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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Inflatable PFD recommendations requested

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Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/21/2013 : 03:24:49

I will be purchasing inflatable PFD's early this week. I have been looking for specials, and West Marine now has an auto inflatable coastal for $100. But I am considering an integrated harness for $199.

What do you say about:
manual .vs. auto (dissolving pill or hydrostatic?)
Revere .vs. Mustang .vs. West Marine
Harness .vs. separate harness (is there a comfort penalty for separate units?)

I saw a special on a pfd at one pint in time that included the water activated light (wish I could find that again.....)
Any links or input into necessity of one versus another?

s/v No Worries, O'Day 28
PO Moe'Uhane - C25 SR/FK #1746

Edited by - Ape-X on 06/21/2013 04:08:13

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 03:28:30

Here is my opinion

Automatic definitely(dissolving pill box is fine) if you get knocked out, who will pull your vest?
Seems like comfort is key, i have not tried any of the brands on. west Marine has a neoprene collar

manual ($80) .vs. autom ($100) .vs. auto with harness ($200)

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 05:05:12

I have one inflatable pfd with harness and one without. Both autoinflate. I can't think of any good reason to get one that doesn't autoinflate. Mine have never inflated unintentionally as a result of the pill getting wet in foul weather. The only time one inflated accidentally, it was because the triggering string snagged on something and got pulled accidentally.

Usually, when foul weather appears, you begin by putting on the pfd. Later, as it gets progressively worse, you put on the safety harness. If they are separate, you have to remove the pfd before you can put on the safety harness. If the pfd has a harness integrated, then you are putting on both at once. That might seem to be a minor inconvenience, but when it's rough, everything you do becomes a struggle. It's better if both are incorporated into one.

If you sail at night, a light will help the crew find you in the water. My MOB light isn't water activated, and it isn't integrated into the pfd, but those would be good features to have.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3370 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 09:36:16

I have the auto-inflate West Marine 4000 which has the pill and I have the Mustang auto-inflate w/hydrostatic valve.

Comfort - I had first bought the West Marine and it was comfortable. After a number of years with it and when I did the last pill change, I also tested it in the bathtub and installed a new CO2 cartridge. I had decided to get a new one for myself and pass the West marine one to my spouse. The Mustang in comparison is for me more comfortable than the West marine but you really need to try these on and check it out for yourself since different body configurations may have a different sense of what is comfortable and what is not.

Pill vs hydrostatic valve: The hydrostatic valve is more expensive but the expiration for recharging the vests with hydrostatic valves is about 5 years vs 1-2 years for the vests with the pill. The technology is different and so an individual has that decision to labor over as well but they both work and both certified by USCG.

However, there is one difference to possibly consider when making vest comparisons and that is the availability of the recharge kit, the pills, the hydrostatic valves. Right now, I believe all the hydrostatic valve types are made by the same hydrostatic valve mfr. So, the more of those type vests out there, the ebtter chance that hydrostatic valves will be available when it comes time to recharge your unit. The vests with the pills....there are a few mfrs of those type recharge kits and your vest can only be replaced with same type/mfr kit. If the recharge kit on the vest you select is not in widespread use (meaning few vests utilize same recharge kit) you may find it hard to acquire the mfrs recharge kit years down the road. So, if going with the vests that utlize a pill, check sources such as the West Marine Catalog and see if they still have a chart for recharge kits/vests and recommend select a vest that has the same recharge kit used in many different vests...The more common it is in use, the more likely you will be able to get a recharge kit in the future.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 13:33:33

Both Peggy & I have the WM Coastal Auto PFD's.

We wear them if the boat is on the water and not tied to something (Anchor, Slip, Another boat).

Most of the time, I forget I'm wearing it until after dropping anchor. So they are very comfortable and unobtrusive.

If we have to don our foulies, the PFD's are removed, and put back on top of the foulies.

I inspect the PFD's every year and keep note of their condition on the label inside them. These are our 2nd pair of WM PFD's and we have both been very pleased with them. I still have the original pair, but they are a bit moldy. Crew can use them if they don't have their own.

Paul

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 20:23:49

We also have WM Coastals. We tried several, the WM was most comfortable for us. We also don the pfd anytime we are not tied up, We can add a separate harness if things deteriorate. I'm not sure if an integrated harness would be comfortable enough to encourage always wearing a pfd, and always having it on is worth the inconvenience of having to stop and add a harness.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 20:33:53

My Mustang auto-inflate PFD has the built in harness and I don't even notice that it's there. I also never leave the dock without donning it since I sail solo 99.99999% of the time.

I also think it might help keep the Popo from stopping me. I figure if they come by and see I have my throwable cushion out in sight and PFD on they might think there's one less boater they have to worry about.

Probably just rationalization but I don't do it for that reason anyway so it doesn't matter if I'm right or wrong.

Edited by - GaryB on 06/21/2013 20:34:45

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/21/2013 : 20:37:32

We both have pill activated integral harness PFD's. I've got re-arm kits for both of them (which of course are different from each other) in vacuum sealed bags in our ditch bag. I like the idea of the hydrostatic versions, but I see no reason to move away from what we've currently got until we have to.

We also have quick release dual lanyards on our vests, as well as over-sized locking carabiners for each. Like Paul & Peggy, Rita & I wear our PFD/harnesses unless we're tied up somehow. Both of our sets of foulies have harness access points built in, but thus far we've never worn them.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/22/2013 : 07:40:00

Mine is from Cabella's, an Xmas gift from the admiral. Very comfortable to wear all day. One word of caution about the dissolving pill activated pfd's. Don't leave it locked up in your car on a very hot humid day with the car out in the sun. Mine activated in the car one day while I was at work! Since the recharge kits are $20 plus, it was an expensive lesson.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2269 Posts

Response Posted - 06/22/2013 : 08:44:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 ...One word of caution about the dissolving pill activated pfd's. Don't leave it locked up in your car on a very hot humid day with the car out in the sun. Mine activated in the car one day while I was at work!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Did you inspect the pill to confirm that it was the reason for the activation? My understanding is that they have a starch-like material that dissolves in water (same as the binder used in pharmaceutical pills). I wasn't aware the dry heat (which is what you get in a locked car) could cause it to break down (unless it melted maybe?). Unless you confirm otherwise, my assumption is that the extreme heat caused the CO2 canister to go off from over-pressure. This is something that would likely also happen from a HIT-type mechanism, not just a pill type.

The other warning is to store the PFDs in a dry location. I have a dehumidifier on my boat (interior humidity <53% all season so far), and I store them at home during the winter (no power on the hard means no dehumidifier). If your boat is damp inside, the pill will gradually degrade. Not so for the HIT mechanisms. I believe that the pills have little sawtooth ridges on top, and if it's not stored properly those sawtooths will start to degrade, giving an early warning of impending failure.

We have three automatic inflatables, all pill-type. We have a WM coastal that we purchased in early 2010, a second WM one that we purchased a few months later and looks identical (but has a slightly different pill mechanism

). My wife thought the neoprene neck liner was irritating to her neck (doesn't bother me at all), so I purchased her a Helly Hansen PFD (also pill type) that I found at a boat show. None of these three PFDs have integrated harness.

This spring I purchased a separate harness that I used for four days of singlehanded cruising. I would put it on under the PFD each morning before heading out.

If I were starting over, I would probably go ahead and buy the Mustang MD3184 HIT type with integrated harness. It's very pricy, but there is a safety element to having the D-rings always available to clip in on a moment's notice. It hasn't been a big deal for me since I primarily daysail in very protected waters. So overall I've been very happy with the WM Coastal model, and if you get a good price that would be a fine choice.

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/22/2013 08:45:07

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/22/2013 : 13:05:55

The pfd was only about 1 yr old, and I often kept it in the car with my sailing go bag. The pill had disintegrated. I bought and installed a re-arming kit, and have been more careful about storage since. Hasn't happened again, so I have no problem recommending the pfd: Cabella's Guardian Series, Essential 2500.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/22/2013 : 13:18:18

Several year ago my current PFD self-discharged inside my old San Juan 21. Not exactly sure what happened, I hadn't been down to the boat in a couple of weeks or more. When I opened the hatch and saw it had deployed, my first thought was that someone had rifled through cabin, but then I noticed that the bladders for the PFD were exposed (it had also gone flat again), so I re-armed it and never experienced that problem again.

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