PFD

I'm a big believer in wearing these at all times, since you can fall overboard and hit your head. That said, this year I bought a new PFD from BPS. The old one I had was a high flotation vest that was really uncomfortable since it restricted you arm movement. I would unbuckle the top two straps sometimes and it was hot when weather warmed up. The new ones have the main flotation lower and more of a mesh around the shoulders. My brother in law has one of the self inflating ones, that is just like a fishing vest, but I don't have $150 to spend on one. My whole idea was to find one that I would wear properly all the time and was comfortable. What do you all use?

Sounds like you use one similar to what I use https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Comfort-Mesh-Flotation-Vest-150-Adult/751174.uts

I have the mesh vests also and am looking into getting new ones. I have been looking at the inflatable vests but don't want to break the bank either. Bass pro has a few that are not that expensive. If your not too stuck on the automatic ones you can get a manual one for 89.99 https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Manual-Inflatable-Flotation-Vests/product/10204813/-1657648

Here's one that I think is reasonably priced and has great reviews. Im looking into getting one for this summer.

https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10204813_100021002_100000000_100021000?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL

I bought the BPS Platinum series vest for fishing on my buddie's Ranger. I'm not messing around with getting tossed out at 65mph.

For my electric jon I use the BPS Deluxe mesh top vest when the water's cold. During the summer I just keep the standard orange Type III slung around the seat post because by 10:30 I'm usually dying to jump in the water anyway.

po1 said:

Sounds like you use one similar to what I use https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Comfort-Mesh-Flotation-Vest-150-Adult/751174.uts

Click to expand...

Yep, just like that. I think it will be a lot more comfortable with less bulk up high. I bought one for my wife too as she was always sliding hers down around her waist. I told her if she fell in with it on she'd drowned but her a$$ wouldn't sink. =D> #-o [-X

First thing that you should think about when it comes to cost of a PFD is: Its purpose is to save your life, so if the one you decide to buy is a bit costly, ask your self If your life is worth that much.

hope there might be a bit of info here that you will find useful

EVEN BUYING A "PFD" CAN BE COMPLICATED



I am one of those who wear a PFD at all times in a boat on the water.
Therefore, I get a bit 'serious' when I purchase a new one.

Even though the vest type PFD with the sewn in foam type floatation, has
severed its purpose well over the years, it does have a few drawbacks.
First and foremost, it is not designed to turn an unconscious wearer
face-up in the water....its design provides a stable position in calm
water for persons floating with their head tilted back. Second, you can
get just a bit hot while wearing it during the summer. Third, it
requires a lot of storage space in your boat.

Since the inflatable 'suspender' type PFD, when properly inflated, is
designed to turn an unconscious wearer face-up in the water, and due to
its physcial design, it should be cooler to wear during the hot weather,
as well as take up less storage space. I decided that I would buy me
one.

So off to Cabelas and BassProShop catalogs I go. Now it gets to be a bit
complicated.

The first thing I noticed, was the wide price range; $69.95 - $349.99.
Re-arming kits range from $14.99 - $22.99. Since that is such a wide
range, I thought I would see if I could figure out what it was all
about. Other than 'brand names' (we all know that those cost us a few
dollars) this is what I came up with that seems to affect the price the
most:

a. Pounds of Buoyancy - # 22.5, # 25, # 35(twice the buoyancy of most
foam vests), # 40

b. Method of inflating - Manual, Automatic/Manual, Hydrostatic

Now let me see if I can narrow my requirements down by doing a bit of
homework on both "a and b".

Just how much buoyancy do I really need? BoatSafe.com answered that for
me out with the following:

"PFDs have different pounds of buoyancy. What does that mean?"

A buoyant apparatus is anything that can float and hold up weight. For
instance, if you had a Type I PFD that is required to have 22 pounds of
buoyancy, it would be capable of supporting 22 pounds of dense material
such as lead, iron, gold, granite, etc. It would not let the material
sink to the bottom. If we tied a 20 pound anchor to this PFD, what do
you suppose would happen? If you guessed that it would hold the anchor
off the bottom you would be correct.

How can this PFD with 22 pounds of buoyancy hold up a two hundred pound
person in the water?

You have to do the math! Let's take the example of a 200 pound person.
Approximately 80% of the body is water. Water in the body has no weight
in water. So now we are down to having to support only 40 pounds.

200 lbs. X 80% = 160 lbs.

200 lbs. - 160 lbs. = 40 lbs.

But the PFD only has a buoyancy rating of 22 lbs. How can it hold up 40
lbs?

On average our bodies also have 15% fat and fat is lighter than water.

200 lbs. X 15% = 30 lbs.

40 lbs. - 30 lbs. = 10 lbs.

Now you can see that the average 200 pound person only weighs about 10
pounds in water. The 22 lbs of buoyancy in your PFD is more than enough
to keep the person afloat"

The #22.5 or #25 will serve me just fine.

Now to compare the methods of inflating:

MANUAL - Wearer pulls a lanyard, which causes a pin to puncture the co2
bottle which inflates the PFD.

AUTOMATIC/MANUAL -Provides the option on placing a "pill" between the
pin and co2 bottle, which keeps the pin from puncturing the bottle. If
the wearer falls in the water, the pill is dissolved, allowing the pin
to puncture the bottle and then inflates the PFD within in 2 or 3
seconds. Great feature if you are knocked unconscious. Drawback - Can
inflate prematurely due to rain, humidity or water contact.

HYDROSTATIC INFLATOR - Hydrostatic pressure is a force that water exerts
on an object when it submerges. When it is submerged in 5" of water or
more, a firing mechanism automatically activates to inflate the PFD. It
won't inflate in just any wet situation such as rain or an accidental
drop overboard, but must be submerged to inflate. These inflators are
maintenance-free for five years, unless activated. Drawback - Too
expensive for my wallet.

All things considered, think I will go with the manual inflator.

Now, armed with the above information, I think I am ready to pick me out
an inflatable type PFD.

************************************************************************
*****

Hope the above might be of help to you the next time you purchase a PFD
of some type.

"REMEMBER: No buoyant device of any kind has ever been a sure Guarantee
against drowning. PFD's provide buoyancy to support or 'float' the
wearer, but vigilance and safety-sense plus wearing a good buoyant
device are the surest protection."

*************************************************************************
Every STATEs boating regulations and safety laws I have read, states that " All PFDs must be:
U.S. Coast Guard- approved ". Before you purchase a PFD make sure that on its label, it states that it is U.S. Coast Guard approved .

Don

Oldgeek it's one of the few pfd's that I've come accross that a person doesn't sweat to death in the first couple of hours of wear in the summer and doesn't inhibit me in any movement from fishing to driving the boat. The only other pfd I like is the US Navy life vest I brought home with my from carrier duty. She's equipped with whistle, strobe light, dye, and co2 cartridge but being white I only pull it out once in a why to make sure she's still in operating condition.

po1 said:

Oldgeek it's one of the few pfd's that I've come accross that a person doesn't sweat to death in the first couple of hours of wear in the summer and doesn't inhibit me in any movement from fishing to driving the boat. The only other pfd I like is the US Navy life vest I brought home with my from carrier duty. She's equipped with whistle, strobe light, dye, and co2 cartridge but being white I only pull it out once in a why to make sure she's still in operating condition.

Click to expand...

That's good to hear. The best Pfd is the one you will wear correctly all the time. If I had the extra cash I'd probably buy one of the inflatables but I don't. I can't remember the last time I saw a news story where the drowning victim was wearing a pfd. It happens but not often. Too many boaters have them in the boat but won't put them on because they aren't comfortable or they think that just because they can swim, they don't need it. Try dressing in your regular fishing gear and see how hard it is to swim for more than 10 minutes. That and stay with the boat!

I just have a few of the cheap arse orange ones stowed on board in case I'm stopped. The kids have some nicer ones they wear on the boat though.

Due to my work schedule and ever changing hours I end up fishing alone a lot. My wife wasnt too thrilled with the idea of me being out in the boat alone and not wearing my vest. I have the old style vest life jacket with all the pockets and zippers, but it gets very hot and uncomfortable on those 100 + degree Texas summer days and ends up getting thrown in the floor of the boat. We found the manual inflatable suspender type vest made by Mustang at Academy for $89 last year and grabbed it up. Now it's like a seatbelt. I've gotten so used to wearing it that it's second nature to put it on before I leave the dock and I often forget I'm even wearing it. It's much more comfortable than my old vest and does not retain the heat either. I'm very happy with the purchase and think it was a good investment, expecially after looking and seeing that the old styrofoam type vests still sell for $50 or more. I would like to have an automatic or hydrostatic, but the price is about three times as much as what I paid and the refills are more expensive. If I ever get the Ranger Z521 with the 250 hp on the back that I dream about I'll shell out for the fancy vest to go along with it.

I have had this vest from Mustang Survival for a few years. It is basically a fishing vest with an inflatable PFD inside. I really like it. It has lots of pockets for stuff and is comfortabe to wear, even in hot weather. I wear it all the time when I am in the boat alone. I also wear it when wading in rivers. It was pricey at $200 but well worth it in my opinion.

Anyone use one of the inflatables that is basically a belt bag?

Looking for one that won't melt you when the temps are in the 90's. KY has passed a regulation this year that makes a pfd mandatory wearing in some of the areas that we bowfish during the summer. Regular vests are not conducive to shooting a bow or staying cool either, for that matter. The belt types look to be the least bulky and intrusive.

i use the vest type for 1 reason.hypothermia.up here the water stays cold on some of the bigger lakes/ocean right up into summer .we fish in the early morning and its still a bit chilly on the water.if i go under i want to be able to use my arms after a few minutes.those inflateables are ok if the water's warm,but in the spring/fall they're useless to me.i'd be floating,but still dead.i even wear my neoprene waders on my boat sometimes when its cold.

I have the older XPS inflatable:

https://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-XPS-Deluxe-Automatic/Manual-Inflatable-Flotation-Vest/product/10210611/131096

So comfortable I won't realize I still have it on until I come in the house and start taking off my clothes sometimes.

For fishing over cold water in the winter and ice fishing I have the Arctic Armor floatation suit.

Taken care of older pfd's are great. Mine from the early 90's still in good condition, pull it out a couple of times of years to wear while fishing. Good conversation piece.

Just remember when you fall over the side and hit your head your manual pfd will still be good for your widow and kids to wear. The auto's are not that much more when you put it in perspective. I've picked a couple people up that aren't alive today because they had a manual when their boat capsized

While true, many of the automatic vests are problematic in that they will deploy simply from getting wet from a splash or rain.

Only when you get into the upper $ range to the ones that have water pressure triggers instead of moisture triggers can you avoid that.

To be truly safe, you need a vest that doesn't have any sort of mechanical triggers while holding your head above water and the inflatables will never be that.

Very true, at work we started using the pill and bobbin prob 8 years ago and then went to hydrostatic mustang's which are some of the best. There was never a doubt in my mind that it would function properly conducting offshore boardings or search and rescue

In NY you must wear a pfd at all times in boats 20' or less, from Nov 1 to May. I purchased the manual inflatable ones, but can be a pain when wearing multiple layers of clothing. Always have another set of wearables on the backs of two seats, and a throwable in view. Summertime, typically won't wear one while fishing. Personnel choice.

If you are in a high speed boat, like the 60mph mentioned, need pfds that can stay together. At that speed water is like concrete and a good chance you will be unconsious. From experience with water toys and skiing, many pfd straps and zippers fail at even 20-30mph. We use tight fitting (5-strap) versions for tubing/skiing.