Ryk wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 00:52:06 -0500, in message

Larry wrote:


"MarshallE" wrote in
. com:


I am looking at various PFD's that are auto/manual inflatable with a
harness. I know very little about the different brands and am hopeful
that others have opinions and perhaps where to purchase at discount
prices. thanks




There's only one brand.....Sospenders


Mustang?

Ryk


that's the ticket...
http://tinyurl.com/9vmxy

PFD

another naive question on my part, i'm sure ... but does anyone else
feel a little weird trusting your life to a floating thing that has to
have air in it to keep floating ? i know they are comfortable and all,
the inflatables, because they don't inflate until you need them to
inflate. but if you were going over the side in an emergency out in
the middle of the ocean, and you could be in the water for who knows
what amount of time, would you worry about being out there with an
inflatable vest ? i imagine they have kevlar and other protections on
them to keep them from being snagged or punctured and losing their air,
but it still makes me feel sort of odd knowing that if it were cut or
punctured that it probably wouldn't keep me floating. or is it nothing
to worry about ? like maybe the inflatable vests have air compartments
so that if one is punctured the other 9 keep floating, or something
like that ?

as low tech as a foam filled vest is there's something about it i find
reassuring, that something being that if it gets punctured it won't
sink. maybe keep foam filled vests near the ditch bag and put them on
if you have time before you go over the side, keeping the inflatable on
most times in case you accidentally fall overboard ?

purple_stars wrote:
PFD


another naive question on my part, i'm sure ... but does anyone else
feel a little weird trusting your life to a floating thing that has to
have air in it to keep floating ? i know they are comfortable and all,
the inflatables, because they don't inflate until you need them to
inflate. but if you were going over the side in an emergency out in
the middle of the ocean, and you could be in the water for who knows
what amount of time, would you worry about being out there with an
inflatable vest ? i imagine they have kevlar and other protections on
them to keep them from being snagged or punctured and losing their air,
but it still makes me feel sort of odd knowing that if it were cut or
punctured that it probably wouldn't keep me floating. or is it nothing
to worry about ? like maybe the inflatable vests have air compartments
so that if one is punctured the other 9 keep floating, or something
like that ?

as low tech as a foam filled vest is there's something about it i find
reassuring, that something being that if it gets punctured it won't
sink. maybe keep foam filled vests near the ditch bag and put them on
if you have time before you go over the side, keeping the inflatable on
most times in case you accidentally fall overboard ?


Yup! my take is that the inflatable models are great for sailors who
might not wear a PFD for various reasons... such as uncomfortable,
confining...not macho looking.
My brother-in-law almost bought the farm falling overboard while
climbing into the dinght from his houseboat. After that scare I
convinced my sister to buy the inflatable version and he does wear it.
This is what I wear... http://tinyurl.com/cupvt
and if I bought another one.. http://tinyurl.com/drsut