does anyone have experience with inflatable pfds? I know they're no good for whitewater but I've seen several at West - both for "inshore" Type III with 22 lbs flotation and for "offshore" with 35 lbs flotation. Most everyone uses the usual bulky pfds but is there a reason other than custom why the inflatables aren't used? Alice Bennett *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Alice J Bennett wrote: > does anyone have experience with inflatable pfds? I know they're no good > for whitewater but I've seen several at West - both for "inshore" Type III > with 22 lbs flotation and for "offshore" with 35 lbs flotation. Most > everyone uses the usual bulky pfds but is there a reason other than custom > why the inflatables aren't used? > Alice Bennett until recently, they weren't approved by the coast guard!! i used them in the navy. only "used" one once, during a demo. it worked and was comfortable. They require a _lot_ of care from the user _if_ you want them to work, at least that was my experience. you have to double check them everytime you put them on, etc. mark #------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com----http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark ---- # mark zen o, o__ o_/| o_. po box 474 </ [\/ [\_| [\_\ ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----') (`----|-------\-') #~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~ http://www.diac.com/~zen/paddler [index to club websites i administer] Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club, Colorado River Flows, Poudre Paddlers The Colorado Paddlers' Resource, Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page -- Fortune: "In a world without fences, who needs 'Gates'" -- Scott McNealy "In a world without walls, who needs 'Windows'" -- Dave Livigni *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The Coast Guard has approved an inflatable Type V. I wear an offshore (35lbs bouyancy) in a fanny pack while paddling as well as having a Type III on deck. Sid Taylor -----Original Message----- From: Alice J Bennett <ajbjd_at_email.msn.com> To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 12:30 AM Subject: [Paddlewise] inflatable pfds >does anyone have experience with inflatable pfds? I know they're no good >for whitewater but I've seen several at West - both for "inshore" Type III >with 22 lbs flotation and for "offshore" with 35 lbs flotation. Most >everyone uses the usual bulky pfds but is there a reason other than custom >why the inflatables aren't used? >Alice Bennett > > > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
>does anyone have experience with inflatable pfds? I know they're no good >for whitewater but I've seen several at West - both for "inshore" Type III >with 22 lbs flotation and for "offshore" with 35 lbs flotation. Most >everyone uses the usual bulky pfds but is there a reason other than custom >why the inflatables aren't used? >Alice Bennett I have only the experience of having worn one for the past two seasons. It has added tremendously to the comfort of paddling (or should that be, has removed a lot of the discomfort). I haven't tested it in a swim yet. So far I've found only two problems with using it, neither of which is directly a problem with the pfd. The first is that it can be a hassle to locate the kit to rearm it after it has been inflated. No, that was the second problem, because the first was that teenage boys can't resist pulling the bright red toggle as they ask "Daddy, what does this do?" I do keep spare rearming kits on hand. I also keep a spare non-inflatable pfd in the kayak just in case I should some day deploy the inflatable and find it won't. The next time I'm practicing self-rescue I will probably pull the toggle to reassure myself that thing will function for me and not just for my child. I make an effort to give it a little more care than one generally does the inert pfds. I don't leave it in closed cars in the sun, don't stack hard objects on top of it, don't let it get twisted up or folded, etc.. If it fails a test, you may be sure I'll post the news here, but I would hate to go back to the old bulky, uncomfortable kind. One shortcoming might be that the non-inflatable makes a better pillow. :-) Ira Adams\ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I just recently bought another pfd and the included pamphlet now lists them as a "Type V Hybrid Inflatable Device". They would be the least bulky of PFDs to wear, so you might be more likely to wear it. But as pointed out, they're a high maintenance item, which the others are not. They require active use by the wearer. If you get whacked on the head or are otherwise unable to deploy it (say, for example, insulin shock), it's the same as not wearing one. Hypothermia is the number one killer of outdoorspersons. A foam pfd does offer a modicum of extra thermal protection even when not in the water. I just don't like the tradeoff. I wear a pfd for safety, so creature comfort is low on my decision criteria list. So is additional action in an emergency. -----Original Message----- >On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Alice J Bennett wrote: >> does anyone have experience with inflatable pfds? I know they're no good >> for whitewater but I've seen several at West - both for "inshore" Type III >> with 22 lbs flotation and for "offshore" with 35 lbs flotation. Most >> everyone uses the usual bulky pfds but is there a reason other than custom >> why the inflatables aren't used? >> Alice Bennett >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >until recently, they weren't approved by the coast guard!! i used them in >the navy. only "used" one once, during a demo. it worked and was >comfortable. They require a _lot_ of care from the user _if_ you want them >to work, at least that was my experience. you have to double check them >everytime you put them on, etc. > >mark > >#------canoeist[at]netbox[dot]com----http://www.diac.com/~zen/mark ---- ># >mark zen o, o__ o_/| o_. >po box 474 </ [\/ [\_| [\_\ >ft. lupton, co 80621-0474 (`-/-------/----') (`----|-------\-') >#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~~~~_at_~~~~~ >http://www.diac.com/~zen/paddler [index to club websites i administer] > >Rocky Mtn Sea Kayak Club, Colorado River Flows, Poudre Paddlers >The Colorado Paddlers' Resource, Rocky Mtn Canoe Club Trip Page >-- >Fortune: >"In a world without fences, who needs 'Gates'" > -- Scott McNealy > >"In a world without walls, who needs 'Windows'" > -- Dave Livigni > > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
From: "Joe Pylka" <pylka_at_castle.net> To: <canoeist_at_netbox.com>, <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] inflatable pfds Date sent: Sun, 28 Feb 1999 11:34:21 -0500 Joe Pylka wrote about inflatable PFDs -- > I just don't like the tradeoff. I wear a pfd for safety, so creature > comfort is low on my decision criteria list. So is additional action in an > emergency. Strong agreement. The new PFD that people like Lotus and others have developed are very comfortable, practical --- pockets! --- and some offer passive visibility advantages to all but the international orange unit mentioned earlier. But, like Mark, I used to wear inflatable flotation devices as a Navy pilot, and I remember that the cartridges had to be preflighted regularly. That's an extra procedure I don't want to go back to if I can help it. And, unless you had water activated inflation devices --- which do exist but which would be impractical in sea kayaking --- the passive inflation value of foam PFDs would be lost. (But it would be an interesting roll technique!) Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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