Association Forum - Inflatable PFDs

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Inflatable PFDs

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/20/2007 : 10:10:14

There was a recent discussion on spontaneous autoinflation (in a humid cabin or wherever)... That, and some sales that are on, have me thinking that as a single-hander (albeit power now) along the New England coast and Long Island Sound, I should probably be wearing a PFD as a matter of course, as opposed to leaving it in a closed compartment. What do you folks recommend among the current offerings of inflatables (auto and otherwise)?

Association Port Captain, Mystic, CT
Past member and DPO of C-25 #5032
Now on Eastern 27 Sarge (but still sailing) and posting as "Stinkpotter".

Passage, Mystic, and Sarge--click to enlarge.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 10:28:29

I use a Stormy Seas vest... very comfortable, you'll forget you're wearing a life vest. Mustang is another brand that seems to be highly regarded.

http://www.stormyseas.com/
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/category.php?t=1

Having an integrated harness would be good for a single-hander too.

http://www.stormyseas.com/sailinggear.html (offshore vest)

Single handing?

1) Get a mini-strobe and put it in a pocket. ($30)
2) Whistle in pocket. ($3)
3) Add strips of SOLAS reflective tape if the vest doesn't have any. ($2)
4) A mini-EPIRB in your pocket is now the best technology you can have for singlehanding. ($600)
5) Stern ladder with trip-cord to the waterlevel.

With the above you stand a chance if you go overboard. The key is not going overboard in the first place.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 11:27:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClamBeach
 The key is not going overboard in the first place.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Agreed! But as we know, sh!t can happen out there. Thanks for the suggestions. (A few entries I've seen on the market include the first three items...) My boat has a big engine-mount/swim-platform just inches above the waterline, and the anticavitation plate is probably a usable step up to it.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/20/2007 11:32:40

kevinmac
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 11:54:41

Dave,

FWIW, I have been wearing a SOSuspenders auto-inflate vest for a year and a half, several times in hard rain, and have not had a problem with unwanted inflation.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 12:11:51

Tether Dave? Images of the big old Honda leaving you in its wake are frightening. Of course, tethered and dragging behind is not much more reassuring. But, a tether that keeps you aboard would be a good thing.

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 12:35:16

The most recent issue of Practical Sailor (or maybe one back) has a good article on jacklines. It describes how they can be rigged and used to have the highest chance of being kept on board the boat.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 12:37:34

John: My plan is to never leave the cockpit (which is pretty secure) with the big old 225 in gear. The primary reason I would leave it at all would be to release or secure the anchor, which otherwise is controlled by an electric windlass from the helm. I've been noodling on a way to secure and release the anchor without going forward, but haven't come up with the solution yet.

Another side-benefit to wearing an inflatable vest is getting a wave from the Coasties as I go by. (The CG Academy is next door in New London--they're all over the place.)

Another question: Do the blue inflatables show something like yellow when they inflate? (I cannot believe all of the dark blue non-inflatable PFDs on the market these days--what kind of sense does that make??)

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 13:07:54

>"Do the blue inflatables show something like yellow when they inflate"

Every inflatable I've seen has international orange or yellow flotation bladders inside the covering.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 15:10:42

We use WM auto-inflatables. I can verify that when they inflate they are bright yellow.

If I could do it over I would get the ones with built in harness. We just bought harnesses and tethers and having the PFD with an incorporated harness would be easier than donning both. If you are in open water you should be trthered. We added Wichard folding padeyes in the cockpit to clip onto.

Edited by - on

Andy_334
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
206 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 16:02:04

Another confirmation all the inflatable jackets I have seen are bright yellow when inflated. Some also have SOLAS stripes. Most have a whistle. I just installed a mini-strobe inside the jacket. ARC does one that attaches to the oral-inflation tube, so it is out-of-the way when not required.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2007 : 22:35:20

I wear my WM inflatable with harness when I single hand. It has the whistle, auto and manual inflation and color. It has not inflated in a rain and it helps to keep warm. I tether and use a flat line attached forward and aft to keep secure when going forward. The autohelm does make it difficult if not impossible to catch up so you have to wait until the boat stops, out of fuel or.... I do tow a dingy which is an other chance to get back aboard but usually when cruising. Wearing a PFD does make it easier to find the body.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.