for cruise, ferry and any commercial yacht expecting child passengers.

Crew-overboard recovery vests

Offshore MOB survival turns on time-to-recovery. Twin-chamber, sprayhood and light materially extend the window. The Crewsaver Offshore 290N, developed with the RNLI, is the operational reference.

Offshore 290N — RNLI-developed standard

Twin-chamber rescue lifejacket. Heavy-duty cover, sprayhood and thigh straps fitted as standard.

Twin chamber

Redundant flotation

Two independent inflation chambers ensure flotation if one is compromised — the single most important offshore upgrade.
Sprayhood

Anti-spray drowning

Most offshore drownings happen with the lifejacket inflated — secondary drowning from inhaled spray. Survival item, not comfort.
Thigh straps

Anti-ride-up

Prevent the jacket riding over the head during impact entry — critical for falls from height (mast, davit, bow pulpit).
Integrated harness

Tether attachment

Hard point for safety tether use on jacklines — harness is part of the jacket, not an afterthought.

Inspection, servicing & cylinder replacement

All lifejackets are serviced annually at an authorised station — mandatory for commercial vessels including Maltese-flagged yachts. RNLI clinic data shows ~9% of inspected jackets fail to function as expected.

Mercer's role

We do not operate an in-house station. Annual inspection, capsule and cylinder replacement, and certification renewal are coordinated through Survitec-authorised partner stations. We collect, manage the queue and re-deliver with full records. Allow 2–3 weeks shoulder season; we pre-book charter-fleet slots.

Annual service

Strip-down, bladder leak test, firing test, CO2 weight check, capsule replacement, sprayhood/light check, oral valve test, fabric inspection, repack and certification.

Quarterly user check

Per Crewsaver care guide: firing status, toggle accessibility, fabric/webbing condition, bladder leak-test. Logged in safety records.

Cylinder & capsule

Replace cylinder after any inflation, corrosion, or weight below the stamped minimum. Replace auto capsule on or before printed expiry. Codes: black for serial 'L', blue for '0-9' or 'R'.

Hammar inspection

No removal needed for routine check — verify cylinder seating by feel through the bladder. Replace the Hammar unit at expiry, after firing or on visible damage.

CYC compliance — Maltese-flagged commercial yachts

Under the Malta Commercial Yacht Code (CYC), every lifejacket must carry SOLAS approval — ISO 12402-2 wheelmarked, registered with serial numbers, last service date and next service due. EN ISO 12402-3 leisure jackets don't meet this regardless of buoyancy. Numbers, sprayhood and light fitment, child sizing and quick-don storage flow from the CYC technical schedule. We work with CYC surveyors and management companies to spec inventory before survey.

CYC registration support

Planning a Maltese flag commercial yacht registration? Our commercial yacht flag guide covers the full CYC technical schedule, safety equipment requirements and surveyor coordination — from naming and tonnage measurement through to first-charter readiness.

Frequently asked questions

150N or 275N for commercial yacht crew?

Crewfit 150N XD is the working baseline for crew on deck in standard clothing. 275N XD is required where crew wear heavy foul-weather gear, immersion suits, or tool belts — the extra 125 N compensates for added weight and entrapped air. Both are SOLAS (ISO 12402-2). Most large commercial yachts mix the two: 150N routine deckwork, 275N offshore passages and bunkering.

Automatic vs manual inflation?

Automatic fires when the capsule contacts water — used wherever wearers may be incapacitated or non-swimmers. Manual-only requires pulling the toggle — used where shallow-water immersion shouldn't trigger inflation. All Crewsaver inflatables include a manual oral tube as backup. Mercer recommends automatic firing for guest and crew jackets on yachts.

Hammar hydrostatic vs Pro-Sensor (pellet) firing?

Hammar heads only fire when submerged below ~100 mm of water — no false fires from spray, rain, or washdown. Better for crew on open decks and RIB drivers. Pro-Sensor pellet heads dissolve on direct water contact — cheaper to rearm and the long-standing standard for passengers. Both are SOLAS-grade and supported across the Crewfit XD range.

How are child lifejackets sized?

By body weight, not age. The Crewfit 150 Junior is for children whose weight falls within the band stamped on the label. Premier foam is offered in dedicated Child and Infant variants. Children should never wear adult-sized jackets — they ride over the head in water.

How often does the CO2 cylinder need replacing?

Check at every wear: fully threaded, no corrosion, at minimum stamped weight. Replace after any inflation, on corrosion, or if the capsule has expired. The auto capsule has a printed expiry date (typically 2–3 years) and must be replaced on or before that date. Full check at annual service.

What lights, whistles and sprayhoods are required?

SOLAS lifejackets must be fitted with an MED-approved automatic light and whistle. Sprayhoods are optional but strongly recommended for offshore use — capsize survival statistics show they materially extend survival time. Crewfit XD supports modular addition of light, sprayhood, harness and strobe.

Annual servicing — where in Malta?

Crewsaver requires annual service at an approved station — mandatory for commercial vessels including Maltese-flagged yachts. Mercer doesn't operate an in-house station; we coordinate through Survitec-authorised partner stations and re-deliver to the vessel. Allow 2–3 weeks shoulder season; we pre-book slots for charter fleets.

Are leisure lifejackets allowed on commercial yachts under charter?

No. Once a yacht enters commercial use under a CYC or equivalent, every lifejacket must carry SOLAS approval. EN ISO 12402-3 leisure jackets aren't interchangeable with their SOLAS counterparts despite identical buoyancy — SOLAS adds head support, sprayhood retention and visibility tests. Inventory must be upgraded before the first guest embarks.