I use an inflatable pfd, Stormy Seas V100, shown here: http://www.stormyaustralia.com/pfd/v100.html It's more comfortable than any foam pfd I have worn. It doesn't provide floatation without inflation, but foam pfd's, at least those known as pfd type two and three here, don't hold your head above water. When inflated, mine is a pfd type one, which does hold your head above water. It can be inflated by mouth or the CO2 cartridge. I haven't found it impedes practice rescues. If inflated, it aids a re-enter and roll. I had the maker add a few pockets and lash points, so I can get enough junk on it. The CO2 cartridge doesn't need "constant care", just replacing every year or so. I rinse the pfd in fresh water after paddling, if possible. A fellow paddler here suffered a fine surf thrashing over Easter, needing a back deck rescue out of large surf. He went out and bought a pfd-1 inflatable after that. Cheers, PT *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 4/27/2005 5:08:42 PM Pacific Standard Time, ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au writes: I haven't found it impedes practice rescues. If inflated, it aids a re-enter and roll. I had the maker add a few pockets and lash points, so I can get enough junk on it. The CO2 cartridge doesn't need "constant care", just replacing every year or so. I rinse the pfd in fresh water after paddling, if possible. A fellow paddler here suffered a fine surf thrashing over Easter, needing a back deck rescue out of large surf. He went out and bought a pfd-1 inflatable after that. Great thread, as I've found it informative of those who use the inflatables regularly chime in on their collective experiences. What was it that made the inflatable desirable over a foam pfd in the surf thrashing? I don't like my foam one as it makes it harder to duck under a wave, what was your pal's reasoning? Colin wrote: First and foremost foam pfd's all impact on your forward stroke - that's why marathon/sprint racers choose not to wear them. There's a pretty good expedition paddler and writer out here in Washington State that doesn't wear them, either, once out on the water for that reason. You are correct in that activating it is really a last resort so not the big deal I thought of it initially. I was hoping that our southern contingent would chime in, and Steve did by suggesting if 90F/100% humidity were a reason not to paddle with a pfd no one would paddle in their climate. Great point, but at latitude 48 I haven't that tolerance for heat and humidity ingrained in me that someone from the south would paddling in summer. Coming from a Washington winter and dropping 40 degrees of latitude paddling 20 miles felt like an odyssey. I'm going to invite you next time to show us how to suffer even more! ; ) I'll have to check into the travelling regs again. Every time I pass the security No-No display kiosk they have thiose C02 cartridges at the front of the pack. So maybe if it's in a inflatable pfd it won't matter. I wonder? Now, lighters are banned from check on AND carry on. So, if you carry an expensive windproof model, you'd be better off leaving it at home and buying a bic when you get to where you are going. Rob G *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Rob wrote: "What was it that made the inflatable desirable over a foam pfd in the surf thrashing? I don't like my foam one as it makes it harder to duck under a wave, what was your pal's reasoning?" My friend came out of his boat, was swept out in a rip, and recycled. He had a struggle swimming, and tired. I think the reasoning is that while uninflated, it's easier to swim with an inflatable than a foam pfd. When very tired, and battered by waves, the inflatable can be inflated, and you use less energy keeping your head above water. One downside with inflatables is less body armour when near rocks. The advantage of greater comfort in normal forward paddling wins over that for me. Here is the letter from Baltic to airlines: http://www.balticlifejackets.com/_pdf/IATA_Dangerous_goods.pdf Here are the IATA regs in a table for passengers: http://www.iata.org/NR/ContentConnector/CS2000/SiteInterface/sites/whatwedo/dangerousgoods/file/Table2.3.AEnglish2005.pdf (see the top of the second page). It appears inflatables are OK on aircraft, subject to the approval of the individual airline. The last item in the table sets out the position with lighters. Cheers, PT *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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