PFD's

[dazza]

hi all,
was just thinking about PFD's
we have the general run of the mill cheapo PFD 1's
i guess they will do the job, but?
what do others use, the standard PFD or a quality PFD
interested to hear other peoples thoughts.
i think i might go and check a few out
cheers
dazza

[Mudcrab]

all depends on the value you put on your life I guess!
Lots of cheap crap about but if you want to be responsible and safe go and purchase a Stormy Seas that incorporates a light, whistle, CO2 inflation cartridge and rip handle to inflate. Very comfortable and our crews use them as vests in winter. Marine Safe at Springwood sell them...... not cheap but well worth it.
Tell your missus you need a good quality life preserver and she will probably cough up with the loot!
RFD also put out some good gear and Glascraft or Whitworths carry good stock. And when you do but one, keep it handy and not tucked under a sat or in a locker where you can't reach it! Nice to see someone showing an interest in good safety gear and not the supermarket sort of stuff!

[Barrymundi]

I have only the best available on my boat. If I need to go over the side I dont want to be in a cheap PDF. I also have 2 personal EPIRBs for my wife and I plus a Strob Light / torch each.

I have also completed a Sea Survival Course which was great. During the course we had to put the PDF on whilst in the water and whilst in the water blind folded, fullly clothed in fishing gear. It is important to check that when the PDF is fitted and you lay face down in the water it will actually turn you over on your back.

Al

[MTpockets]

I agree with VMR, good topic and very thought provoking.
I have standard on my boat but at the moment I fish 100% in confined areas of Jacobs Well and Pin area. When I get the chance to venture further, I believe it will be a must to get better gear. Also damn good point about where you keep the PFD's. I am about to build an area under my dash for my safety gear to actually be on display and within arms length.
cheers
Les

[nofrills]

hey dazza

i reccon a good inflateable pfd is the go.if your on your own outside you can fish while your wearing em quite easily.and if you get in trouble on a bar or somewhere near shore you can still swim in them and if you cant make it you can pull the cord.ive always thought you could get in strife with the foam type jackets if you got rolled and trapped in the cockpit wearing one you would never swim down and out from under the boat.
and like AL NFI said a personal epirb is a lifesaver,weve all got bigger ones in our boats but i dont allways reccon you would get time to grab it.mines right beside my steering wheel but if i hit something at night and got chucked out do you reccon id grab it ?.

cheers scott

[Glind]

Hi Dazza,
We went through the same scenario when we bought our last boat and had to re-equip everything. As far as lifejackets are concerned, we bought the best we could and have PFD1's that are Hutciwilco's. If I was in the briney offshore somewhere, i reckon you would pay 1 million dollars for the best available lifejacket. You are no good to anyone dead, give yourself the best opportunity to stay afloat and be saved.
Tim

[subzero]

A FEW COMMENTS FROM OTHERS:

The Stormy Seas jacket provided more freeboard than any other device we tested, and it was the most comfortable.
John Bonds, US Sailing

I lost everything of material value that night but the two things I had on gave me a second chance, your jacket and my knife. The jacket saved heat by keeping my head out of the water and the buoyancy aided in my self rescue of the kayak. In a world of product hype, yours really delivers.
Austin Davis, Adventurer

As a Senior Paramedic and Senior Emergency Medical Services Instructor, it was part of my job to evaluate and implement life saving procedures and equipment. In the business of saving lives, it is paramount that equipment be simple to use and that it does exactly what it is sup- posed to do. My Stormy Seas flotation jacket not only meets those rigid standards, but far exceeds them.
Dan Heassler, Sportsman

"We were inside and had to clamber under the railing and dive to get out, if we had been wearing lifejackets they would of have hampered us"...
survivor of capsized commercial boat NZ

'The weight of my boots and foulweather gear was pulting me down, but l did not pull the pocket of my Stormy Seas immediately . I was afraid if I surfaced the skiff would land on top of me so I stayed down as long as I could .....
fisherman after being dumped out of his boat by a freak wave

"I had to swim about 50 meters through the the chop to reach him. I then fully inflated my jacket which held us both up till they brought the boat".
Rescuer

An old lifejacket was among the equipment but the man had not been wearing it".
Police report after fatal swamp.. 2 drowned

'The boat sank in seconds we were too busy panicking to think about lifejackets"
Survivor who lost 2 fishing mates

'The skipper told police he had two lifejackets stowed under rear seat.. none of them were able to get to the rear seats because the boat sank sternfirst"
survivor... 2 mates drowned

"I was still clutching my rod, that's how quick it happened"
Survivor.. 2 fishing mates drowned.

Inflatable protection you wear is much better than devices you keep under a seat or locker".
US Coastguard

[SeaHunt]

Havn't had to get mine out and try them yet, - touch wood
I know where they are , but I don't know what brand etc.

[blaze]

I think you should wear them at all times, if you dont because of the confort factor, get one of those inflatable ones that auto inflate. All the talk of being stuck in a upside down boat and not being able to get out is bull **** to me because you are more than likely to be thrown out and koed, People spend 1000's of dollars on electronics and buy poor quallity pfd's, whats a life worth. In the worse case where ya dead anyway at least there is a better chance of finding ya body for your family to have some closure.
Just buy good quallity pfd's and wear them.
I am also pleased it is law in tassie and wish all goverments had the balls to do the same
cheers
blaze
ps ye ye I know this fella is full of it
Loose someone at sea and then say i am full of it (I have never lost any one at sea)