Halls Head local and lifelong angler Carl Conway is hoping his newly-invented life jacket will save the lives of rock fishers across Australia.
Together with his co-inventer, Brad Devereux, the pair founded the brand Soteria LifeJackets and designed a personal flotation device (PFD) specifically tailored to meet the needs of those casting a line out off the cliff face.
We decided to do this because there’s no better feeling than saving a life.
- Carl Conway.
The aptly-named Rockfisher comes equipped with a rod holder, gimbal and small bait board for fishing convenience, but it’s safety features make it a must-have for those scaling the rocks.
A water-detected strobe light will activate if an angler is swept off the rocks while an extra spotlight helps you draw attention.
Waterproof pockets, a survival hood and a crotch strap act as reassurances, and front and rear D-rings allow for attachables.
The pair’s idea stemmed from their own love of rock fishing, and was developed with the wisdom gained from years of experience working in search and rescue.
Conway’s 12-year background in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot performing search and rescues gave him more than enough insight when devising the PFD.
“I’ve basically spent my whole life at sea whether I’m fishing or doing rescues so I was able to use a lot of that experience when we were thinking of components the Rockfisher needs,” he said.
“We came up with the idea of designing the life jacket after watching this Youtube video of people fishing off rocks in Hawaii and it snowballed from there.
“At the end of the day it’s all about making sure people are safe. Most fishers will tell you they love fishing off the rocks but it only takes one freak wave to tip everything upside down, literally.
“We decided to do this because there’s no better feeling than saving a life.”
Conway and Devereux were able to test their new invention in the water with the help of the Rockingham Volunteer Sea Rescue Group earlier this year.
The pair have been working on the idea for more than two years, and are currently in a marketing phase hoping to go into production in the next few months.
For more information on the product or to get behind their crowdfunding campaign visit soterialifejackets.com or follow Soteria LifeJackets on Facebook.