most comfortable pfd

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zuunami

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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
16 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Oh Buoy!
I've been wearing a Mustang inflatable for the last few years and it's been very nice.

They have an expiration date, so I'm due to recharge this one.

I should try it out and see how it works.
 
By far the most comfortable, unobtrusive, and most worn is my belt inflatable. It doesn't meet Coast Guard requirements, but it works very well (I've tested it) in floating you if you fall overboard. I also wear it when crossing streams fly-fishing. You still have to carry other CG certified life jackets on your boat, but this one is easy to wear, and if conditions get rough, I put on my West Marine offshore inflatable vest.
 
The only time I ever decided I *needed* to be wearing my life jacket.....it was too late to put it on. YMMV.
 
I have 2 Mustang hydrostatic and 2 of the "dissolvable pill" type. I have recharged all of mine several times. Yes, put them on and then pull the cord. Learn how it inflates ( be ready for the - - POP, after you pull the cord. It is worth the experience, however, it is also not cheap, $50-ish plus, so . . .
Enjoy the moment.

I wear T-Shirts almost all the time and have never had a problem with rubbing my neck, or any kind of irritation. I like the onyx with the pockets but it seems like they might get in the way at times. I do keep my PLB attached to the strap on my PFD and wear it all the time on the boat.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

9_Sept_Seq_2019_Cal.thumb.jpg
 
thanks everyone, ordered up an onyx, we'll see how it is. Without the pockets, to me it seems they would get in the way, I'll probably wear a fanny pack sort of thing down lower to hold miscellaneous :)
 
I just got a Mustang Khimera and love it so far. Bit different concept. Slim foam flotation with a pull cord for additional inflation. The latter is not automatic — you gotta pull the cord. Also has a manual nozzle to inflate with your breath as a backup feature. Light, slim & comfortable. I only wish it had more pockets.
 
roamad, weren't you the couple that got your 16' through a "note on the boat"? We did the same thing several months ago, worked out great. I used to live in Sac... :) Thanks for the pdf info! - Karen
 
zuunami":uflxy9ey said:
roamad, weren't you the couple that got your 16' through a "note on the boat"? We did the same thing several months ago, worked out great. I used to live in Sac... :) Thanks for the pdf info! - Karen
Click to expand...

Karen: Yes, that was us! Glad that trick worked for you, too. Is yours a 16 also?
 
yes, cruiser tho. Hope your's is working out!
 
I recently bought an Onyx with pockets for my wife (now fitted with a space blanket and a whistle). She's now worn it a few times with no issues. I've tried it and will probably get one for myself. I also bought her a MOB1 that attaches inside the PFD and automatically send DSC and AIS signals to my MFD (on my big boat). Might be overkill for a 16 C-Dory as I'm not likely to miss somebody going overboard on it. Also, the MOB is programmed to send a DSC to a specific MMSI and it is set for the big boat. Thus, it would not give a proper alert if used on the C-Dory.

Two things that have been brought to my attention while doing research. The first is availability of "tether lines" deployed when the PFD inflates. They vary from simple lines to Dyneema lifting lines (which requires lifting capability on the jacket itself). Lifting somebody using an attachment on their PFD raises the issue of crotch straps to prevent the person from slipping out of the PFD completely when trying to remove them from the water.

Most of the reported incidents are failures during hardcore ocean sailboat racing. Still, it seems that there could be lessons learned and applied to slightly less treacherous situations. Five or ten feet of floating yellow polypro line that pops out when the PFD inflates would give a larger target for the boat hook, especially if the MOB was non-responsive. It also could provide an immediate way to secure the MOB to the boat while other measures were taken to get the person aboard. Seems like a simple modification to stash a tether line inside the PFD.

The second issue is the crotch strap. Everybody says that they are uncomfortable when aboard (and uncomfortable in the water, but who cares then; bigger things to worry about). Here's my proposed solution. 99.9 percent of the time I'm going to be wearing a PFD I'm also going to be wearing pants. And a belt (even my exposure suit has a belt). It would be simple to make a strap and clip on the bottom of the PFD that runs through the belt. It probably couldn't handle a lifting situation, but it would keep the PFD from riding up to your ears and being ineffectual.

I saw a video on Youtube where a guy jumps in a pool and the PFD pops open and right off of his head. A simple connection to a belt or even a belt loop would stop that. Would it be comfortable? Assuming your pants are comfortable, the attachment shouldn't be a problem.
 
Marco Flamingo":x4pubile said:
... Would it be comfortable? Assuming your pants are comfortable, the attachment shouldn't be a problem.
Click to expand...

Are your pants comfortable with a significant upward force on them (at least 22lbs.)? Remember wedgies?

Yes, if the situation demands it, you'll have bigger things to worry about, but you probably won't be comfortable (for a bunch of reasons).
 
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