Recommendations on Automatic Inflatable PFDs

[scross]

We have the traditional life jackets for use on Our Journey but have seen the automatic inflatable types that look much more comfortable for wearing on the dinghy or when moving forward while underway.
Yesterday I received a Black Friday ad from West Marine featuring several automatic inflatable life jackets with substantial savings off normal prices. Not being near a West Marine store, I can't try on the sale items for fit or comfort.
Do any Tugnut folks use any of these and could comment on comfort and quality?

o Mustang Survival HIT with harness MST3184 35 # buoyancy Type II performance List $330 on sale $200
o West Marine Deep Water 14832042 35 # buoyancy Type II performance List $180 on sale $100
o West Marine Offshore Sail Harness 14897433 35 # buoyancy Type II performance List $200 on sale $100

Or are there other automatic inflatable PFD models out there that you love?

 

[Mr. T]

I have a couple of the West Marine Coastal Automatic vests, they are $149.99 but go on sale quite often. I also have a couple of less expensive West Marine inflatables that are not automatic. They all seem like they are well made. Check the expiration date of the inflation cylinder of any vest you buy as some have close expiration dates. West Marine isn't always the least expensive option but there are many stores around the country and they stand behind their products.

 

[Scuffy]

I'd say Mustang has always enjoyed a pretty good reputation. That's what we use.

 

[scross]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, West Marine has the Coastals going on sale next week too. Marked down from $150 to $75 each. For the PNW I think moving up from the Type III performance (e.g. WM Coastal) to the Type II performance would be a better match for our needs.
Over the past decade Vicki and I have fallen into the water three times. All of those were moving from stopped boat to dock or to dinghy so we were never out in rough waters when that happened. But I would like to be prepared for the roughest water conditions we might ever face.

 

[Crewdog]

Whichever vest you end up getting, be sure and get a couple of re-arm kits.

Also, i'd recommend actually jumping in the water wearing the inflatable and get the experience of an automatic inflation, before u need it for real.

 

[R Baker]

We have at least six on board, and frankly we don't use them. They are there for the 1 pfd per person on board requirement. We prefer the traditional vest type with zipper and straps - why... If I want to clean the waterline or swim with a pfd, they work well; if you are in a seaway and get thrown around, you have some protection ; they are maintenance free; they cost a whole lot less; lastly, you don't have to worry about a failure of an inflating system.

 

[scross]

We have 6 adult and 2 kids of the conventional type life jacket on board now. They are so big and bulky that we only use them while on the dinghy and, frankly, the're quite uncomfortable to wear even for short periods of time. Plus they take up storage space when not in use. I think we might actually wear a light weight non-motion restrictive inflatable more often.
All three times we got dunked we didn't have a life jacket on.
I know the conventional life jackets provide more thermal protection in cold water than inflatables and that's important in the PNW. Hoping that both the boat and dinghy don't become unusable at the same time if we're in open water. Already have a PLB on board for an emergency. We are thinking of a number of trips in the next two seasons that require crossing the Straight of Georgia.

 

[RobMcClain]

I have the West Marine Costal and it is easy to put on and comfortable to wear. Last year while coming into port in Olympia, WA, I was on deck and in too much of a hurry. I was fully clothed and had my Costal on, as usual. Then my foot slipped on a wet line that was on the already wet deck and I rocketed downward into the bay with no ability to grab anything. My vest instantly inflated, as advertised, and I was back above the surface before I could fully comprehend what had happened (and how stupid and careless I had been). I have high praise for the vest. Recharging the vest was quick and easy, and the necessary item(s) came in a pack costing about $24 if I remember correctly. My wife and I consider these vests an indispensable item for cruising.

Rob

 

[rheimb1]

A couple things about inflatables that I didn’t think about while I was shopping for them until I bought a second pair. First make sure you look or ask what the inside color is, most are a darker color blue, black or even red but red appears black under dark conditions. Make sure it is a bright color like yellow. Second, most cheaper inflatables don’t have reflective striping on them once inflated. This is particularly important at night. Both items are just about visibility. When someone falls off you know it’s gonna be where the water is a black churning caldron…Murphy’s law! I always say to myself while on the water “ok what will it look like if some falls in here?” And I usually think, it's going to be hard to find them. And a bonus tip the more expensive inflatable will usually have a more comfortable collar like neoprene. Just remember the more comfortable it is the more likely you’ll wear it. So now, on board company get the cheaper ones, so if you come cruising with me, bring your own! LOL.

 

[knotflying]

If you are on Active Captain I believe a recent Newsletter had a PDF discount at Defender. The offer ended 11/29.

 

[tlkenyon]

We have at least six on board, and frankly we don't use them. They are there for the 1 pfd per person on board requirement. We prefer the traditional vest type with zipper and straps - why... If I want to clean the waterline or swim with a pfd, they work well; if you are in a seaway and get thrown around, you have some protection ; they are maintenance free; they cost a whole lot less; lastly, you don't have to worry about a failure of an inflating system.

My understanding is that the inflatable PFD's do not count toward the "1-per-person" requirement unless they are being worn. The Minnesota rules state "inflatable life vests are required to be worn in order to be counted as one of your U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable flotation devices."

From West Marine regarding their Inshore Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket Model # 14897425.."Designed to automatically inflate when immersed in water, these versatile life jackets easily convert to manual-only inflation with oral inflation backup. With a wide neckline, this lightweight, low-profile design maximizes mobility and range of motion. Reflective graphics boost visibility. 25.5lb. of buoyancy. USCG Type V. Rearm with our Inflatable PFD Rearming Kit. NOTE: This vest must be worn to count as PFD inventory."

Please correct me if I am mistaken. I have not been counting our inflatables in the inventory against the possibility of getting stopped and not wearing them, on the rare occasion that we have a full load of folks on board.

TK

 

[scross]

I ended up buying one of each of the three inflatables I had listed and we will keep the most comfortable of the two. I found a Mustang HIT inflatable like the one on sale at West Marine but without the built in harness at Landfall Navigation for $40 less. I'll post a reply on what we think of the three inflatables when we get them and have a chance to wear them around the house for a comfort test.
And yes, they do not count as a pfd by the Coast Guard for a safety inspection unless they are worn on the boat while on the boat but outside the enclosed cabin.

 

[R Baker]

TK
I'm not in Minnesota, but I guess if you are challenged by authority, you just put one on. My preference for vest type pfd's comes from my sailing days where the vest provided some insulation from the cold and possible impact when it got bouncy.
RB

 

[Scuffy]

I think the requirement that the inflatable has to be worn to be counted by the Coasties might have changed. It now supposedly depends on the label of the actual PFD. The older units may have to be worn but the new models are reported do not have to be worn. Depends on the label. See below copied from the C-Brat site

http://sailing.about.com/od/lawsregulat ... Dlegal.htm

That was from an "unofficial" link. However, doing some more quick research, I found this statement on the Hull Truth Forum:
Checking Inflatable Life Jackets During VSC
New Inflatable Life Jackets
Impact the VSC
Inflatable life jackets (PFDs) have gone through an evolution, since the production of the VSC manual, which affects the VSC process.
At the time the VSC manual was produced essentially all inflatable life jackets were “type V” and required that they be worn to count as a viable life jacket. There are now many USCG certified inflatable jackets available that are type II and type III when used on recreational vessels in addition to the type Vs. Further the need for the jacket to be worn to count is dependent on the specific USCG certification of each individual jacket model. Whether the jacket must be worn is printed on the label affixed to the inside of the jacket itself. Therefore,
Vessel Examiners now must check the label on inflatable life jackets to determine whether or not it must be worn to count.
This has been coordinated with the USCG Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety.
R/C Bob Miller

 

[tlkenyon]

Scuffy,

Thank you very much for the clarification. I have indeed noticed the change in type certification on some of the provider websites, but I did not really understand it. I will check the labels on my PFDs. The officers in this neck of the woods seem to do a lot of PFD checks, I think as a plausible reason to stop folks to check for alcohol...

Thanks again,

TK

 

[Spinner]

Personally, I think the inflatable PFDs are almost unnoticeable when worn, especially compared
to the old foamed-filled orange life vests that I grew up wearing. As a person who single-hands my boat, I just make it simple - if the boat is running, I wear my PFD (Spinlock brand, super comfortable). If you only wear your PFD when moving around on the outside of the boat, it is too easy to forget to put it on. Problem solved!!

 

[Gin]

The West Marine brand "Inshore" model (automatic/manual inflation) is on sale through tomorrow (11/28) for only $54.99.
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-...D6EE4&cm_sp=Onsite-Recs-_-MB-_-Trending-Gifts
Heck of a deal. Two of our six are those. Very light and comfortable. Not as heavy duty as others, but good for the rare time that you have more guests aboard than you anticipated. We bought our two on sale, but they weren't as good a deal as West Marine has going now. If I could justify any more PFDs (and I can't), I would grab one or two at that price as "extras."

Gini

 

[LAKERtoo]

.. what does Service Interval: 2 years refer to for this PFD ??

 

[scross]

I believe it refers to the useful life of the bobbin. The bobbin is or contains the chemicals that melt when exposed to water. When the chemical melts, the gas from the CO2 cartridge flows into the inflation bladder. Every two years you need to install a new bobbin and new CO2 cartridge. Or install sooner if the unit inflates for whatever reason of course. A recharge kit contains the parts needed to bring an inflated or expired like jacket back into functional condition.
Right now the Coastal from West Marine is a very good value too at $75. Both the Coastal and the Inshore ($55) offer Type Iii performance and about 26 pounds of buoyancy.
According to BoatUS.com Type III inflatable performance is suitable for "For boating inshore and near shore and for supervised activities such as sailing regattas, dinghy races, canoeing." Type III performance is "Not guaranteed to turn unconscious wearer face-up."

 

[Scuffy]

This week's Defender 1st special is an AMAZING deal on inflatable PFDs.
These are all of the Crewfit 35 vests currently left in the US. They
come with all the standard features and provide 35 lbs of buoyancy when
inflated. Defender is offering a choice of manual and automatic vests.
Both are Type V commercial and Type III recreational (when worn). The
manual and the automatic vest come in Blue and in Red (color
availability is strictly while supplies last).

These are high quality USCG approved vests. The inflator on both the
automatic and manual inflation vests are the highly trusted Halkey
Roberts inflators, used on a huge number of inflatable vests. This
insures re-arm kit availability. Crewsaver offers a single Rearm kit
that provides what you need for both vests (sold separately).

At these prices, these PFDs won't last long. And when they are gone,
they are gone!

Check out all the specifications and get the special ActiveCaptain code
at the link below.

Crewfit 35 USCG Inflatable LifeJacket / PFD Automatic: $47.99
(Special Price: $59.99, List Price: $169.94)

Crewfit 35 USCG Inflatable LifeJacket / PFD Manual: $39.99
(Special Price: $49.99, List Price: $149.94)

Special ends: November 29, 2016 at 11:59 PM ET

Get the special price and learn more at:
http://www.defender.com/activecaptain.jsp