What type of life jackets do you carry?

[Black Snow Slide]

I had some cash burning a hole in my pocket and needed to spend it on the boat. In West Marine I picked up 4 more inflatable life jackets bringing me up to eight.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50469&subdeptNum=50470&classNum=50481

My other 4 get worn all the time and I cant tell you how many times people are walking to there cars and they forgot they have it on. I don't require adults to wear one but I do encourage it. I always wear mine because if someone needs to be saved its the captain that is going in. hard to save someone when they are standing on your head.

I also have the neoprene jackets and 4 stylish orange ones. I wish kids could wear the inflatable but rules are rules. What jackets do you have on board?

 

[JoLin]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

I have 2 of that auto-inflate model on the boat for Linda and I. The rest are the orange 'bricks'. We don't boat with children so I'm not concerned with anyone needing to wear a PFD all the time unless conditions are bad.

Personally, I wouldn't want to have only inflatables aboard, for the same reason that the regs don't 'count' them as PFD's unless they're being worn, and they aren't permitted for children. Their potentially fatal flaw is that they aren't inherently buoyant, and I can imagine scenarios where they could fail to inflate, or not be the right solution in an emergency.

My .02

 

[jigngrub]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

I have a BPS auto inflatable and 3 vest styl PFDs, and also the throwable cushion.

When boating and fishing over cold water (<60*) I wear my Arctic Armor floatation suit (in my avatar).

http://www.idigear.com/video-fox.php

 

[cyclops2]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

We are seniors. The boat does 50 mph. Bought 2 big 100 mph rated jackets / vests. Normal people rides get adult USCG vests. I carry 6 of them to allow for a full load of 8 people.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

the regs don't 'count' them as PFD's unless they're being worn,

I've got 2 'emergency' inflatables aboard, but that part is important... If i'm short a jacket or two, I'll wear the inflatable. (its the captains job after all to make sure there are enough life jackets, so if I ended up short, its my job to have to wear that...)

 

[southkogs]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

Coupla' vests ... mostly the orange "horse collar" types ... a couple cushions that I can throw ... and a Golden Retriever (she'll go get just about anything).

 

[island mike]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

I have ones that float.....

 

[Alumarine]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

I have an Auto and a Manual Mustang inflatable along with a bunch of vests.

I too forget I'm wearing the Mustang and end up walking around with it on land.
But that's the point. I want it to be so comfortable I don't notice it, ever.
Otherwise, like the vests, I wouldn't wear it all the time.

For 40 years until I got the Mustang I only wore a life jacket in bad weather, and not always then.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

When I get in the 6' shallow water fishing with the Aluminum 16' boat I STUPIDLY leave the vest off. There is still ice around!!

DUMB

Do the same thing in the fall. A-- Hole.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

I have a Mustang "bomber jacket" float coat I wear in cold weather. But it's too warm to do anything like canoeing. When it's warm in the day, I may wear it while running from place to place and switch off to a vest when sitting still. Point is, comfort is a primary safety aspect so you'll wear it!

I have vests with mesh shoulders I wear in the summer and canoeing, duck hunting, etc. The mesh shoulders are cooler and allow better shooting.

Lots of people drown in 4' of water when the water is cold.

On the boats, I keep a number of UOLV's* stowed, including at least one child's size, to be legal. But to be safe, I have vests for underaged and skiiers. Since I usually leave from the house, I just pull out what I need for that day's trip. I offer vests to adults; most of my friends who would wear one have their own.

I remember the days of the hot, bulky canvas/kapoc jobs that seldom lasted more than a couple seasons before the straps would pull off (the boat cops always yanked them off) and those things cost about $25 each, in 1975 dollars. Sometimes the good old days are now--where a pack of 5 isn't much more!

*Ugly Orange Life Vests

 

[ziggy]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

my usual load is 2. so i have a his and hers type III for us.

i keep 2 orange type II near shore adult life jackets on board for spares.

i have 2 type IV's. both me and her sit on these to raise our viewing level. 1 type IV is required by law in ne.

my boat cap. is 6. i only keep 4 total on board to be sure i don't go over 4 onboard. i don't like the way my boat handles with 5 or 6 on board.

once in a while. i'll put possible needed pfd's on board to accommodate who ever i may invite out.. these are type IV's... they get a type II near shore if i can't find one on hand that fits proper for the guest.. these may stay on board indefinitely till i need the space consumed by them. then i'll remove them down to my basic 4 i carry to get my space i need back.

i've no children and if any come on board, they gotta bring there own..

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

My state is the same for boats 16+ ft. I've always had the question, why do I need that type IV if I'm boating alone? Kind of hard to throw myself a life jacket!

 

[dwco5051]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

My state is the same for boats 16+ ft. I've always had the question, why do I need that type IV if I'm boating alone? Kind of hard to throw myself a life jacket!

I have used mine several times while boating alone to assist tipped canoeists in the water that I came upon. Used it once on the end of the mast of a capsized small sail boat that kept wanting to turn turtle and the lone sailor could not get it upright. Kept the mast from going under until I got my boat to the other side and was able to get it back upright.

Warmer weather wear my Mustang all the time. Cold weather fishing my Stearns Flotecoat.

 

[ziggy]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

why do I need that type IV if I'm boating alone?

so ya can see out the windshield obviously... :facepalm: just kidding.

you have it so ya can throw it to some other poor boater that may have a person in the drink that's in trouble.

edit. kinda like a fire extinguisher on a pwc... not like your gonna hang around on your pwc that's on fire to get your fire extinguisher to put out the fire.. you have your fire extinguisher to put out someone else that's on fire.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

you have it so ya can throw it to some other poor boater that may have a person in the drink that's in trouble.

edit. kinda like a fire extinguisher on a pwc... not like your gonna hang around on your pwc that's on fire to get your fire extinguisher to put out the fire.. you have your fire extinguisher to put out someone else that's on fire.

That would make sense if there was a corresponding law that you must help other boaters, but there isn't... There is no legal requirement of any sort, moral, yes, but not legal.

Surprisingly I have yet to have a game warden give me a hard time (or even mention) my lack of fire extinguisher on my pwc. Pretty much the same reason, if its on fire, I'm either just going to roll it over and get it wet, or make sure I'm as far away from it as possible! It takes a substantial amount of time just to get to the factory location for the extinguisher, I can swim quite a distance in that time.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

My state is the same for boats 16+ ft. I've always had the question, why do I need that type IV if I'm boating alone? Kind of hard to throw myself a life jacket!

One day you may need to throw your type 4 to someone that fell out of another boat.
Granted, its not likely, but then it's also a safe bet that you have never used the airbags in your car either.

 

[rallyart]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

Smokingcrater, there is a law in Canada and it is a criminal offence, to not help another boater in trouble.

I carry extra nylon shell life jackets in case we pick anyone up or have guests. They are always in the boat, and stow easily. For my family's own use we have neoprene jackets because we are in and out of the water a lot while boating. They are more comfortable for water sports and the kids don't complain about the jackets nearly as much. We have a couple extra of those for the younger ones so they can put on a dry PFD and be for comfortable. The neoprene vests are also the preferred pillow for lying down.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

That would make sense if there was a corresponding law that you must help other boaters, but there isn't... There is no legal requirement of any sort, moral, yes, but not legal.

FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS
Rendering Assistance (46USC 2304)
The master or person in charge of a vessel is obligated by law to provide assistance that can be safely provided to any individual in danger at sea.
The master or person in charge is subject to a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both, for failure to do so.

Towing the boat, not required, but not throwing a type 4 PFD to a drowning victim? Hard to justify that that could not be safely provided.

 

[Cap’n Ray]

We have two of the UOLV 5packs aboard, as well as 'ski vests' for each family member regularly aboard. All the cushions for the front 'view' bench (6 total) are throwables and we have two life rings with the boat name on em for good measure. I like to have extras- the 5 packs are really affordable, and I've loaned them out a couple times to fellow boaters who 'forgot theirs at home' or whatever. Usually just ask em to leave them at the marina or on our boat if it's there. Haven't lost any yet, found a 'tip' in the pack a couple times too!!

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: What type of life jackets do you carry?

We have a 4-pack of the orange bricks. I also have 5-6 neoprene ski vests in M-XXL sizes to accomodate most adults. I don't carry child-sized vests as I don't normally have children aboard and would require their parents to provide one if I were to take children along.