Is it true? No Type I inflatable PFDs for general public?

[Gunni]

Type 1 is for USCG compliance by commercials. Not you. Your Type lll will keep you compliant. There are some awesome SOLAS inflatable vests being sold by Crewsaver, they supply industry and the mil. Top shelf stuff. Double carts and Type 1 performance if you want to go there. But it isn’t worth their while to USCG cert for a very small market. Commercials stow cheap Type 1 USCG compliant foam PFDs for their passenger load number. Mariners are free to equip to a higher standard and do so. SOLAS.

A belt pouch PFD type lll makes a fine dink jacket, but you have to wear it. If you have a swimmer the manual version is bone simple to maintain. Never put one on a non-swimmer. They also make a pretty good snorkle emergency float device. I used to give the belt pouch PFD to crew, but most of them upgraded to auto inflators with harnesses.

Far more important to me than the USCG cert is a +33 gram cart, hydrostatic auto inflator, and lifting rings. A spray hood too.

 

[capta]

Just hover over the chevron next to your moniker in the upper right blue area on any page, select "personal details" and scroll down to "home port".

Thank you. Too bad about the country code thing though. SVG won't fit.

 

[justsomeguy]

Thank you. Too bad about the country code thing though. SVG won't fit.

Just imagine there's no countries. Easy if you try.

 

[ifmdalvey]

I have been informed by the USCGA sector Long Island Sound that any inflatable is only counted as a life jacket if you are wearing it. So if you and your wife, let's say, get stopped with guests aboard and you have exactly the right amount of life jackets but you and the missus aren't wearing your's, two infractions.

Even with the USCG bureaucracy, where does it say you have to wear a lifejacket in the US? Children Yes but not adults. For me, you cannot beat crewsaver with harness and two 60g inflation bottles, but quality of that nature does not exist in the US.

 

[Kings Gambit]

I guess an un-inflated inflatable PFD is not considered a life jacket meeting certification unless it is actually being worn. Thus, the USCG requirement for a PFD for each person aboard the vessel would not be met with a pile of only inflatable jackets lying on the deck or in the salon, etc. You're not actually required to wear a life jacket but you must have them. Thus, wearing the inflatable is the only way it qualifies as you having a life jacket, etc.

If the vessel met with disaster and went down, not everybody with his/her jacket on, the (manual) un-inflated inflatable would likely sink even if clear of the boat; thus, not everybody aboard would at that point have a highly visible life jacket to grab for. I'm sure you get the picture. The same effect as it not having been there at all. This would be even more likely in a dink that might flip, capsize, become swamped, or get holed and sink. Along with that inflatable PFD that you might not be wearing, and that will not pop to the surface. So, the same as not having it aboard.

 

[jviss]

but quality of that nature does not exist in the US.

Excuse me, but Crewsaver is a US company based in Ohio. Their products are available from West Marine, Defender, et.al.
Correction: it appears they are a UK company, with US offices.

Crewsaver
1406 Wolf Creek Trail,
Wadsworth,
OH 44281,
USA,
https://crewsaver.com/us/

 

[jssailem]

@jviss what was meant as a now 'branded product'...

"The Crewsaver brand was first incorporated under the name ‘Crewsaver Marine Equipment Ltd’ in Gosport on the South coast of England, developing a specialist knowledge in safety products and creating unique and innovative styles tailored to specific sectors of the sailing community."​

And noted from the product page not all of their Inflatables are recognized as USCG approved.

https://crewsaver.com/us/catalogue/recreational/personal-flotation/​

 

[jviss]

@jviss what was meant as a now 'branded product'...

"The Crewsaver brand was first incorporated under the name ‘Crewsaver Marine Equipment Ltd’ in Gosport on the South coast of England, developing a specialist knowledge in safety products and creating unique and innovative styles tailored to specific sectors of the sailing community."​

And noted from the product page not all of their Inflatables are recognized as USCG approved.

https://crewsaver.com/us/catalogue/recreational/personal-flotation/​

Yes, but the PFD ifmdalvey says he has IS available in the US and IS USCG approved. So what part of "but quality of that nature does not exist in the US" is correct?

 

[jssailem]

you cannot beat crewsaver with harness and two 60g inflation bottles

Yes, but the PFD ifmdalvey says he has IS available in the US and IS USCG approved. So what part of "but quality of that nature does not exist in the US" is correct?

Reading the quote by @ifmdalvey and examining the Crewsaver website for product (https://crewsaver.com/us/1812/commercial/personal-flotation/4772/Seacrewsader275NTwinChamberFR) , the item I found most likely being identified is a unit meeting SOLAS 2010 specifications but not "Approved" under USCG standards.

How many PFD vests have you found in the local chandler or WM with "twin 60g inflation bottles" and twin chambers?

Perhaps his identifying statements were valid based on the qualifiers stated.

It does not mean they are better or worse just that his opinion of the quality is not available or at the least marketed, and for sure not meeting USCG approval would damper the interest to market such a foreign design here in these United States.

 

[jviss]

Let me ask you, Joh, how many commercial marine products (as opposed to recreational) do you find in the local chandler or WM?

My objection was to the US bashing. If you want a commercial marine product, including inflatable PFDs with dual chambers and dual 60g cartridges, you can certainly get them in the US.

 

[jon hansen]

type I, May West, on my boats. very old school on my old boats. yes i look dorky. also, i have bean bag seats on board. great un-official flotation.
when kids are on board i always don a life jacket as they are required while on deck on my boat. cuts the whining to zero

 

[jviss]

type I, May West, on my boats. very old school on my old boats. yes i look dorky. also, i have bean bag seats on board. great un-official flotation.
when kids are on board i always don a life jacket as they are required while on deck on my boat. cuts the whining to zero

The "Mae West" vest is the inflatable vest used by aviators in WWII, invented by Peter Markus. Is that what you are referring to, or do you just mean an old-school non-inflatable?

 

[ifmdalvey]

Let me ask you, Joh, how many commercial marine products (as opposed to recreational) do you find in the local chandler or WM?

My objection was to the US bashing. If you want a commercial marine product, including inflatable PFDs with dual chambers and dual 60g cartridges, you can certainly get them in the US.

It was not meant as US bashing but rather an observation of how slow the USCG are to react to modern technology. Look at most new electronic survival aids, they are usually Australian, UK or European , there is a reason for that.
My twin bladder Crewsaver is not commercial, its what most people in the UK would wear if going off shore and mine is over 14 years old now. I go into West marine and almost everything is 35gm bottles - i would not use that for even coastal cruising. The USCG certification system is slow and holds up the development of new products. My guess is that when they came under Homeland Security that they took their eye off the ball.

 

[jviss]

OK, thanks. What model vest do you have? I couldn't find a dual cylinder vest from Crewsaver that wasn't commercial. But no matter. Why are 35g cylinders inadequate, in your view?

 

[Jackdaw]

While SOLAS vests require dual chambers and 60g cartridges, I think that is overkill for mortals when sailing, hell the Deckvest 5Ds that most of the Volvo teams where are single chamber 33g. At this level nobody cares if it is USCG approved.

 

[jssailem]

Assuming the option is the Skipper, I choose to wear the Spinlock 5D Deckvest.. After research into various options, I selected this one for me.
For the Coast Guard, I have 3 USCG Mustang PFD’s on board and a couple of USCG approved floatation vests. These all meet the inspection needs of the Nanay State. Mine meets the Skippers decision for survival.
Each individual must make their own decision.

 

[jon hansen]

old school non inflatable

 

[Jackdaw]

Assuming the option is the Skipper, I choose to wear the Spinlock 5D Deckvest.. After research into various options, I selected this one for me.
For the Coast Guard, I have 3 USCG Mustang PFD’s on board and a couple of USCG approved floatation vests. These all meet the inspection needs of the Nanay State. Mine meets the Skippers decision for survival.
Each individual must make their own decision.

Indeed, Jodi and I have 5Ds for offshore work and Deckvest Lites for inshore. Plus 2 4-packs of WV vests on board each boat to make sure the LEOs are happy.