cheap life jackets

[NYBo]

Re: cheap life jackets

Those cheap Type II PFDs actually work better than the more-often seen Type III vests. They're just nowhere near as comfortable so they're less likely to be worn.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: cheap life jackets

We keep a 4 pack of the cheap orange ones around as well. Too hard to have vests that fit right for any random adult who comes on board. We've got plenty of spare kids vests for guest children that our kids have grown out of. Our family all have good tight fitting watersport jackets, the orange stuff is just to be legal when cruising with visitors - nobody ever puts one on.

Absolutely agree. We have a 4-pack of the BUO cheapos for legality purposes, then another 4-5 neoprene watersports life vests for the adults. The orange ones never get used and usually get nasty/dry rot after 5 years or so and we toss them and buy a new set. They aren't made to be wearing at any time but an emergency, and they are one size fits all (adults). Any child that is required to wear a PFD while on the water will have their own correctly-sized PFD prior to getting on the boat. Nothing makes a child more fussy than wearing an uncomfortable PFD.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: cheap life jackets

When I was a young teenager in the early 70's, and a "river rat" that spent all my free time on the water in boats, and all my paper route money on boat gas, about all we had were BUO life preservers, except foam "ski belts" that were legal for skiiers. The BUO's were made of canvas and had air-filled "kapok" compartments, as did the throw cushions.

The water cops, who hated certain river rats, would pull them over regularly to "inspect" the PFD's. They'd squeeze the kapoc as hard as they could and if they thought any air leaked out, they flunked. They yanked on the canvas straps sewn into the canvas cloth as hard as they could, naturally ripping them, and they flunked. Then they wrote a ticket and you had to go straight to a marine store up the creek to buy replacements to beat the fines (we were too young to drive so had to buy the high-priced ones to stay on the river that day).

Each BUO cost about $35. Each, not a pack. In 1972 dollars, that was about $150. (I guage inflation at about 5x: A record album was $4, a movie $2.00, cigs .50, Gas .32/gallon, antifouling $40/gallon, top-band concert like the Rolling Stones $8).

Even well cared for, they lasted < 5 years. I still have some of the new ones that are 20 years old and doing fine.

So the new technology cheapo PFD's are one of the few things that are better and cheaper now than then!

 

[ssobol]

Re: cheap life jackets

I have 3 vests and a throwable on board. Anyone who wants to cruise on my boat brings their own life jacket. Not only does this cut down on the people begging for a ride, it also means that the passengers bring a life jacket that fits them and they are satisfied wearing. In addition, if people have some investment in the life jacket they tend to treat it better (or not, but it's their property to do what they want with it). Plus, I don't have to deal with stowing/keeping extra life jackets on board for possible riders.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: cheap life jackets

BACK ON TOPIC


The ONLY question asked was where to buy

The answer is right here at IBOATS.COM
Life Jackets, Vests, PFDs & Accessories

 

[Expidia]

Re: cheap life jackets

At the start of each spring west marine puts a a flyer (or get on their mailing list and they send it to you). Its a loss leader with items that everyone needs like flares that we have to replenish every 3 years as they expire . . . a life preserver pack for like $24. These loss leaders get people in the door.
This blue 4 pack is great. I bungie the pack to the side of the boat but leave the big zipper wide open. We also wear the automatic inflatable vests especially if on the water before June in NY I think its a law.
But that blue 4 pack has lasted us through 7 seasons already. They are not cheaply made and they are practically giving them away at that price.
We never go swimming off the side of the boat without one of these on. Makes us easy to spot in the water.
The pack is shown in this pic:

 

[H20Rat]

Re: cheap life jackets

I know, safety, safety, safety, but do you guys all REALLY wear your life jackets any time the boat is moving? Seriously? There are times and places for it, but there are also times when its safe not to.

Take my boating for example... Half of my boating is in a high speed jet boat on a relatively busy river. Although the jet boat is impossible to swamp by taking in water, there is still a risk of getting hit or even tossed out of the boat. I often (but not always) wear a life jacket in that boat. The other half of my boating is on a large pontoon on a relatively hidden lake. Very little traffic, low speed, and pontoons don't exactly sink. Can't say I've ever worn a life jacket on that ! (disclaimer, any kids that require them per the law have them on before setting foot in the boat, I don't screw around with what is legal or not!)

Its all about risk management, and at that point, do you even go boating, at least recreationally.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: cheap life jackets

I'm sure most would agree, smokin'. When you are fishing on the great lakes in December, you better have on more than a BUO vest, but on a local inland lake cruising around in 100-degree weather . . . probably won't have a life vest in eyesight. Every situation is different, with both environmental factors (wind/waves/body of water, temperature, etc) and activity-based factors (100mph speed runs, fishing, watersports, cruising, etc). Each person has to weigh the activities and environmental factors to come up with a solution to managing the amount of risk they are willing to accept. For some they fish in Dec on the Great Lakes with no cold-water suits, for others, they'll wear full protection on a pontoon boat sitting on a pond.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: cheap life jackets

I agree with smokin'. It's all about assessing risk and using good judgment.

But remember: most good judgment comes from experience, and most experience comes from bad judgment.

Since these forums are a chance to educate others without the experience, it's important that they really understand the risk, and better they learn on dry land than from tragic experience (example--the morons who let the children ride on the bow with their legs dangling over--I pray they don't get "experience.")

Here is the biggest "innocent" mistake I see when it comes to PFD's: "he is a good swimmer so he doesn't need one." that fact is, if you are swimming and might need a PFD it's because you didn't plan to swim in the first place. It's not about jumping off an anchored boat for fun in the daytime. You are in the water after something violent happened, or at least, something unplanned. At worst, you are knocked out. Almost as bad, injured and unable to swim to safety or climb out/into the boat. Thrown out after a collision at speed. One typical and often fatal fair weather accident is falling over (usually while peeing) and having the boat drift away faster than you can catch it (Esp. if it occurs when trolling--yes it does).

A recent fatality here was a guy fishing right off the beach; a swell knocked him off balance and he hit his head before he felll overboard, and drowned. Falling over was nothing--the head bump caused him to drown. And no PFD. Another was two older guys; one fell out, the other either went in to help him or fell in trying and they both died with the boat floating right there.

So often it's the good swimmer without a PFD who drowns while the cautious not-so-good swimmer is fine.

Second biggest mistake: underestimating what cold water does to a "swimmer."
Third: underestimating how fast a boat sinks/burns v. how long it takes to get the PFD out and on.