Inflatable life jacket....purchased.

[oldboot]

I've been looking at various inflatable PFD1 life jackets for some time now.

I have been in two minds over the whole idea for a variety of reasons.

the singile biggest obstical was the requiremant to have the unit annualy serviced and the cost and availability of this service.

second was the whole concept of trusting my wet sorry @r$3 to a balloon filled with air that could very easily get punctured.

anyway after having a look at a few others & went off down to Marine Safe Australia down at slacks creek to see what their story was.

Now one of the first thigs I learned is that they are capable of servicing quite a number of of the brands on the market (like all but 1 or 2), in fact they are waranty service agents for a couple.

So being able to get just about any brand serviced in brisbane.... walk in slap it on the counter come back in a day or two.... changed many things.

Apparantly most life jackets that dont require parts can be serviced on this basis for under $40. complete with all the paperwork.

So I got talking about jackets and what they stocked.
Seems these days that stock the stormy brand....so I had a good look at those and I can see why they prefeer to sell them.

firstly on the whole stormy range there is no dangling toggle to get in the way or get caught on things and give you an inflating surprise.
The jacket is triggered by ripping off the right hand pocket which is fastened with hook and loop tape and covers all the huff and puff bits.
This I thaught was a much better arrangement than other brands.

Secondly in the stormy the bladder (wot holds the air) remains completely enclosed inside the outer jacket when inflated which gives it much more protection than some of the other brands.....and the bladder is replacable AND the replacements are redily available.

these two things alone sold me..... so I baught one.....$131.... yep it is dearer than many of the others.

also consider this
the stormy is not marked with an end of life date...they can be inspected and repared indefinitely ( well the bladder can be replaced cant it).

Also upon purchase the new jacket was inspected and fitted with an inspection tag and a notice of inspection givving me a full 12 months before I have to get a reinspect.

There are a number of other things that appeal about the stormy... but enough is enough.

BTW.. I have no vested interest in the product or the company.

cheers

[Captain Seaweed]

Hey Guys,
I have got a couple that are just out of date so I tried an experiment. The other weekend I thought I will try one out to see what they are like should I ever need one.
I swan dived off the boat and pulled the cord. FFWOOOP! It was inflated in a few seconds. My mate yells"try the whistle" I said "what whistle" the one around the side. The life jacket had blown up so tight I could hardly move my head around. This started to freak me out a bit as I get clostraphobic. I wanted this thing off, I tried to pull the gas cartridge off but there was a valve in the way. I had done the belts up firm so when inflatedit was pretty tight and locks the buckles into place and stops any slip. I started to freak out. Eventually after 30mins of deflating and pulling in was off.
I suggest everyone with one of these jumps in the pool and pulls the cord to see what they think of them once inflated. Yes I know they are comfy and easy to wear but try swimming with one inflated around your neck. Mine cot me $99 bucks but I wanted to see what it would be like should I ever have to rely on it.I am starting to sway towards the bulky yellow one now I think.
Marty

[seabug]

[quote=Captain Seaweed;969481]Hey Guys,
I have got a couple that are just out of date so I tried an experiment. The other weekend I thought I will try one out to see what they are like should I ever need one.
I swan dived off the boat and pulled the cord. FFWOOOP! It was inflated in a few seconds. My mate yells"try the whistle" I said "what whistle" the one around the side. The life jacket had blown up so tight I could hardly move my head around. This started to freak me out a bit as I get clostraphobic. I wanted this thing off, I tried to pull the gas cartridge off but there was a valve in the way. I had done the belts up firm so when inflatedit was pretty tight and locks the buckles into place and stops any slip. I started to freak out. Eventually after 30mins of deflating and pulling in was off.
I suggest everyone with one of these jumps in the pool and pulls the cord to see what they think of them once inflated. Yes I know they are comfy and easy to wear but try swimming with one inflated around your neck. Mine cot me $99 bucks but I wanted to see what it would be like should I ever have to rely on it.I am starting to sway towards the bulky yellow one now I think.
Marty[/quote

Hi Captian Seaweed,
I had the same experience about 3 weeks ago.
A friend came out fishing with me and he was wearing a S/S vest/inflatable.
Looked really great

He offered it to me to try on when back at camp.
Fantastic,felt really comfortable UNTILL he inflated it as a test.

I think a straightjacket would be more comfortable
I could not move my shoulders as the jacket was dangerously tight.

I see one maker advises to buy one size larger .

I think that there is a very real danger that somebody that gets tossed out of a boat on a bar crossing ,in a close fitting inflatable vest ,will drown from not being able to move.

Regards
seabug

[juju]

I have both..a good normal one and a new blow up job.....its a shame you cant try before you buy....id like to see what my one feels like inflated...i think if i was donning a jacket because i was worried id put on the normal one...

[finga]

From the comments it would probably be a good idea for the sellers of these jackets have a range of sizes already 'blown up' just so people can try.

[PinHead]

I have just bought 4 inflatable types..for 2 reasons..less space taken up on the boat and also more comfortable on the yak. Personally, if i really do need one to save me I doubt i will care how comfortable it is.

[MickInTheMud]

I tried the what's it like to inflate it trick too.

After the panic had subsided,

I realised that if you push in the valve in the end of the manual inflation mouth piece you can release some of the air to make it more comfortable.

Cheers Mick.

[oldboot]

With most of the inflatables there realy isn't a size range as such...rather a load rating.

I think a significant part of the design of an inflatable revolves arround getting the wearer to the surface and upright.....and yep they realy seem to be an all surrounding experience.....the stormy jackets particularly lift you quite some way out of the water....at least in the video.

The video also says that 4 breaths of manual inflation should achieve positive boyancy.

I must blow mine up by mouth to see how it looks and feels.......I do note that they say not to do the buckles up too tight.

I think if I was expecting to be in the water for an extended period I would prefeer a rigid jacket..... but I would not like to wear a rigid PFD1 all day out of the water.

A few of the survival texts advise deflating inflatable jackets some what for the purpose of swimming.

May be at the next gathering we could have a show me your and i'll show you mine session to get a better idea of the different brands.

cheers

[Captain Seaweed]

I have just bought 4 inflatable types..for 2 reasons..less space taken up on the boat and also more comfortable on the yak. Personally, if i really do need one to save me I doubt i will care how comfortable it is.


Its not so much comfort but once you are bobbing around the south passage and you have the energy you couldnt swim or navigate yourself towards a safe area or beach. It simply is the way these things blow up. If I got knocked out and this vest inflated itself I would surely survive as it locks you in a stare at the stars position with your head up.
Marty

[oldboot]

well i've blown up the stormy by mouth.. it took me about 10 breaths to get it fully inflated.

It is pretty all encompasing around the head, but there is plenty of room to move my arms.

One thing i notice is that there is quite a lot of bouyancy behind the head...I would go as far as to say 40% of the air is behind the head, and the front of the jacket isn't all that wide.

I can see that you would not want the bottom stap too tight as it might get a little uncomfortable, but even then because of how and where the strap is I don't think it would put a death grip on you.
I notice that most of the harness is under the jacket and sections of it come away from the body on hook and loop tape when inflated.

There is a big difference between this and others in that all the sections blow out from behind the jacket to the rear or to the sides rather that out the front.

I have not taken it for a swim yet.

cheers

[seabug]

well i've blown up the stormy by mouth.. it took me about 10 breaths to get it fully inflated.

It is pretty all encompasing around the head, but there is plenty of room to move my arms.

One thing i notice is that there is quite a lot of bouyancy behind the head...I would go as far as to say 40% of the air is behind the head, and the front of the jacket isn't all that wide.

I can see that you would not want the bottom stap too tight as it might get a little uncomfortable, but even then because of how and where the strap is I don't think it would put a death grip on you.
I notice that most of the harness is under the jacket and sections of it come away from the body on hook and loop tape when inflated.

There is a big difference between this and others in that all the sections blow out from behind the jacket to the rear or to the sides rather that out the front.

I have not taken it for a swim yet.

cheers

Hi oldboot,
Re my earlier comment.

My experience was with a Stormy Seas full sleeveless vest
Not the smaller type.

I am not against inflatables

Only pointing out the need for very select fitting of vest type inflatable

Hi Pinhead
There is a hell of a difference between "comfortable "and being paralysed by compression

Regards
seabug

[cormorant]

With most of the inflatables there realy isn't a size range as such...rather a load rating.

I think a significant part of the design of an inflatable revolves arround getting the wearer to the surface and upright.....and yep they realy seem to be an all surrounding experience.....the stormy jackets particularly lift you quite some way out of the water....at least in the video.

The video also says that 4 breaths of manual inflation should achieve positive boyancy.

I must blow mine up by mouth to see how it looks and feels.......I do note that they say not to do the buckles up too tight.

I think if I was expecting to be in the water for an extended period I would prefeer a rigid jacket..... but I would not like to wear a rigid PFD1 all day out of the water.

A few of the survival texts advise deflating inflatable jackets some what for the purpose of swimming.

May be at the next gathering we could have a show me your and i'll show you mine session to get a better idea of the different brands.

cheers

I have a Stormy in the vest format. One thing about the 4 breaths is that it may keep you afloat but it won't ( in my test) turn you over if you are face down - Might be my fat bum body shape though so if knocked out you still may drown.

You also need to check that 4 breaths isn't too much if you then pull the cord as there seems to be no blow off valve on my older one. I wouldn't want to pop a bladder .

Couple of breaths is always in mine just to make sure I surface and know which way is up.

No inflatable is a replacement in a timely abandon ship scenario where there is a propper ( and I mean propper not $20 ) offshore flexible foam zip up and buckle jacket avaliable. Just can't rely on sonething that can be punctured or rupture and has only one compartment.

Cheap jackets may comply but next time you are out in a swell and feel like a swim put one on for fun and think what it would be like trying to keep it on if stuck overnight. Scared the hell out of me on a training day 15 years ago and realised I would last bugger all time let alone if injured.

I wear and test my stormy as I am solo a bit but have a propper jacket over the back of the helm seat should I choose to go over the side and if the boat goes over it will likely float or get flung free giving me a second chance at it.


Wife jokes she wants a body so she can claim life the insurance fast - sort of a joke but also very real as I would hate to see her and family going through a period not knowing if I was alive or dead . Kids life ackets are often better made than adult ones and no one would let their kid get into a cheapo one but they keep the cheap nasty ones for themselves instead spending and extra 100 bucks.

Yes I do take a good jacket onto mates boats when going offshore and they are starting to catch on after trying their boats crap ones on. They are seriously only good for marking where the boat sank.

rant over

[oldboot]

Oh definitely the vests and fill sleve jackts should be a personaly fitted choice.....But I would expect them to be a personal item anyway.



Oh I definitely agree that a few breaths in a jacket is unlikley to turn you over....then again a fully inflated stormy appears that it would do that and lift you quite some way out of the water.

As for a preasure relief valve... that bears some invistigation.

One of the fishing shows had a segment on trying life jackets at one time and it was certainly an eye opener.

A/ trying to get a jacket on in the water is a very hard thing

B/ there is a very big difference between the minimum spec jackets and the decent ones once in the water.

cheers

[MikeyS]

If I'd known how uncomfortable these inflatables were before I purchased, I might have thought twice. Great if you've just had a spinal injury though- not bad as a straight jacket/ cervical collar.

Just a tip, don't leave automatic inflating ones under the thwart of your tinnie. Bugger of a job to extract after it's gotten wet (thanks to a bewildered looking mate) and inflated! Learned the hard way.

Some of the marine incident reports have recommend that PFD's are far more effective with a strap going between the legs so it doesn't ride up around the wearer's neck. Might be worth a try. Deflating by pressing the valve in the mouth inflator helps a bit, but not completely.