Boarded by the Coast Guard..Terminated Voyage

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

BTW, if you have a class B AIS, the CG & other enforcement will know a lot about you long before they can see you. I suspect they will know where you live and how many speeding tickest you have.

CRUD. guess i am not getting AIS

[goboatingnow]

I prefer self inflating or manual inflating lifejackets , because they are likely to get worn. Whereas the solid ones are too bulky.
Only the us persists with the nonsense of non inflatable jackets. The whole world has moved on.

It it's good enough for the RNLI its good enough for me,

" lifejackets -useless unless worn "

Dave

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by Robin3

Strange then that the rest of the world sees automatic inflation jackets as superior than those daft things that might better be used as simple seat cushions

Would you really go on the foredeck in a wild storm to change a headsail whilst wearing one of those folding plastic seat cushions or would a modern combined lifejacket and safety harness and being able to clip on to a properly sited jackstay (that the CG do not even require) be much better???

Per your example, Harness only,stay aboard, those auto inflates like to inflate in rough weather, heavy spray, seas braking on deck. As far as what I'd want to float in if I found myself boatless, the type one foam. I find the foam more comfortable in the water than inflated type one inflatable. Try it, you'd be amazed. I don't know what you mean by wearing a floating seat cushion, in our part of the world we use em for back up throw rings not life jackets.


Also, inflatables are not for non swimmers.

I'm not anti-inflateable, but they have their pros and cons like everything else.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

Per your example, Harness only,stay aboard, those auto inflates like to inflate in rough weather, heavy spray, seas braking on deck. As far as what I'd want to float in if I found myself boatless, the type one foam. I find the foam more comfortable in the water than inflated type one inflatable. Try it, you'd be amazed. I don't know what you mean by wearing a floating seat cushion, in our part of the world we use em for back up throw rings not life jackets.

Also, inflatables are not for non swimmers.

I'm not anti-inflateable, but they have their pros and cons like everything else.

Firstly , a good inflatable with an integral harness and of you really want it a hydostatic release , is a far better jacket then a bulky rigid one, which is unlikely to be worn when you fall in.

Furthermore a proper certified 150 N or better a 270N will right a unconscious victim and raise their head up . What you say about swimmers is nonsense.

Inflates are superior because combined with a harness they are comfortable deflated and likely to be worn , hence actually useful

Dave

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

those auto inflates like to inflate in rough weather, heavy spray, seas braking on deck.

This was true for the very old models with the dissolving pills, but I don't think those have been made for a long time. The hydrostatic release used now won't go off in spray or heavy weather - it will need to be in the water for a short (not just drenched by a wave) time.

I just checked our Revere inflatables and they are Coast Guard approved as life jackets regardless if they are being worn or not.

To put the OP's post in perspective for those concerned with life jackets, he was on the ICW (mostly a canal). If he did have an emergency where his boat sank underneath him, he could simply swim to shore in probably 4-5 strokes - but most likely the depth would be such that he could just sit on his deck as his hulls rested on the bottom.

In other words, he was not on a manifestly unsafe voyage in a manifestly unsafe boat.

Mark

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

in our part of the world we use em for back up throw rings not life jackets.

I have had the 4-pack orange ones. Are these what you mention here?

I could throw one of those with the wind about 6 feet, maybe. If it had loose straps so it could separate then maybe 3 feet.

OK, I exaggerate here but those things throw for shcnit.

[bobconnie]

Yall are some funny folks!! As a former commericial fisherman from the PNW, starting in the 50s, Ive been stopped so many times and boarded, That now when Im sailing I seldom ever even get looked at, let alone boarded!! it seems that most of the boardings are on shrimp boats!! On the west coast Im sure things have not changed to much! How are the Coasties out there on sailing boats ?? Of course Ive met the local CG folks thru both asking for inspections, and helping with local water clean ups has let us meet the CG personel on a friendly basis!! Most of our locals have never been aboard a sailing vessel, and really enjoy looking over the boats we have had since we moved down here!! It has been a different thing all together down here!! It's really nice to have them wave and hail us on the VHF to say hello and wish us a good sail !! Guess it's where ya live and what ya do! BUT I would think a couple of folks in this thread need to think about there ideas about how they are gonna treat the Folks who are doing there job by boarding vessels !! Just my 2 cents

[Krogensailor]

Ahhh yes, the pickle song.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by colemj

This was true for the very old models with the dissolving pills, but I don't think those have been made for a long time. The hydrostatic release used now won't go off in spray or heavy weather - it will need to be in the water for a short (not just drenched by a wave) time.

I just checked our Revere inflatables and they are Coast Guard approved as life jackets regardless if they are being worn or not.

To put the OP's post in perspective for those concerned with life jackets, he was on the ICW (mostly a canal). If he did have an emergency where his boat sank underneath him, he could simply swim to shore in probably 4-5 strokes - but most likely the depth would be such that he could just sit on his deck as his hulls rested on the bottom.

In other words, he was not on a manifestly unsafe voyage in a manifestly unsafe boat.

Mark

I beg to differ:

you can buy the pill type at West Marine tomorrow as well as any of the usual boat supply places. We found them also recently at Gander Ountain and Cabelas. They cost less than the hydrostatic release type. The least expensive is the entirely manual release. I don't consider these appropriate.

The tag on your inflatable jacket does not have anything to do with its acceptance with the Coast Guard. It is only counted as one of the total number of jackets on board if it is on a living human when the officer counts heads & jackets. This is a fact, codified in their regulations and they will not cut you any slack on this. If you happen to have a CG masters or captian's credential, you will really be headed for trouble. This one is on the exam.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I beg to differ:

you can buy the pill type at West Marine tomorrow as well as any of the usual boat supply places. We found them also recently at Gander Ountain and Cabelas. They cost less than the hydrostatic release type. The least expensive is the entirely manual release. I don't consider these appropriate.

The tag on your inflatable jacket does not have anything to do with its acceptance with the Coast Guard. It is only counted as one of the total number of jackets on board if it is on a living human when the officer counts heads & jackets. This is a fact, codified in their regulations and they will not cut you any slack on this. If you happen to have a CG masters or captian's credential, you will really be headed for trouble. This one is on the exam.

OK, I didn't know those old types were still being sold. I don't consider them appropriate for offshore.

As for our inflatables, I didn't look at the tag - I looked at the Coast Guard regulations on them. I can positively say you are wrong here - these particular models are considered, and counted as, lifejackets whether worn or not.

And save me the high and mighty CG master's stuff...

Mark

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

Maybe in their opinion the horn didn't meet the requirement of being audible at one mile?

That's the Colreg for boats 20 meters to 75 meters in length. Under 20 meters, it is half a mile.

[ElGatoGordo]

Ok Nicholson58 and colemj...we need some links.

[ElGatoGordo]

Frow the WM site (no not a great citation)

The Coast Guard requires that water-activated “automatic” inflatables with non-1F inflators have to be worn to be counted in the vessel’s inventory of life jackets. The most recent models with 1F inflators, so-called “stowables,” don’t have to be worn to be counted as inventory. However, this misses the point of inflatable PFDs, which are so comfortable that you’ll wear them while on the water.
Finally, the inshore Coastal Series inflatables use a 25gr. cylinder, and provide 26lb. of flotation. They are only legal when worn.

The West Advisor: Personal Flotation Devices

It would seem that...It depends!

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by colemj

This was true for the very old models with the dissolving pills, but I don't think those have been made for a long time. The hydrostatic release used now won't go off in spray or heavy weather - it will need to be in the water for a short (not just drenched by a wave) time.

I just checked our Revere inflatables and they are Coast Guard approved as life jackets regardless if they are being worn or not.

The inflatables that I saw at West a few weeks ago were triggered by a dissolving ring. Apparently, that type does still exist.

I have yet to see any inflatables that are CG approved when not worn. If you could post the model number of the ones you have, I would appreciate it. I would like to learn more about them.

Thanks,
Jim

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Just a point , the flag of a boat does not protect you from the application of local laws. Once inside a countries territory , yiu are subject to whatever laws apply. If the USCG rules only apply to us vessels that's fine, but that's because of the way the law was framed.

If yiu sailed into french waters , you would be subject to their safety rules for yachts irrespective of flag , equally in Irish waters you would be subject to their lifejacket rules.

Dave

Actually no, you are obliged to comply with the laws of your country of registry, British vessels regularly sail in French waters for example without having to comply with French regulations, in fact Brit regulations do not require lifejackets, recommended yes but NOT compulsory. UK authorities believe in education rather than compulsion, a trust that is lacking in the USA it seems but then there are some dumb antics that might justify that lack of trust, albeit by a small minority of idiots. I will stand by for incoming...