I recently jumped into the water fully kitted out for a Sea Survival Course. There is nothing quite like the reassurance of feeling your life jacket inflate instantly when you hit the water. But after the course, I had a job to do: re-arm and repack my jacket. It’s not that complicated to service your life jacket, but if you are unsure about doing it yourself, it is best to bring it to a professional who will do it for you.

While I was servicing my deployed jacket, I decided to inspect my partner Karin’s jacket. It had been sitting in the locker and looked brand new. What I found was a perfect example of why you can’t trust a jacket based on looks alone.

While my jacket needed service because I fired it, Karin’s needed service because it had silently expired. Here is exactly what we found and how you can perform these checks at home. We are using the TeamO Ocean 275 and Offshore 170 Back Tow Life Jackets.

1. The CO₂ Cylinder: The Weight Test

The green indicator clip isn’t enough. You must unscrew the cylinder and weigh it. I had two cylinders to compare: the empty one from my course, and the “full” one from storage.

How to calculate the weight

Every cylinder has the Gross Weight (cylinder + gas) stamped on the metal body. You need a precise digital kitchen scale.

• The Deployed Cylinder (Fail): We weighed the used 60g cylinder. The stamp said 236.53g, but the scale read 175g. That missing 61g is the CO₂ gas that kept me afloat.
• The Stored Cylinder (Pass): On the other jacket, we removed the 38g cylinder. The stamp read 149.24g, and the scale showed 149g. This is within the safe tolerance (usually +/- 2g).

The Rule: If the weight on the scales is significantly lower than the stamped weight, the gas has escaped. Replace it immediately.

2. The “Hidden” Expiry Dates

This was the big catch on the stored jacket. Most modern life jackets use an auto-hydrostatic release or a chemical firing bobbin (like the UML Pro-Sensor).

Check the Firing Mechanism

These mechanisms contain a chemical element that degrades over time, even in dry storage.

• Our Finding: The firing unit on Karin’s jacket was stamped 12/2023. It was strictly out of date and potentially unsafe, despite never touching the water.

Check the Safety Light

Don’t forget the peripherals.

• Our Finding: Our safety light was dated 06/2026. While it technically had 6 months left, it wasn’t functioning correctly. Since we were ordering a re-arm kit, we replaced the light to start the season with a clean slate.

3. The 24-Hour Leak Test

Checking the mechanics is only half the battle; you must ensure the bladder holds air.

The “No Mouth” Rule

Important: Never use your mouth to orally inflate a life jacket for a test. The moisture from your breath introduces bacteria and mildew into the lung of the jacket. Over time, this rots the fabric and seams from the inside out.

The Test Procedure

1. Open the jacket casing to reveal the yellow/orange bladder.
2. Use a hand pump (like a dinghy pump) attached to the oral inflation tube.
3. Inflate until firm (do not over-pressurise).
4. Leave it for 24 hours.

If the jacket is still firm the next day, it is airtight. If it has softened, you likely have a puncture or a leaky valve.

Reassemble, Pack, and Go Sailing

Once your jacket has passed all the tests, it’s time to get it ready for sea.

First, ensure all the air is completely out of the bladder. Squeeze it tightly while pressing the valve in the oral inflation tube; if any air remains, you will struggle to close the jacket.

Next, screw on the release mechanism and check the firing pin. Ensure the pin in the mechanism is retracted before you screw in the new CO₂ cylinder. If the pin is protruding, it will pierce the new bottle immediately, wasting the cylinder.

Once the firing mechanism and the CO₂ cylinder are screwed in, you should see two green indicators on the front of the housing holding the release bobbin and CO₂ cylinder. If either of these indicators are red, then you need to check the corresponding element that it is screwed in correctly or that it has not already been deployed.

Finally, flake the jacket lungs neatly behind the release mechanism and the oral inflation tube, attach your light (if replaced), and close up the outer casing (zipper or velcro).

Summary

Whether you’ve just pulled the cord on a survival course or your gear has been sitting all winter quietly, the pre-season maintenance rule is the same: Check the weight, check the date, and inflate.

It’s not that complicated to service your life jacket, but if you are unsure about doing it yourself, it is best to bring it to a professional who will do it for you.

Don’t wait until the season has started to find out if your gear works.

The post Is Your Life Jacket Actually Safe? DIY Service and Inflation Test Guide appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

Adventure has always been at the heart of what we do.

When I started Swiss Alpine Adventure, my mission was simple: to share my love of nature, freedom, and exploration with others. From mountain trails to alpine lakes, from snow-covered peaks to sunlit valleys — we wanted to help people experience that feeling of being alive outdoors.

But long before Swiss Alpine Adventure was born, my story began somewhere else entirely… on the water.

Back to Where It All Began

Before trading wetsuits for ski boots, I (Dave) was a full-time watersports instructor — teaching windsurfing, sailing, and introducing people to the excitement of being powered by the wind.

It was there, on beaches and bays across Europe and as far as Hawaii, that my passion for outdoor adventure truly took shape.

That feeling — the lift of the sail, the rush of the wind, the quiet connection with nature — never left me. It’s what inspired me to create Swiss Alpine Adventure in the first place: to bring people together through active experiences in the great outdoors.

When I met Karin and she mentioned that she sailed, my first question was simple: “Can we go sailing together?”

Karin, too, has always felt at home on the water. A lifelong sailor and all-round outdoor enthusiast, she shares that same connection to the elements that drive every one of our adventures.

Together, we’ve always believed that adventure is less about the location and more about the feeling — the wind in your hair, the water beneath your feet, and the freedom to explore.

The Bridge: Wannabe Watersports

If you’ve followed us for a while, you might already know Wannabe Watersports — our small but passionate side project that offered windsurfing and wing foil lessons, equipment rentals, and sailing experiences.

Wannabe Watersports allowed us to stay connected to the water while still running Swiss Alpine Adventure. It was where we experimented, refined our ideas, and started helping others rediscover the joy of wind-powered adventure.

Now, that energy, experience, and community are all part of our next big step.

Introducing All Winds Adventures

All Winds Adventures is the natural evolution of our journey — combining everything we’ve learned from the mountains, the lakes, and the sea.

Born from Swiss Alpine Adventure GmbH, and built on the spirit of Wannabe Watersports, All Winds Adventures is where our love for the outdoors meets our lifelong passion for wind and water.

We’re here to help you discover your own wind-powered freedom — whether that’s through:

• Windsurfing and Wing Foiling Coaching — learn or progress with expert instruction in Switzerland
• Taster Sessions and Private Lessons (Sailing, Windsurf, Wingfoil) — perfect for beginners who want to feel the wind for the first time
• Equipment Rentals — high-quality Windsurf, Wingfoil and SUP gear for your holidays or weekends away
• Yacht Charters or Coaching Weeks — Coaching in Croatia and Charters worldwide, for anyone who wants to combine sailing, learning, and exploring

All Winds Adventures isn’t a replacement for what came before — it’s the next chapter in our story. A full-circle return to the element that started it all.

A Shared Adventure

At the core of everything we do — mountains or waves, snow or sea — is the belief that adventure should be accessible, shared, and real.

We don’t just teach sports; we help people find connection — to nature, to each other, and to themselves.

Whether you’ve joined us on a bike ride or ski tour in the Alps, a sailing week in Croatia, or your first windsurfing session on a Swiss lake, you’re part of this story.

Now, as we set sail with All Winds Adventures, we invite you to join us once again — to chase the wind, explore new horizons, and rediscover the joy of being powered by nature.

All Winds Adventures

Powered by the Wind. Driven by Passion.

The post From The Alps to the Sea: Coming Full Circle with All Winds Adventures appeared first on All Winds Adventures.

On moving to Switzerland, I would have been happy to go sailing at all, never mind sail in a regatta. I found it difficult to find somewhere that I could even occasionally get my hands on a boat and go sailing. This wasn’t helped by the lack of information available about what options I had to get on the water. Having my own windsurfing equipment made it easy to explore Switzerland with a board and sail. But, due to the difficulty in renting sailing boats, I essentially gave up sailing when I moved to Switzerland.

Move forward 17 years, and out of the blue, I got the opportunity to sail in a Swiss Dart 18 Regatta. Without knowing exactly what to expect, I nervously accepted the offer, checked with my third-party liability insurance that it would cover regatta sailing and got my gear together to sail for the first time in 17 years.

Initially, I assumed I would be crewing for the Vice-President of the Dart Association of Switzerland (IDAS), but on getting to the Regatta site, I discovered I was supposed to be helming! At this point, the nerves truly kicked in. I had not sailed a Catamaran in 17 years and had never actually sailed a Dart before. While I was somewhat familiar with the boats (friends sailed them back home in Ireland) and I spent some time teaching people to sail in Hobie Cats in Hawaii, up to this point, I had never actually sailed a Dart myself. Furthermore, all my regatta experience was entirely in monohulls, and this all felt like a lifetime ago. I guess there is nothing like getting thrown in at the deep end!

Preparation

The first order of the day was to put the boat together, which was reasonably straightforward. With the help and support of the IDAS regulars, we quickly got everything ship-shape and ready to go. At registration, it was possible to get a Swiss Sailing day licence for the regatta, which made participation quite easy. At midday, we had the skippers’ meeting and then it was time to change and get the boats out on the water.

The Racing

Launching from the Sailing Club in Brunnen with no wind, we paddled across the lake to the wind line. Once the northerly thermal started to kick in, we could sail down to the start line. I was feeling rusty and had to keep my wits about me to ensure I reacted correctly and did not dump us unceremoniously into the water. By the time we got to the start area, we had only practised a couple of reaches before the first start sequence.

Due to the fact that almost everyone else competing are regulars at world championship level (my crew included!), I decided to sit at the back and try not to get in the way. Tactics were simple, wait for everyone to start and then just sail the course trying to learn the boat a little.

3, 2, 1… This was it, the horn sounded, the other boats went, and from the back of the field, I pulled the main sheet in and steered us over the line. The boat lurched forward, and my crew was straight out on the wire, constantly calling gusts, shifts, other boats and giving me tactical options. It was clear she was used to sailing with people far better than me! To my great surprise, we were no longer the last boat at the windward mark and on the first downwind, we were covering other boats and starting to get into the mix of things.

Between races one and two, we took a few moments to go for a quick blast reaching across the lake. I put the boat up on one hull, trying to build up feeling and confidence before getting in the starting sequence for race two. Each race built more confidence, we got more involved in the starts, and by the last race, we were starting to play in the front half of the field.

The Social

On return to land, we packed up the boats and enjoyed a sociable evening. All participants ate together and relived the days’ happenings on the water in a jovial and welcoming way.

Unfortunately, due to other engagements, I could only participate in the Regatta for one day, but it felt really great to get back to sailing again. I realised how specific sailing muscles really are, though and I could barely walk the next day.

The aftermath

In general, the experience was positive, and the Dart class was really open and welcoming. I was truly grateful to get this opportunity to sail again after so long. It definitely opened doors for me to get on the water more often. Subsequently, I got access to a Dart 18, which I now regularly sail on Lake Zug and have even taken part in another Dart Regatta.

In Switzerland, regattas have slightly different rules compared with just sailing normally. For one, you don’t need to have your boat registered to sail in a Regatta. Also, the requirements for equipment are those overseen by the regatta organisers rather than the local authority. You are required to have third-party liability insurance and a racing licence. The latter can usually be taken out on a per-event basis at the event.

If you would like to get involved in Regatta sailing in Switzerland, then get in touch with the Swiss Class Association for the type of boat you would like to compete in. Since taking that first step, there have been other opportunities to get sailing or crewing on other boats opening up to me.

For more information, read our post on Sailing in Switzerland and get yourself out on the water as soon as possible.

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Switzerland might not be the country that immediately springs to mind when you think of sailing. Although there has been considerable media coverage of the Alinghi team, Switzerland is not exactly renowned for its nautical heritage.

Despite this, it is a country with many lakes and some of them get some reasonably consistent wind. There are however some very “special” regulations with respect to sailing in Switzerland. I will attempt to outline some of them in this article.

Certification

Switzerland has it’s own certification system for sailing and motor boats. You will require a Swiss Licence to navigate any boat with more than 15 square metres (12 square metres on Lake Constance) of sail area or with more then an 8HP (6KW) engine on Swiss waters.

The A License (A Schein) is for motor boats of more than 8HP (6HP on the Lake of Constance).

The D License (D Schein) is for sail boats of more than 15 square metre sail area.

If a sailing boat with more than 15 square metres of sail also has more than an 8HP engine on board you will effectively require both licenses to sail that boat!

Acceptance of Foreign Certification

Unless you are from a neighbouring country (Italy or South Germany) and live in Switzerland, you will not be able to use your already obtained certification here. If you are non-resident in Switzerland you may be able to use an ICC from another country to sail or drive a boat, but as soon as you are resident your foreign certification is not valid and with very few exceptions, there is no possibility to get your existing certification recognised. Regardless of your sailing experience or certification if you come to Switzerland you are limited to less than 15 square metre sail area or 8 HP engines.

Getting Swiss Certification

To get a Swiss Sailing or Motor Boating license the process is similar to applying for a drivers licence. You will first get an application form from the local Department of Motor Vehicles (Strassenverkehrsamt), these forms can be downloaded online from the website of your local Strassenverkehrsamt. You will then need to do an eye test similar to the driving licence eye test and get your passport photos confirmed by a local authority, lawyer or doctor. Then you can submit the form and get an invitation for a theory test.

Theory Test

The Theory test is a multiple choice test with 60 questions (out of a possible 510 pool questions) and negative marking.

• A non-completed question will give you -1 point
• Not ticking the correct answer will give you -1 point
• Each wrong answer you give to a question will give you -1 point (each)

This means it is possible to get -3 points for one wrong question if you don’t tick the correct answer and give two wrong answers. You will fail the test if you get more than 15 minus points. The theory test is the same for both sail and motor.

To practice for the Theory test I can highly recommend the Bootspruefung24 App, this has 15 practice tests and if you can answer all the questions in these 15 tests you will have no surprises in the official Theory Test.

Once you have passed the Theory test you are then eligible to do the practical test. In most cases an instructor will register you for the test, but I believe if you really want to you can register yourself. My advice is no matter how experienced you are take a couple of lessons first as some aspects of the test are quite specific to Switzerland!

Practical Test

The practical test is usually taken on a body of water in your canton of residence as the licence will be issued by your local Department of Motor Vehicles.

The procedure is quite straightforward. Your examiner will meet you a couple of minutes before the test start to get the introductions and formalities out of the way. He will then ask you some questions about the weather situation on the day to see if you can assess whether it is safe to go on the water or not.

You are then expected to prepare the boat to go on the the water and in doing so show evidence that you know all safety equipment which needs to be onboard by Swiss law and where it is on this particular boat. Once this has satisfactorily completed you will head out on the water to perform some maneuvers, such as coming alongside, man overboard, picking up a mooring, sailing a compass course etc. During the maneuvers you may be asked any questions from the theory test orally.

On completion of the “open lake” part of the assessment you will return to your starting harbour where you may be asked to perform some “close quarters” maneuvering, followed by making the boat fast and showing if you can tie some basic knots. (Bowline, Round turn & two half hitches, clove hitch, rolling hitch etc.)

For those with experience the exercises may seem incredibly basic, but they need to be done in such a specific way that the risk of failure for experienced mariners is actually quite real.

Once you pass the test you will get a paper licence which you are required to have with you when sailing or driving any boat (which requires that licence) and on some lakes the Police do spot checks.

Boats Not Requiring a Licence

Even if your boat does not require a licence to operate, it will still need to be registered and undergo a safety inspection. While this procedure varies from canton to canton (as everything in Switzerland), in general, you will need to prove that you have a place to store the boat, and you will need a contract to prove this. The contract for the boat storage has to be made out to the same name and address as the person who is registering the boat and the address needs to be the primary residence address where that person is registered.

Finding a place in a dinghy park (or a marina) for a boat is not that easy. In Swiss Dinghy Parks, there are a lot of old boats in poor repair, no longer used, but people are unwilling to give up their place as they will then lose it if they do ever decide to sail again.

Once the boat is registered, you will get a number similar to a licence plate for your car, you are required to fix this to the hull on both sides so that it is clearly visible at all times when on the water. It is your responsibility to get stick on letters and numbers yourself to put this on the boat (there is also sizing requirements, depending on both size and type). Transfers of the letters can easily be obtained at hardware stores like Migros, Do it Decor or Coop Bau and Hobby.

Shortly after registration, you will be invited for an inspection. This inspection is theoretically to prove the Sea(Lake!)worthiness of the boat. There are requirements which you will need to satisfy, like having life jackets with collars, a horn, a red flag and a bailer (even in boats where it might not be practical to use one!). You can download A full list of the equipment needed here.

The examiner will check all this equipment is present and also inspect the boat for structural integrity (ironically in our case, he did not look at the sails or rudder at all!) If he is satisfied with all this, he will sign you off and return your boat registration document. The boat registration certificate is made of paper, and theoretically you must be have it on the boat at all times when it is on the water! While this is ok on a larger keel boat, it is certainly not practical for smaller “wet” sailing boats.

Insurance

Sailing boats with over 15 metre squared sail area and all motor boats require insurance. For sailboats under 15m sail area, insurance is optional. (but in my opinion recommended)

Boat Rental

Very few locations rent small sailing boats (which don’t require certification). The places that I have seen have not had boats in great condition. There are a few organisations offering the rental of Keel Boats on many Swiss Lakes. These organisations usually require some form of membership and a local certification (D-Schein). But if you have the local certification, the prices are (for Switzerland) quite reasonable. For more information, look at Sailbox or Sailcom.

Storm Warning

Swiss Lakes are fitted out with warning systems that come on when the winds are expected to be over 25 knots. With expected gusts of between 25 and 33 knots, you will see orange lights flashing approximately 40 times per second (high wind warning). Once the forecasted winds exceed 33 knots, the lights will flash at 90 times per second (storm warning). It is technically illegal to go on the water with a Storm Warning (90 flashes per minute). But windsurfing and kitesurfing do seem to be tolerated. I’ve often seen Swiss boats start struggling once the wind increases to about 20 knots. If you are experienced and enjoy sailing in stronger winds, don’t expect that everyone around you has it in control.

Other Lakes

If you think that once you register your boat, you can enjoy going sailing anywhere in Switzerland, then think again. In general, you can only use your boat in the canton of registration. If you would like to sail on another lake in a different canton, you will need to check if this is permitted. In many cases, one cannot launch any boats not registered on that lake. In some cases, you will need a day pass to launch. Some places, any boat registered in Switzerland can launch, and in others, sailing might be completely prohibited.

Best Lakes for Wind

Some Swiss lakes have poor wind statistics, and in general, sailing on Lake Zurich is quite the oxymoron. However, Lakes like Urnersee, Walensee, Neuenburgersee and Lake Geneva often get quite good wind in Summer. In general, different lakes benefit from different winds so I’ll try to explain these winds below.

Föhn: The Föhn is a wind that is generated by a pressure gradient between two sides of a mountain range. In Switzerland. Bad weather on one side of the Alps and good weather on the other leads to a typical Föhn situation. Usually, lakes in a north/south direction in a Föhn affected area benefit from this wind, but beware it can be incredibly strong sometimes, getting up to gusts of 40 knots. You find South Föhn usually on the Northern side of the Alps. It is a strong and warm but gusty southerly wind which is found on lakes such as Urnersee, Walensee, Aegerisee and occasionally Zugersee. Föhn winds on the Urnersee and Walensee often reach 40+ knots. North Föhn in Ticino and the Northern Italian Lakes (Como and Garda) presents as a strong northerly wind

Bise: Bise is a cold North Easterly wind that is often prevalent in Autumn. It can get quite strong and is usually most potent on the lakes in the “Three Lake Land” (Bielersee, Neuenburgersee, Murtensee) and on Lake Geneva. Some other lakes may get some Bise to a smaller extent, like the Zugersee.

South West: This is a low-pressure wind which develops as storm fronts race across Europe. Usually, this wind has lost a lot of its strength by the time it reaches Switzerland and is accompanied by frontal weather systems.

Thermal: In summer a few Swiss Lakes can get a good Thermal wind blowing. On days when it cools down quite a lot at night and there is a lot of sunshine giving radiative heat to the mountains during the day you can expect in the region of 15 to 20 knots on a few Swiss Lakes such as the Urnersee or Silvaplana (Windsurfing and Kitesurfing only!)

Summary

While Switzerland is not known as the sailing capital of Europe, it is possible to get your sailing fix here. It is, however, connected with a considerable level of bureaucracy, which those of us who come from many “open sea” countries may find frustrating. Sailing Small boats does not require certification, but it is difficult to find anywhere to rent these boats, and there is considerable bureaucracy to put your own boat on the water here. You can rent Keel boats on many lakes, but then local certification is required.

Feel free to contact us if you would like any further information regarding sailing in Switzerland.

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