New Zealand leading lifejacket manufacturer Hutchwilco is proactively recalling a specific model of their popular Inflatable Lifejacket.
Customers with manual 170N lifejackets manufactured from June 2021 to May 2022 are potentially affected. The recall comes following an advisory from their American supplier, Halkey Roberts, of a potential failure during testing of the green/red indicator This is reported as an occasional issue only affecting some units. Whilst the firing pin mechanism still functions, the indicator may show that the lifejacket is ready for use when in fact it isn’t due to, for example, the cylinder not being screwed in properly or the cylinder being damaged. The lifejacket may not inflate if this happens.
“Ensuring our customers have the right quality equipment to keep them safe while out enjoying the water is always our top priority. That’s why it’s important for us to take these voluntary steps to get our customers sorted and back on the water quickly,” says Tim Ritchie, General Manager.
Recalled inflators can be found on your Hutchwilco 170N manual lifejacket that’s fitted with a V96000 Halkey Roberts mechanism with a manufacture date of June 2021 through to May 2022 (this will be laser printed on the mechanism in the format MM/DD/YY).
“We’re asking boaties to help us maintain our top-quality standards and take the time to check the mechanism in their 170N Inflatable Lifejacket. If your mechanism is a Halkey Roberts v96000 please head to www.hutchwilco.co.nz/recall and follow our three simple steps to get your faulty lifejacket back to us at our cost. Our team are standing by to remedy the situation by either replacing the mechanism in affected lifejackets or coordinating a refund from the mechanism’s manufacturer, Halkey Roberts. Either way we want to get customers sorted quickly so they can continue to make the best of summer,” says Mr Ritchie.
The large majority of Hutchwilco’s popular inflatable lifejackets are manufactured with an alternative branded mechanism and aren’t affected. Boaties can continue to have nothing but trust in New Zealand’s leading lifejacket and safety equipment provider. These are voluntary steps that are being taken to ensure customers aren’t impacted by an issue that’s outside of Hutchwilco’s control.
