PFD for Islands (TI and AI)

I am rather astonished that it is legal to sell an inflatable PFD without a mouthpiece. A mouthpiece enables you to actually test the PFD in the water without needing to waste a co2 cylinder, and to reinflate the PFD if the cylinder has been emptied earlier. In addition, the mouthpiece cap can be used to reduce the pressure inside the PFD, or even to add a few precautionary puffs if conditions are looking iffy (rather than firing the cylinder).

As Pete says, crotch straps are awesome, so please use them if you've got 'em.

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

I was surprised too - having read several references to it's being needed to replenish inevitable air loss over time.... But I figured that such a high-end device must have the air-loss issue licked.
.
Another plus for the mouth tube: you can dump air if trapped under something - and the refill once you regain the surface.... not that that's ever going to happen to one of us, but still....

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

it appears as though I am mistaken, it does have a manual inflation tube, check out the pics on their site

https://www.spinlock.co.uk/en/categorie ... kvest-lite

also, the crotch strap kind of bunches when sitting so when I am in the cockpit in calm conditions I usually unbuckle it. anytime I am going forward it is buckled (also when racing, as evidenced by the first pic. its on there.)

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

I checked out the website. Very nice vest. I did not see any pockets. Does it have pockets ? The best thing about the hobie inflatable vest is the pocket, loops, and ability to attach the plb1 mount to the mouthpiece ahead of time. I can keep the rescue me plb1, sailing knife, whistle and more in the pocket. That is very important to me.

Not to be a wet rag, but this article may add some thoughts to life vest use in general. Unfortunately, we buy these for comfort and depend on them to save our lives. I guess the part about actually trying it out in the water is the key to using any life jacket.
http://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/Re ... 226-1.html

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2015 TI Hibiscus " Bazinga"
Harbor Freight modified trailer with TI cradles
Heavy duty scupper cart with cradle
Hobie tramps- black

guys, I'm not trying to sell these things, I was just posting up what works for me. I can tell you that this vest is a whole lot more comfortable than the generic ones I have worn before. uncomfortable life jackets don't get worn. period. it is also unfortunate that someone lost their life, but the argument could certainly be made that a vest without crotch straps would not end much better.

the Volvo ocean crew must have felt that the spinlocks weren't TOO bad...

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

oh and it does not have pockets, that is one real downfall. I get by just fine looping my vhf lanyard around the waist belt then clipping it on. I plan to rig a knife and PLB the same once I get to that stage.

I am coming up on a year since I bought it and I have planned since day one that when service time came up I was going to jump in the water so that I would know what to expect if I ever needed it to inflate.

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

Can accessorise with Spinlock Chest Pack, Belt Pack or Side Pack.

Thanks to the useful info provided here, I went ahead and purchased the Deckvest Lite (arrived today). I was simply leaving my non-inflatable pfd stowed rather than worn because it was way too hot. My understanding is that it meets Australian standards for offshore use and is also USCG-approved. Label says 'ISO-12402-3 Approved; 170N'.

Also got the Chest Pack that is sort of triangular shaped with lugs at each corner that match fittings on the vest. Fits my 5.3" phone snugly (137 x 71 x 9.8mm ), with room as well for small tools and snacks etc, but I don't think it would fit a bigger phone such as an Apple 6 Plus.

Because it is one-size-fits-all, definitely needs the crotch strap (as Tony has so eloquently been pointing out), though it would be an interesting experience to be hauled out of the water with it in place: 'we were able to save his life but not his sex life'.

Thanks again to all posters, especially hjdca. Very timely and useful discussion from my point of view...

That supports my own reaction to the dozens of user comments/ratings I have read about different life jackets.

They all boil down to "I've been wearing this thing on my boat and I (like/do not like) it."

Nobody, but *Nobody* talks about actually trying the thing out.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

I quit using inflatable life vests several years ago--before I purchased my first AI (2007). I realized if I fell off my boat its not clear that I would be conscious. I did not want an auto-inflate--at the time, a friend of mine said his had accidentally inflated several times. Crotch straps are probably very good when sailing a larger boat, but on an AI, AI 2, or TI, there is the comfort issue plus the possibility that they could hang up on something as you go over.

Back when I looked into these issues, the US Coast Guard was recommending inflatables, not because they were better, but because they (CG) felt people would wear them. Just my 2 cents...

Keith

PS Personally, I (and many others in the WaterTribe) use this NRS vest: http://www.nrs.com/product/2157/nrs-cvest-mesh-back-pfd)

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I have been eyeing the c-vest for a while... the spinlock is pretty "accidental inflation" resistant, but its still an inflatable (purchased for my catalina 22). I want to the the c-vest to wear on windy days where getting drenched is a guarantee!

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

I am glad to see that because it looks very much like my Stolquist - which I modified by adding crotch straps and upgrading the waist strap to 1.5" and adding D-rings for a harness attachment.

The plan is to use the inflatable for hot summer days when overheating is a consideration and the Stolquist foamie the rest of the time - especially when a safety tether seems like a good idea.

viz: https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 1140807602

I think that a worthwhile feature would be something on the end of each crotch strap go enable a quicker, firmer grip for cinching by feel while in the water..... Right now on mine it is just a knot in the 1.5" webbing, but I am on the lookout for something better...... Fallback position will be to sew some foam into the webbing.

Come warm weather, we will have to see how well the D-rings/crotch straps hold up when something is towing me through the water..... Just visualizing it, it seems like the crotch straps are essential in that situation - else the PFD gets yanked up and over the user's head.

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Inflatables are very appealing in the summer, especially here in south Florida. Fortunately for me, since I retired, we spend summers in the southern Rockies at 9500'--don't have worry about heat. If I were here in the Miami area in the summer, I would probably be looking at an inflatable again.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon