PFD

[Razoryak]

What's the rule on PFD and Kayaks? In the boat or have to wear? Any specific specifications as to the PFD? Any suggested PFDs?

Thanks

[Speckled_Tiger]

in the boat AND readily available. It can NOT be in the hatch or stowed away. The inflatables are great for kayaks. I'm a decent paddler and swimmer so I wear a manual inflate belt pack. Runs about $60.

[Razoryak]

Thanks Speck - available where? Would Academy Sports carry them?

[Speckled_Tiger]

they might, I got mine at BassPro. SwampPro also sells a few models if a few people can get together for a group buy.

[Branch_Office]

Academy on Airline did not have any of the belt packs as of yesterday. I know Bass Pro sells them. I am looking for one as well.

[Where Y'ak?]

This is from my post on the old forum:

I have the inflatable Stearns PFD (manual inflation) that goes around my waist. It was about $60 from Bass Pro, but because it is so easy to wear, I use it all of the time, including wade fishing.

Very comfortable in even the hottest of south Louisiana weather. Most folks don't wear PFD's because they hot and uncomfortable. Those little inflatables encourage you to wear it.

Remember, the life you save will be your own!

When you pull the handle, it inflates (via a C02 cartridge) into a life vest that you then pull up around your neck.

These are not good for situations where you may get knocked into the water and are injured or unconscious since they have to be manually pulled to inflate and then put around your neck to act as a vest.

However, that is not the situation in most drownings. It's cheap, comfortable protection that can save your life.

Also, I'm not sure about LA, but many other states that allow the use of inflatable PFD's require you to be wearing them for them to count. (i.e. You can't have an inflatable stored in your hull or tank well-it must be on your body.

I have two of these and a friend has one also. We have never had a problem with accidental deployment.

I did recently test mine since I had if for several years without having to use it (a good thing!).

The test worked fine and I used the rearming kit to reset it. (About $20)

Like I said above, the ease of wearing it takes away all the excuses for not.

The Stearns is less bulky and I regularly forget I have it on. Many times I'm joked at by my fishing partner when I still have it on in the convenience store or even when I get home from fishing.

Here's a link to Bass pro Shops and the kind I have.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_50112____SearchResults

[Speckled_Tiger]

That's the one I have too.

Also, good point about the inflatables needing to be worn to count.

[Mung]

I will point out, from personal experience, that the ticket for failure to possess a PFD while in a paddlecraft(i've gotten 2) was $50(about 10 yrs ago when I thought you didn't need to have one in a kayak). So $60 for one of those easy to wear jobbies is a bargain.

[Yak-a-Lou]

Yes, a PFD can be wrapped around your seat. It can be on the bow under an stretch cord. It can be in the milk crate, relatively loose and ready for use. I don't envision too many agents giving anyonel a hard time about your PFD as long as you're making a reasonable effort to have a decent PFD reasonably at hand. Then again, you know the old saying... there's one in every crowd. We have about three or four out of two hundred and ten.

Type V inflatable must be worn to count.

Type III inflatable has to be, like any other PFD, "readily accessible".

Where Yak's assessment is spot on IMHO. It's as if I wrote it myself. I've been wearing a inflatable belt pack so long the label has worn off which technically makes it illegal. Damned if I'm buying another one just because their label wore out. At work we wear the auto-inflatables. Mine was deployed last July 4th after I got shocked and fell into the river. It worked exactly as advertised and made my self-rescue a simple thing. I LOVE my inflatable!!!

[OlDog]

Thinking about an inflatable PFD. See that Academy has an ONYX AM/24 on sale this week. Anyone have experience with the ONYX brand or suggestions? Ie. what brand/type do you use? Read the post about the belt, that looks pretty good.

[theoldcaster]

Don't wait, buy one, best thing going!

[Red Slayer]

? on the auto inflate. I am reading on line where it says that "automatically inflating when immersed in water", what happens when I get caught in a Louisiana Stumpfloater rainstorm? Is it a pressure thing or just when it gets wet?

[Branch_Office]

Rain or spray will not set it off but the minute you hit the water it inflates. My buddy had his on and we were docking the stinkpot and he slipped off and fell in about 3 feet of water and it inflated. He felt a little embarrassed but it did what it was supposed to. The only thing I would say is where ever you buy one, make sure they sell the rearm kits in stock and check the price. You do not want to wait on a special order or find out the rearm kit is $75 and the vest was the same price new.

Just my two cents...

[yak-aholic]

So, the re-arm kits aren't universal? That's good to know.

[Yak-a-Lou]

I suggest that when you buy an inflatable vest you go ahead and buy a re-arming kit too. I carry a re-arming kit in my "emergency jug." I have another one at home.

[slipry]

I like to sit on a cheap square boat cushon. If I do flip it will come with me and it raised me up a couple of inches. I keep a cheap legal pfd in my front compartment. However when the water temp gets colder I plan on wearing an inflatable.

[yak-aholic]

Not sure, but I think the law still requires that you have a PFD "readily available" and I don't think they would consider stowed away in your front hatch to be in compliance with that. Correct me if I'm wrong Yak-a-lou.

[OlDog]

Good point about the rearming kit, don't see one for the ONYX on the academy website and didn't see one on the shelf.
What brand Inflatable did you end up getting?

[valvguy1]

Yes, a PFD can be wrapped around your seat. It can be on the bow under an stretch cord. It can be in the milk crate, relatively loose and ready for use. I don't envision too many agents giving anyonel a hard time about your PFD as long as you're making a reasonable effort to have a decent PFD reasonably at hand. Then again, you know the old saying... there's one in every crowd. We have about three or four out of two hundred and ten.

Type V inflatable must be worn to count.

Type III inflatable has to be, like any other PFD, "readily accessible".

Where Yak's assessment is spot on IMHO. It's as if I wrote it myself. I've been wearing a inflatable belt pack so long the label has worn off which technically makes it illegal. Damned if I'm buying another one just because their label wore out. At work we wear the auto-inflatables. Mine was deployed last July 4th after I got shocked and fell into the river. It worked exactly as advertised and made my self-rescue a simple thing. I LOVE my inflatable!!!

Do these inflatables have some sort of a visual indicator? I ask because I wore one on the flight deck, during the 80's, for about 2 years - when I finally decided to inflate it on my last day on deck - somebody had pulled the cord before me - the CO2 was empty. Kinda scary although I never knew anyone blown all the way off the deck and into the water anyway.

[Branch_Office]

They are all different, that is why I suggested that you check it. I would also try on the one you plan on buying in advance. I have tried on several that were very uncomfortable but a few that were very comfortable. In addition, I was at Cabellas last week and upstairs in their bargain cave there were about 20 of these PFDs there with the extra cartridge with prices starting at $60 to $95. You might want to go and check those out.

[Yak-a-Lou]

Some have visual indicators and others don't. The auto-inflate Mustangs we wear at work have an indicator. Those that don't usually recommend that you replace the cartridge annually. I have a belt pack that I wear during the summer for yak-fishing and it doesn't have an indicator. I believe that all of them these days have a tube that allows you to blow it up if need be. It only requires 4-6 good breaths to get it inflated. The replacement cartridges for the belt pack I have are only about $15-20. The replacement cartridges for our mustangs at work run about $35.