Are your PFD's ready?

[jssailem]

It is that time of year when boat safety gear gets hauled out of storage and carried down to the boat. Mold, dust, and mildew are removed, and the gear is stowed aboard, ready for that first sail.

When did you last check your dates on the PFD inflation system?

Are you sure the tubes that can save your life will inflate?

Have you ever jumped into the water while wearing your PFD?

A recent reading of a Canadian Marine Transportation Safety investigation reminded me of the risks taken by marine workers. The problems they face are no different from those to which we sailors are exposed.

Check your safety equipment. Be assured that it works as expected. If not, correct the problem before you untie the lines and head out on the open waters.

Here is the report: Marine Transportation Safety Investigation Report M22A0332 - Transportation Safety Board of Canada
What I highlight below is the inspection of the PFD worn by the deck crewman.

"During the examination of the occurrence PFD, the expiry date noted on the cap was 2027, and there had been an initial activation of the inflator cap when the water met the water-sensitive element, but the inflator body did not activate. This allowed the inflation activation mechanism inside the inflator cap to rotate. However, the mating gear on the inflator body did not engage and the piercing pin did not move or puncture the CO2 cartridge. The examination and testing determined that the cap and body were unmated. The cap activated and the body did not, indicating that the cap and body were separated at some point prior to the occurrence and not as a result of recovery efforts. Because the inflator cap and inflator body were not mated, the PFD bladder was not sealed, which prevented the PFD from inflating." ​

 

[sailcapt340]

Good advice and should be heeded. Because, at least my Hunter 340, you can’t get back on your boat!
Case in point, I had the cheapest 5 cent item ($0.05) put me in the water!!
My wife and I had just gotten out to our boat, put our cooler, bags and stuff on, we were moving around opening up the hatches, putting out the cushions, you know the stuff we all need.
On the back of my boat is a flag mount. About 1 1/2” deep and it fills with water every time. Put the flag in and you get a face full of water.
So I have a rubber cork, with an eye hook screwed into it, attached to a braided line, tied to the chrome rail. Keeps the water out and just hangs there, swinging in the wind.
So, my next great idea is…..a small plastic suction cup, with a plastic hook on it. It sits on the back and we drape the rubber cork line on it. Nice and neat and pretty.
Well this 5 cent piece of wisdom decides to fall off one day and lands on the side of my dinghy. Great save, I’m not polluting the ocean with needless plastic and I saved my nickel as well.
My wife is in the boat doing whatever it is she does in there to get us ready to sail.
The folding hatch is down covering the swim ladder and I’m on my knees on the hatch reaching for the suction cup stuck to my dinghy.
Now this 5 cent piece of plastic wisdom, that didn’t want to stay stuck on my boat for some reason, now is stuck on my dinghy holding on like I glued it there. I grab it and pull, loose my balance and the next thing I know is I’m in the water.
While in the water, No one has the strength to raise that 50 pound hatchway up enough to get to the swim ladder thats under it. So the swim ladder is virtually useless at this point in time.
And now you realize that you can’t get back on the boat. There is just no way that is going to happen on your own.
I could hold on to it using the 2 grab handles right there. But they are too low to allow you to lift up 2 feet to the wing seat railing, which would let me pull myself up.
So now I’m in the water, I have my dinghy right there, a kayaker was going by and he stopped and stayed with me, and asked what are you doing in the water? So for all intense and purposes, I’m safe.
I call out to my wife, who comes up from inside the boat and stands there asking me, where are you! How far away can I be?
She sees me in the water and says what we all would say…..What are you doing down there?
She lifted up the seat and that allowed me to open the swim ladder and climb back on the boat.
Long story, funny at times, not so funny and down right scary most of the time.
Now I have another braided line securely attached to the back of the boat, with a hand hold weaved in, that sits there waiting, for my next 5 cent idea.
So yeah, like John asked….How’s your PFD’s!
Being in the water at your mooring or dock is one thing, but none the less scary. Or dangerous.
So……How are your PFD’s???

 

[PaulK]

Haven't checked the date in over five years on the inflatable PFD that I inherited. It lives next to the suits in my closet and have never taken it to the boat. Standard USCG approved PFD's seem comfortable enough and are less prone to malfunction or expiration dates.

To avoid the problem that Sailcapt had we have a telescoping ladder that lies flat on the transom step. It's easily reached and deployed by a swimmer and it doesn't mind getting stepped on if it's not deployed. The Hunter 340 has room on its transom step for a similar arrangement.

 

[sailcapt340]

Paul, when you have the chance post a photo of your ladder you use. I for one am interested in seeing that.
This is what I have for boarding.
You can see my flag holder and cork if you look real good.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Good advice and should be heeded. Because, at least my Hunter 340, you can’t get back on your boat!
Case in point, I had the cheapest 5 cent item ($0.05) put me in the water!!
My wife and I had just gotten out to our boat, put our cooler, bags and stuff on, we were moving around opening up the hatches, putting out the cushions, you know the stuff we all need.
On the back of my boat is a flag mount. About 1 1/2” deep and it fills with water every time. Put the flag in and you get a face full of water.
So I have a rubber cork, with an eye hook screwed into it, attached to a braided line, tied to the chrome rail. Keeps the water out and just hangs there, swinging in the wind.
So, my next great idea is…..a small plastic suction cup, with a plastic hook on it. It sits on the back and we drape the rubber cork line on it. Nice and neat and pretty.
Well this 5 cent piece of wisdom decides to fall off one day and lands on the side of my dinghy. Great save, I’m not polluting the ocean with needless plastic and I saved my nickel as well.
My wife is in the boat doing whatever it is she does in there to get us ready to sail.
The folding hatch is down covering the swim ladder and I’m on my knees on the hatch reaching for the suction cup stuck to my dinghy.
Now this 5 cent piece of plastic wisdom, that didn’t want to stay stuck on my boat for some reason, now is stuck on my dinghy holding on like I glued it there. I grab it and pull, loose my balance and the next thing I know is I’m in the water.
While in the water, No one has the strength to raise that 50 pound hatchway up enough to get to the swim ladder thats under it. So the swim ladder is virtually useless at this point in time.
And now you realize that you can’t get back on the boat. There is just no way that is going to happen on your own.
I could hold on to it using the 2 grab handles right there. But they are too low to allow you to lift up 2 feet to the wing seat railing, which would let me pull myself up.
So now I’m in the water, I have my dinghy right there, a kayaker was going by and he stopped and stayed with me, and asked what are you doing in the water? So for all intense and purposes, I’m safe.
I call out to my wife, who comes up from inside the boat and stands there asking me, where are you! How far away can I be?
She sees me in the water and says what we all would say…..What are you doing down there?
She lifted up the seat and that allowed me to open the swim ladder and climb back on the boat.
Long story, funny at times, not so funny and down right scary most of the time.
Now I have another braided line securely attached to the back of the boat, with a hand hold weaved in, that sits there waiting, for my next 5 cent idea.
So yeah, like John asked….How’s your PFD’s!
Being in the water at your mooring or dock is one thing, but none the less scary. Or dangerous.
So……How are your PFD’s???

any reason you can’t drill a small hole at the bottom of the flag mount?

 

[PaulK]

Paul, when you have the chance post a photo of your ladder you use. I for one am interested in seeing that.
This is what I have for boarding.
You can see my flag holder and cork if you look real good.

Your ladder setup is very similar to ours, except that your ladder is recessed into the step. Ours sits on top of the step because there's no recess for it. This enables someone in the water to grab it from the side if necessary and flip it out. Amazon.com Our You would have a hard time doing that because your step is higher than ours and the recess means you can't get at it from the side the way we can. A short line tied to it should enable you to deploy your ladder from the water if you need to.

 

[sailcapt340]

The flag bracket itself is cut in a half moon shape ( a tad too deep) to fit over the stainless pipe. And there is big chunk of weld inside there where a weep hole could have been drilled in. And drilling on the other side would be on the high side and still left a water trap. It really depended on who had the welding torch in their hand the day it was made. Luck of the draw.
The cork works good, seals tight.
This photo is an older one I had taken just after the boat was put in the water for a season. It is pretty much stripped clean of everything on the deck. So the braided line I have to grab onto isn’t there to see. Neither is the small line I have attached to ladder itself. Which is very useful when the hatchway seat is up. Totally useless when the hatch covers the ladder.
Paul you can definitely get back onto the boat with your configuration.

 

[sailme88]

I keep the PFDs in a clear walled storage bin ( several actually). They stay dry and out of the mildew realm. Easily identifiable. Coast Guard safety inspector raised an eyebrow.. Gave him the the yellow PFD bag with velcro closure and challenged him to a race to get a PFD out... Beat him by a mile.. and converted him..

 

[Jim Legere]

I manually inflate my PFDs every spring using the oral inflation tube. There should be no noticeable loss of pressure after leaving the PFD inflated over night. The CO2 cylinder can be unscrewed and weighed (the 'full' weight should be stamped on the side). If there is a hydrostatic release mechanism, the 'best before date' should be valid. Finally, deflate and repack the PFD...ready for another season. Getting hands-on and familiar with your inflatable PFD ensures it will work when (if) you ever need it.

 

[Thaniel]

Have you ever jumped into the water while wearing your PFD?

My PFD's are not inflatable so the first questions are not a concern. Wednesday we tipped the boat over (16' beach catamaran) and the PFD's floated us just fine We do however need to work on the crew's reboarding procedure though. I climbed easily back on board but my crew could not manage to pull themselves onboard even though it was at the same point on the boat.

Did enjoy the story above of trying to get back on board. Perhaps getting back on board without aid is something everyone should try. I know on a nice day (not like the crazy gusting windy day when we tipped) we will do reboarding practice. We may need to change some of the equipment on my boat so my crew can board on their own.