Lifejackets... inflatable or otherwise.

[Cmdr Pete]

A Coast Guard study found that only 10% of adult boaters wear a PFD.

For cabin sailboats, the rate is 15%

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/PFD-2005-Report-Final.pdf

This is the jacket I wear most often

http://www.stormyseas.com/heavydutyjacket.html

[Godot]

This is the jacket I wear most often

http://www.stormyseas.com/heavydutyjacket.html

Looks good.  But this picture from the same page gives me pause when thinking of the ability to self rescue:


It looks like arm motion will be seriously impeded.  Potentially a bad thing when trying to climb back on board.

[Cmdr Pete]

It has the usual type of inflation bladder--nothing in the arms.

I'm not suggesting its the best PFD. But, it feels like putting on a regular jacket, which is why I wear it, instead of no PFD at all.

If I was smart, I might get one of those new little handheld VHF radios to keep in the pocket

[Godot]

I'm curious...have you tried it on in the water?

As I mentioned previously, I have a terrible record of wearing a PFD.  I'm just not comfortable in them.  I made myself a rule that whenever I left the foredeck I would put one on; but I find I remember this rule sometime after I commit myself to whatever action I'm doing.  Oddly, the only time I consistantly remember to put it on is when my wife is with me, as her scolding gaze makes it hard to forget.

[Fortis]

rmy Seas products are made here in Australia (actually ,one state south, near where I used to live).

I've tried one of the vests and found it to be really good (like the yoke but with lots of pockets and no chance of falling out.

the stromy seas jackets are standard issue to all of the water police and rescue services and you are worn by about 80%+ of the crews for the Sydney to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart yacht races. Really good stuff...but about 5 times the rpice of Burke and 4 times that of Hutchwilco and Plastimo.

still, we have the water police doing their SSS courses off the coast guard jetty at our station and they wear the stormy seas jackets to do them, seemingly with success and as much ease as wearing the yoke type pfd's.

I would probably save up and buy one of the jackets if I lived in a climate where I was sailing around icebergs a lot... As it is I find them to be really hot, which lessens the likelyhood of my wearing one on a less then freezing cold day...

I opted to go for the yoke style PFD, and layers of clothing to control both safety and comfort tempreture...But the stormy seas jackets are still NICE!!!!!


Alex.

[Auspicious]

I have an older SOSpenders auto-inflate PFD w/ harness that includes a whistle and a strobe. I also have five Secumar auto-inflate PFDs w/ harnesses I bought in Europe for my transatlantic. I like the SOSpenders unit better.

I wear it when singlehanding if it's blowing, dark, or raining. Although I have also heard stories of spontaneous inflation I have not had a problem even after wearing the PFD for days of rain. A couple of crew for the transatlantic left their PFDs tucked in a corner of the cockpit while they were off-watch (<sigh>) and they didn't inflate even after several days of rain.

I know that life-rafts are inflated slowly with compressed air when tested and not by the inflation cartridges. Apparently the pressure and temperature shock can damage the fabric. Might there be a similar issue with "testing" an inflatable PFD by diving overboard? I concur with test inflation by blowing the tubes, but I don't think I'll use the cartridge.

[AdriftAtSea]

While there may be some risk of damage to the PFD by cartridge inflation, I think that it is necessary for use.  I don't think that repeatedly inflating a PFD via CO2 cartridge is a wise idea, as the sudden inflation has risks associated with it...but a single time emergency inflation, when you actually need it is probably well within it's capabilities. .

Personally, I don't think the risk of temperature shock is as high, as the cartridge is considerably smaller, the volume of gas required is much smaller, and the temperature it drops down to is probably not as low as those of the larger cartridges used in Life Rafts. 

[Fortis]

I think there is a difference in both fabric used for liferafts and PFD's and tempreture shock between the big bottles in rafts and the tiny things for PFD's. I know that Gary Skipper, the spokesman for Stormy Seas has had the same inlfatable vest for about six years and fires the cartridge to inflate it as part of his safety talk twice a day, every day as part of boat shows, in-store presentations etc.... Even if he only works 3 weekends a month, that is still a lot of test fires and the unit is still 100%

Alex.

[psyche]

I have 2 manual inflate and one auto inflate all with built in harness. The CO unit does not seem to be dated on the manual units but the auto inflate little dissolveable donut does and to purchase it you have to purchase a new CO unit. I have back-up CO and donuts for each vest. I prefer the auto for the reason stated. If rendered unconscious and thrown out the boat I want my vest to inflate. Dan

[Captain Smollett]

Oh one point on the inflatables. I wore mine for the last Sea Safety Survival course...And I damned well popped out of it!

Alex,

Which brand was this?  Was this the new Plastimo you mentioned in your post?

Thanks.

[Frank]

Finally looked at my 'blue one'....it is made by 'crewsaver' (England)..model is 'crewfit 150N'.   self inflates ( I hope!)  Anyone heard of these??   Just did a search...here's the link  http://www.wesellcrewsaver.co.uk/product-pages/csr-crewfit150-blue.htm    mine is an older one with 'pull to inflate,auto inflate,blowup to inflate' and a WAY heavier harness

[Fortis]

Oh one point on the inflatables. I wore mine for the last Sea Safety Survival course...And I damned well popped out of it!

Alex,

Which brand was this?  Was this the new Plastimo you mentioned in your post?

Thanks.

Burke Offshore with integral harness.

[s/v Faith]

I am going with the SOSpender's unit.

  I found that the SOSpenders auto/manual with harnes is now $169 at Defender.  I did some checking and found that it is $159 at LandFallNavigation.

  Reviews are favorable, bunch of them out there... no one has really had anything bad to say about them.
 

[Cmdr Pete]

Same one?

http://www.amazon.com/SOSPENDERS-1230-WORLD-CLASS-AUTOMATIC/dp/B000M69C2O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3529525-2067063?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1172854489&sr=8-1

[s/v Faith]

Same one?

http://www.amazon.com/SOSPENDERS-1230-WORLD-CLASS-AUTOMATIC/dp/B000M69C2O/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3529525-2067063?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1172854489&sr=8-1

:(


__________________________

On Edit,

  The Folks at Landfall navigation were willing to cancell my order.  I can now order from Amazon!

  $40 worth of grog for CmdrPete!!!!!  ;D ;D ;D


I thought the one you linked to might be the one without the harness, but the description says;

Product Features

Built-in harness meets ORC requirements for additional security.
Reflective tape on cover and bladder for greater visibility, and safety whistle attached to bladder.
Rearm kit 38ARK, Stearns item # 0952.
Automatic inflatable is U S Coast Guard approved Type V with Type II performance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Product Description

Product Description
1230 - WORLD CLASS SERIES / AUTOMATIC LIFE VEST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Product Details

Shipping Weight: 5.00 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
ASIN: B000M69C2O 

and here is a link to the Sterns web site verifying the 1230 model has the harness.


  Just a word of caution.  I was looking at the revere inflateable on sailnet, and they have the picture of the one with harness in the add for the one without harness.....  :-[  When you read the model number of the one listed and check it against the MFG's website you see it is the one without hte harness.


__________________________________

On 2nd Edit:

  Make that $50 worth of grog for Cmdr Pete!  The shipping was $10 cheaper too!!!

;D :D ;) :) ;D :D ;) :) ;D

[Cmdr Pete]

Sure, go ahead, put your safety in the hands of the lowest bidder  ;) :o ??? ::) :P ;)

[AdriftAtSea]

Pete-

The lowest bidder is fine, as long as it is the retailers—not the manufacturers—doing the bidding. ;)

[Cmdr Pete]

West Marine has their automatic PFD on sale for $89.99.

I bought one of these for guests last year. Printed out the page and brought it down to the store.

I don't think its especially comfortable, but its pretty cheap for an automatic. The Manual one is on sale for $69.99

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/276141/10001/13116/0/0

[Cmdr Pete]

Auto-inflate PFD for $55 at Defender

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|135|439|1383608&id=1383377

[Pablo]

Auto-inflate PFD for $55 at Defender

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|135|439|1383608&id=1383377

Grog for posting.  I picked up an inflatable and some youth jackets.