lifejackets opinions please

[2 weis]

looking for two lifelackets and i am after opinions on whether the pfd 1 (similar to water ski vest )or the inflateable 150n style would better for moreton bay
have never gone into outside waters as yet but i would prefer to have a higher rated jacket in case we do get the opportunity
boat is 5.1 allycraft an we currently have the cheap block foam style supplied by boat yards
brian

[Marlin_Mike]

Stormy Seas auto inflatable. Arent too cheap but good quality. Hutchwilco also a good brand. PFD 1 is the go, they support the head when in the water.

Mike

[frankgrimes]

Hey mate - Ive got a hutchwilco(Non auto-inflate), and it is very nice to wear(Forget you wearing it half the time!) - Im going to purchase an auto-inflate version(As I fish solo most the time, and do bar crossings).

You've got to keep record of last time serviced for the inflate models with you all the time.

Mick

[rowanda]

got a couple of RFD inflatables for my boat, had them for a few years and as others have said, have them serviced every year. Very comfortable and are manually inflatable as I bought them when I had a 1/2 cab, varies whether to go auto or manual i never fish alone so another reason i got manuals, if I fished alone reguarly though i would get autos

[Mike Delisser]

A fisheries officer told me a few months ago the Aussie Standard on life jackets was changing later this year, some of the current crop will meet the new standard, some won't. Worth cecking it out before you buy and maybe avoid a few of the "discount prices" that are around on some models.
Cheers.

[tenzing]

Also noticed some of the new inflatables are a 2 year inspection period as required by manufacturer.
Brendan

[trueblue]

I've done a lot of water training with inflatables - if I go into the water for a long time I would be happy if the inflatable was all I had, but would be a lot happier with a decent fitted life jacket - lots more comfortable than an inflatable.

Fitted life jackets (vest type) do need to be a reasonable fit to the body or you can slide out of them. I carry a couple of inflatables on my boat for people that don't get a good fit from the vests.

[Richo1]

Hi Rowanda,
Just out of interest what was the cost of the servicing of each jacket?

Regards,
Richo

[rowanda]

hi mate, it was $35 for each jacket...yep, you can get discounted ones for about $70 I think new, but then again atleast hopefully if I need them they should work. You also get a certificate issued for each one should you be asked if they have been checked (I have been asked twice now and they were really suprised when I had it!) The place i got it done at stuffed up though and didn't have them ready for me at arranged time (didn't matter to me) so ended up doing them for free last time!! Bonus for me atleast this year...just another small cost with boating i say

[thylacene]

From the NSW maritime site http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/campaigns/lifejacket_factsheet.html

Details of the new Australian standard, bouyancy being measured by an N rating, a bit more explanation here http://stormyaustralia.blogspot.com/2011/03/making-sense-of-new-australian.html

Just sent ours in for their 2 year service, hope we get to do this twice more yet. $25 a year is cheap peace of mind, and I do self check every few months.

[TheGurn]

I dunno about inflatable jackets. I've had manual ones for a while now, and they're small, light and comfortable when deflated, but I'm seriously considering getting vests as well.

I have a nagging suspicion that when crunch time comes, the flimsy air bladder of my wifes jacket will puncture while she's frantically trying to crawl all over me and my upturned hull.

And then I'll have to give her my jacket.

And then both the hull and I will sink to the bottom.

And then she'll have won.

Now I'm not about to give up my life for an unreliable old thin-skinned bag full of CO2 just because it has a hole in it, whether it's been serviced recently or not. (The jacket ... I'm talking about the jacket !!)

So I'm thinking a proper vest would be much more comfortable and warmer in the water, and much more reliable. And it only costs you once until it needs replacing.

Just my opinion.

[thylacene]

We carry 6 (max people as per builders plate) PFD1 vests, but bought the Stormy Jackets for our comfort with added benefit of having some assurance if things go pear shaped. We wear the Stormy Jackets when it is a bit cold or rough. In reality, they only cost about $70 more than a decent lined waterproof jacket. As an industrial sized adult with plush upholstery, the vests are less than comfortable, and usually end up being stowed in favor of the jacket. I always wear the Stormy jacket when out by myself, and hook up the lanyard to the ignition. When I have someone else on board with a boat licence I am a bit more relaxed.

When the kids are out with us, they wear their vests on all but the nicest of days. We launch from a harbor where there is no compulsory requirement to wear a PFD as the bar is all but non-existent, but as a responsible skipper, I will ask the crew to wear the PFD's on anything but the nicest of days.

As to what is warmer, as a diver I can provide some thoughts. The amount of heat loss is relative to the flow of water past the body or skin. That is why Divers wear wetsuits, semi-dry and dry suits. A jacket will be warmer than a vest due to the restricted flow of water, and what you are wearing underneath the PFD or jacket also has a bearing. Also the general fitness of the person in the water has a bearing on the level of heat loss.

When I did my dive ticket on South Coast NSW, one of the other students actually suffered hypothermia on the dive. Water temp was 13 degrees, dive duration was 35minutes, wearing a 5mm wetsuit, the instructor had a 7mm semi-dry suit on, and I was wearing a dry suit. The reality is that if you end up in cold water, there is likely to only be a half hour or so difference at best between a vest and a jacket, as either only cover about 30% of the body, albeit it is the core.

Does anyone else carry a variety of floating items, i.e. eskies, fenders, anchor/crab pot floats etc for "just in case" purposes? We carry an assortment of these items, usually dual purpose, and very handy if someone goes overboard. A couple of floating buoys/fenders (or torches after dark) thrown out a few seconds apart makes it easier to determine which way they are drfiting and provides a "trail" to follow as you turn to go back and pick them up not to mention giving them something to hang on to while they wait to be picked up.