In a letter to the Naval Chronicle, dated February 1802, Abraham Bosquet proposed issuing Royal Navy Ships with "strong canvas bags of dimensions, when filled with cork shavings, equal to about that of a bed bolster, coiled in manner like a collar, and sufficiently wide for the head and shoulders to pass through." [1]

Buoyancy aids are suitable for personal watercraft (PWC), dinghies, windsurfing and generally for activities where the wearer might reasonably expect to end up in the water. If you want something you will notice as little as possible, you can get an inflatable flotation belt. Since this is a belt rather than a vest and won’t inflate until it needs to, you won’t even notice it. This is significantly safer than paddleboarding with no safety equipment at all and feels just the same. Life rafts are stored in a fibreglass container, with a high-pressure gas used to inflate life rafts during an emergency. The Gul Garda is great if you want a foam vest that offers flexibility. Sometimes, there is a trade-off between the safety of foam vests and the flexibility of inflatable vests, but that is not the case here. It is important to be familiar with your size requirement and mounting option when purchasing a housing case. Some are universal and work with a variety of lifebuoy ring sizes and can also be mounted on either post, rail or wall while others are very specific. Characteristics of a good lifebuoy ring housing cabinet include;The levels of buoyancy information sheetincludes further information on levels of buoyancy and the labelling of personal floatation devices. The first cable drawn from the storage barrel of the offshore Life float shall be firmly tied to the connecting ring of the hydrostatic pressure releaser, and a breakable rope shall be connected on the connecting ring, and the other end of the breakable rope shall be connected to the splint of the hydrostatic pressure releaser.

Solid closed-cell plastic (foam) throughout ensures positive buoyancy even if surface is compromised.

Navigator

Like any other water sport, paddle boarding can be dangerous. You need to wear protective gear, such as a personal flotation device, to stay safe.