hipster dufus
Senior Member
Pondering the purchase of a pfd i can actually wear fishing. The auto inflate type. Any reccomendations, reviews. Plus minus? Am gettin older and want to be safe, especially when solo
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PFD, auto manual rec
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Rabun
Senior Member
I've got a mustang and never had to use it. Tested a couple times w manual pull and it will keep you afloat. Thing about pfd's is they aren't much good under your butt or in the hatch so get one you'll actually wear. For me it's and inflatable.
I have 4 manual inflating PFDs and no one gets on my boat without wearing one. I keep mine in the back seat of my truck and put it on first thing out of the truck and its the last thing I put in the truck just before my behind. Many's the time I have forgotten I had it on and made it to a restaurant or home with it on. Very comfortable. I wear mine duck hunting and can shoot fine with it on....I can miss 'em as well with it or without it LOL. I think the ones I have are Onyx 24's but I wouldn't swear to it. I am thinking about replacing them with auto inflating though....I was concerned about them inflating while duck hunting in a pouring rain but a recent thread to this forum has convinced me it is highly unlikely. I am at an age where going in the water from a boat in July could be pretty serious so I take what precautions I can and those things are almost like not wearing anything at all. I fell about 3/4 of the way out of my boat alone in the gulf stream releasing a snake sail fish about 20 years ago and I have not been on the water since without some kind of PFD on....if for no other reason than it might make finding the body easier for the first responders. The ones I have now are the most unoticeable ones I have ever had. Even my 83 year old daddy is comfortable in them and he complains about everything LOL.
I been considering an auto PFD for wear in my kayak on large lakes. This video was informative. I will not buy one with the pill type activator.
Qazaq15
Senior Member
If you want to go low tech, a PFD with a mesh top is an option. They allow your arms and shoulders freedom to move, but they still float you.
Rabun
Senior Member
What's a pill type activator and are there issues with them? Wondering if that's what triggers mine.
Those with a pill activator melt a “bobbin” to make it fire. Excessive waves or driving rain can eventually activate the device. It’s discussed at the end of the video. Their also the slowest to resurface the user on the test video.
”An automatic PFD will inflate when the water-soluble bobbin comes in contact with water releasing a spring-loaded pin that punctures the CO2.”
Lilly001
Senior Member
Back when I was a Deputy I ran our Marine unit. We were west Central Fl.
We ran 32’ open fish style boats with twin 250 hp in all weather and all seasons.
We wore the manuAl inflate Mustangs.
We never had an issue and wore them sometimes up to 10 hrs at a time.
We would jump in and inflate them when it was time to change the cartridge.
They floated us just fine.
We ran 32’ open fish style boats with twin 250 hp in all weather and all seasons.
We wore the manuAl inflate Mustangs.
We never had an issue and wore them sometimes up to 10 hrs at a time.
We would jump in and inflate them when it was time to change the cartridge.
They floated us just fine.
Given that employee safety was an issue in this case and the likelihood that someone would test drive a vest being far greater than what normal boating would dictate I am curious what the though processes were for going with manual inflated vests. Was it about the likelihood of the automatics accidentally inflating or because there would almost always be more than one person on the boat thus mitigating the risk of someone going in unconscious? There is no doubt that those vests were going to be routinely used in conditions that would keep most recreational boaters at the dock. I am thinking about swapping my manuals out for automatic inflating ones and curious why y'all went with manuals?
I never wore a life vest until I became a parent and my son started heading out onto the water around age 2. Since then I never go on the water without a life vest on. It is the old school always inflated vest, too. I found wearing a ski vest wasn't uncomfortable fishing and didn't inhibit my mobility at all. Now if I am on the water and take the vest off say to take off a shirt it feels odd to not have the vest on. I went the old school route because I do not trust the new school inflator options. Too many instances where those types didn't inflate for me peraonally. So my kids and I always wear our vests. I will say it is nice knowing if we go in the drink we can focus on something other than staying afloat - grab gear, protect head in fast current, etc.
This is the best idea...wear a vest that is ready to work before you start falling out of the boat. I have done this but I find I don't do it as readily as the less bulky inflating ones....because I am an idiot LOL. It is far more advisable to use one that is always ready to do what they do if you can get accustomed to doing so.
I have a Mustang auto inflate with the pill. I have tested it twice when I replaced the cartridges and I will tell you that thing inflates within a second or two of hitting water. I've had mine for 6+ years and I've never had it go off in rain, sweat, the truck, or in the boat.
That’s good feed back. I have no experience, just posted field test comments. Think I want one for kayaking on big water. Still water doesn’t require the PFD I wear in moving water. Though staying in coves and creeks I’ve been dang near rolled a couple times by jet skiers so an auto PFD would fit my needs.
Lilly001
Senior Member
The splash factor was the main reason.
The weather could turn bad in just a few and we had t tops with windshields so getting wet was a probability many times.
And we ran one man boats most of the time. And our boats ran in the low 50’s when topped out.
We transitioned from a one man unit to a 5 man unit and from a one fishing boat style fleet to a high performance 5 vessel fleet so some of the equipment was experimental. But we did work close and train with the local Coast Guard Station (Cortez Fl) and followed their lead and recommendations often.
Agreed. It didn't take long for me to not notice the vest was on. A few outtings and I was used to it. Now if I don't have it on it feels odd. Like if I have it on but take it off to remove a layer of clothes or whatever. I bought one of those auto-inflate vests first, but as mentioned I don't trust complex technology compared to simple technology. LOL
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