Watcha all wear....???

[thumpar]

Thumpar, that's strange and I wonder if the law changed recently. It's always been the case that an inflatable PFD is only considered an approved PFD when it's being worn. However, I can't find a single mention of that rule in recent Coast Guard PFD guidelines. There will be a general meeting of my Power Squadron on Wednesday night, and I'll pose that question to our Chief Education Officer.

I have been running that way for over 10 years and get inspected about every year. It is probably more of a state thing.

 

[keith2k455]

Like the OP, I have the same question. Mine was sparked after my 6YO asked why I don't wear a jacket while she has to. If an inflatable PFD is used, will it keep all 170lbs of me afloat if I'm unconscious? A regular Type 3 will and the questions on Cabelas kind of dance around the answer.

I have a weak reason of I just don't like wearing one while sitting in the captains chair. I like the idea of an inflatable one while motoring and then switch to a regular one before getting into the water.

 

[oldjeep]

Nothing unless I'm being towed (skis/wakeboard), only people who wear vests in the boat are children under 10 who are legally required to wear them at all times. Pretty rare to see anyone wearing a life jacket inside the boat in MN unless they are fishermen in full on pants, jackets, shoes - in which case I would want one too, awful tough to swim with all that stuff on.

 

[Vintin]

I usually wear a vest and am very hesitant to have a non swimmer on board. If worst should come to worst it is hard imagine the panic a non swimmer must feel hitting the water. PADI certified rescue diver.

 

[Alumarine]

I usually wear a vest and am very hesitant to have a non swimmer on board. If worst should come to worst it is hard imagine the panic a non swimmer must feel hitting the water. PADI certified rescue diver.

I picked up 6 people this summer from a pontoon that sunk (how a pontoon sinks I don't know).
2 of them were non swimmers but were wearing lifejackets.
They were almost panicking with the lifejackets on. And they weren't in the water yet.

 

[Alumarine]

I can see that an auto inflatable PFD has to be worn being a law in Canada, after all they require you to have a little pail to bail out your boat. :lol:

I thought that was for beverages at the end of the day!

 

[H20Rat]

Thumpar, that's strange and I wonder if the law changed recently. It's always been the case that an inflatable PFD is only considered an approved PFD when it's being worn. However, I can't find a single mention of that rule in recent Coast Guard PFD guidelines. There will be a general meeting of my Power Squadron on Wednesday night, and I'll pose that question to our Chief Education Officer.

Not sure where you live but that is not true here in WA state unless you are under 13 (yes I have been inspected on the water). They just want to make sure you have enough for the people on board plus a throwable.

State doesn't matter... Both state law as well as federal USCG regs do not say anything about this. The trick is the UL certification. Most inflatables are specifically certified when worn only, and have no type rating when not worn. In other words, you can't call it a life jacket if it isn't attached to you. They are also not type certified for anyone under 16, so again, you can't call it a life jacket if a 15 year old one is wearing it, they have a collection of rubber and plastic parts that might save their life, but not a certified life jacket.

Now do your local guys know the ins and outs of these regulations, probably not, but it doesn't change the legality of it. You need UL certified life jackets on board, which an inflatable without a person attached is not.


The other thing to keep in mind, a lot of inflatables will not inflate if you toss them into the water. The trigger has to be more than 4 inches under water, and most of the time they will float, at least for a while, closer to the surface.

Just speculating here, but I'm guessing the 'only while worn' certification is because of the difficulty in getting an inflatable on while in the water. I have to imagine it would be tough to get it on completely, and that is assuming it actually inflated.

 

[thumpar]

State doesn't matter... Both state law as well as federal USCG regs do not say anything about this. The trick is the UL certification. Most inflatables are specifically certified when worn only, and have no type rating when not worn. In other words, you can't call it a life jacket if it isn't attached to you. They are also not type certified for anyone under 16, so again, you can't call it a life jacket if a 15 year old one is wearing it, they have a collection of rubber and plastic parts that might save their life, but not a certified life jacket.

Now do your local guys know the ins and outs of these regulations, probably not, but it doesn't change the legality of it. You need UL certified life jackets on board, which an inflatable without a person attached is not.


The other thing to keep in mind, a lot of inflatables will not inflate if you toss them into the water. The trigger has to be more than 4 inches under water, and most of the time they will float, at least for a while, closer to the surface.

Just speculating here, but I'm guessing the 'only while worn' certification is because of the difficulty in getting an inflatable on while in the water. I have to imagine it would be tough to get it on completely, and that is assuming it actually inflated.

I don't use inflatable type. I have the good old fashion orange ones and then the comfy ones for the kids and anybody that wants to tube. There are usually around 10 plus the kids wearing theirs onboard.

 

[JoLin]

Smokingcrater, what you say makes sense. I'm gonna try and kick this around a little with the PS members at the meeting. Got this off a USCG site [h=2]RECREATIONAL INFLATABLE PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE[/h] APPROVAL CATEGORY: 160.076

APPROVAL GUIDANCE & INFORMATION: Type I, II, III, & V Inflatable Recreational PFDs are approved by a Recognized Laboratory in accordance with Underwriters Laboratory Standard UL 1180.

I'm gonna pull mine out (time to check them over anyway) and see if they meet UL standard 1180

 

[mudslinging79]

I found a vest style pfd, laces on the side panels under the arms to adjust the fit, zipper up the front. the floatation is in separate panels, so it doesn't restrict movement too much. its mainly a matter of personal preference.

 

[BRICH1260]

I don't wear one generally while underway, perhaps I would in rough weather, but I have them handy in the ski locker if needed. I may be fooled with the size of my boat and the inland lake that I generally boat on, but honestly most of the people on our lake do not wear them until they are at anchor or tied up and in the water. I do require everyone in the water to have some type of flotation device.

 

[drrpm]

I wear a PFD when waterskiing, tubing or paddling my kayak. My family and I only use the motorboat on an inland lake in good weather and we are all strong swimmers. Three of us are current or former lifeguards and a 1,500 meter open water swim is no big deal for me. If I was boating off shore or on the Great Lakes the answer would be different.

 

[dwco5051]

I wear a PFD when waterskiing, tubing or paddling my kayak. My family and I only use the motorboat on an inland lake in good weather and we are all strong swimmers. Three of us are current or former lifeguards and a 1,500 meter open water swim is no big deal for me. If I was boating off shore or on the Great Lakes the answer would be different.

I also was a WSI and lifeguard when I was in High School. Was classified as first class swimmer by the Navy (you only have to pass second class to be accepted to surface rescue swimmer school), ice rescue instructor, state qualified basic boating and water safety instructor, and have several other quals.

All that being said some of those things happened 60 years ago. Today I don my PFD before I even launch my boat along with the truck windows being rolled down for easy escape just in case and it doesn?t come off until the boat is on the trailer in the parking area. Mustang inflatable in warm weather and Stearns flotecoat in early spring and late fall. Having worked a job where PFD wear was mandatory for many years I now feel naked on the water without one.

The last thing I want is my widow selling my guns for what I paid for them!

 

[JoLin]

The last thing I want is my widow selling my guns for what I paid for them!

She might not be able to wait for a good price. One generally has to dispose of the murder weapon pretty quickly...