More than a quarter of lifejackets checked at a special clinic in Fowey were not providing proper protection, the RNLI has said.
Experts checked 183 lifejackets at the clinic in Fowey last weekend.
Of those checked, 13 had to be condemned and about 30 per cent needed replacement parts to ensure they worked properly in an emergency.
More than 50 people visited the clinic at Fowey Gallants Sailing Club and organiser Marcus Lewis, a volunteer member of the RNLI crew, said he was pleased to see many new faces at the annual event.
He said: "This means the message about the importance of having your lifejacket checked annually is getting through to new people and that can only be good news if folk are going to stay safe on the water.
"The day started in startling fashion when the very first lifejacket checked had no gas bottle in it, which means it wouldn't have inflated automatically in a crisis.
"One child's lifejacket had been fired then repacked leaving the empty gas cylinder in place and without the knowledge of the parent who had been confidently getting her youngster to wear it.
"Of the 13 lifejackets that were condemned, some were punctured and others had obsolete firing mechanisms."
Mr Lewis thanked the volunteer team from Ocean Safety in Plymouth, who checked each lifejacket thoroughly, as well as John Burford of Upper Deck Chandlery and RNLI's Sea Safety volunteers from Fowey and Looe who also attended the event.
The clinic was also supported by volunteers from the National Coastwatch Institution and the Boatwatch scheme, backed by Devon and Cornwall Police.
Experts checked 183 lifejackets at the clinic in Fowey last weekend.
Of those checked, 13 had to be condemned and about 30 per cent needed replacement parts to ensure they worked properly in an emergency.
More than 50 people visited the clinic at Fowey Gallants Sailing Club and organiser Marcus Lewis, a volunteer member of the RNLI crew, said he was pleased to see many new faces at the annual event.
He said: "This means the message about the importance of having your lifejacket checked annually is getting through to new people and that can only be good news if folk are going to stay safe on the water.
"The day started in startling fashion when the very first lifejacket checked had no gas bottle in it, which means it wouldn't have inflated automatically in a crisis.
"One child's lifejacket had been fired then repacked leaving the empty gas cylinder in place and without the knowledge of the parent who had been confidently getting her youngster to wear it.
"Of the 13 lifejackets that were condemned, some were punctured and others had obsolete firing mechanisms."
Mr Lewis thanked the volunteer team from Ocean Safety in Plymouth, who checked each lifejacket thoroughly, as well as John Burford of Upper Deck Chandlery and RNLI's Sea Safety volunteers from Fowey and Looe who also attended the event.
The clinic was also supported by volunteers from the National Coastwatch Institution and the Boatwatch scheme, backed by Devon and Cornwall Police.
