As we continue to move through the excellent RYA Sea Survival Handbook by Keith Colwell we come to the piece of safety equipment that most sailors have the most familiarity with.  We live in an age of miracles where now, falling into the cold, black waters of the Atlantic in the middle of the night MAY not actually be a death sentence, but for a lifejacket to have a chance of saving your life it needs to be correctly fitted, maintained and optioned (Spray shield, light, whistle, AIS beacon, crotch strap etc) PLUS you need to know how to use it and how to improve your chances of being seen.