 |
|
04-03-2012, 13:31
|
#1
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Retired Delivery Capt
Posts: 3,739
|
What Brand of PFD / Harness Do You Prefer ?
Coming from a paddling background there were the good PFDs (Lotus before they were bought) and the not so good PFDs. The difference there was comfort and durability.
When it comes to sailing PFDs with harnesses, Mustang does a good job marketing, but are they really better than WM, Revere or Spinlock? Although I do not believe Spinlock is USCG approved.
Pondered buying a harness and slipping it under my Lotus, but I don't think that will work.
Thanks for the continuing education
Bill
__________________
"Whenever...it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to sea..." Ishmael
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 15:12
|
#2
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Retired Delivery Capt
Posts: 3,739
|
Wow, no debate on this?
__________________
"Whenever...it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to sea..." Ishmael
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 19:09
|
#3
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
PFDs are only useful for swimming or in water sports activities near shore, for cruising you need life jackets.
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 20:07
|
#4
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Straits of Juan De Fuca
Boat: Orca 38
Posts: 820
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
PFDs are only useful for swimming or in water sports activities near shore, for cruising you need life jackets.
Dave
|
Do you really cruise with a life jacket on all the time?
__________________
"Waste your money and you’re only out of money, but waste your time and you’ve lost a part of your life.” (Michael Leboeuf)
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 20:22
|
#5
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Québec City
Boat: Le Zephyr, MacGregor 26M
Posts: 81
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strait Shooter
Do you really cruise with a life jacket on all the time?
|
Only when sailing solo cause the admiral says so.
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 20:25
|
#6
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
I've got a Spinlock from 2009. Wore it 24/7 for the 15 day passage to Hilo from SF. Very comfortable, and multiple adjustment points means it can be made to fit from full on foulies with layers underneath to Tshirts in the tropics. The included legstraps will keep it from riding up if I ever had to use it in the water.
When I'm solo, always am clipped in to the Spinlock Vest/Harness. Anyone who doesn't sail clipped in on ocean passages, even with a crew, is being very very foolish. Nearly impossible to find an MOB in the seas that typically run offshore.
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 21:09
|
#7
|
Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 10,283
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snore
Coming from a paddling background there were the good PFDs (Lotus before they were bought) and the not so good PFDs. The difference there was comfort and durability.
When it comes to sailing PFDs with harnesses, Mustang does a good job marketing, but are they really better than WM, Revere or Spinlock? Although I do not believe Spinlock is USCG approved.
Pondered buying a harness and slipping it under my Lotus, but I don't think that will work.
Thanks for the continuing education
Bill
|
* Dave doesn't know what PFD stands for.
* Quebec listens to his wife too much.
* Roverhi must sleep like a rock and not shower much.
It depends on the sailing. Paddling jackets are probably the best there is for small boat sailing; good freedom of arm movement and less to snag than typical water ski jackets or inflatables (very important when the trapeze is used). Cruisers and keel boat racers like inflatables. Some prefer a harness and jack line set-up, and no PFD. No one answer, no matter what the peanut gallery says.
On the other hand, you didn't say what you were sailing.
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 22:19
|
#8
|
Moderator Emeritus

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Ohio
Boat: Now boatless :-(
Posts: 11,580
|
I have 8 "approved" foam core life jackets
I have two "dinghy" vests
I have one inflatable with harness
What I wear depends on what I am doing but I never wear the foam life jacket.
Most of the time I wear nothing. The rest of the time is likely the inflatable. If I am racing Keelboats I often wear nothing if I am in the cockpit. If I work the bow I always wear the inflatable.
Off-shore and/or at night is the inflatable. In dinghy's probably nothing or the dinghy vest.
Too many jackets to choose from - LOL.
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 23:08
|
#9
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Melbourne Australia
Boat: saga kan walker 31ft
Posts: 545
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
I use several a standard inflatable type for hot days and one in my jacket when its cold and I use Occasionally a neoprene survival for ocean or a mix of the 3.
http://www.stormylifejackets.com.au/...atable/:thumb:
__________________
May there always be water under your boat,
|
|
|
05-03-2012, 23:23
|
#10
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Montegut LA.
Boat: Now we need to get her to Louisiana !! she's ours
Posts: 3,421
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
 For us it depends on hot or cold ! cold we have Mustang survial jackets with harness hook ups, in rough weather or nite watchs we hook up in the cock pit, warm weather, SOS, self infaters, harness in rough weather or night watch we hook up. we have PFDS for 6 crew.We also carry wet foul weather gear for both of us ! just what we keep all the time and carry from boat to boat ! it will go on our new Motor Sailer if they take our offer. just our 2 cents
__________________
Bob and Connie
|
|
|
06-03-2012, 01:14
|
#11
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Plimmerton, New Zealand
Boat: Samsara, a Ross 930
Posts: 380
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
We work pretty much as bobconnie in temperate areas. Except we wear PFDs with lifelines in all but benign weather. IMO, PFDs without lifeline attachment points are of limited use, but use of harness w/o PFD is perfectly acceptable in warmer climes.
Basic rule is if it ain't comfortable you ain't gonna be wearing it when you need it.
Not particularly sensitive to PFD brand, but on features we favour PFDs with manual inflation, crotch strap, spray hood, 150N floatation and a strong lifeline attachment.
|
|
|
06-03-2012, 03:46
|
#12
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Boat: Retired Delivery Capt
Posts: 3,739
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinwater
On the other hand, you didn't say what you were sailing.
|
Assuming things continue to check out, I should be sailing a Tartan 33 in a week or so.
I am in Roverhi's school of thought. IMHO, the reasonable way to go on deck is with a PFD/harness clipped to a jackline that runs down the middle with a tether too short for you to go over the side.
Thanks for the inputs, it sounds like the only differences is features
Bill
__________________
"Whenever...it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to sea..." Ishmael
|
|
|
06-03-2012, 04:57
|
#13
|
Moderator

Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Cruising North Sea and Baltic (Summer)
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 35,303
|
Re: What brand of PFD/Harness do you prefer?
We have 8 automatically inflating Seago life jackets on board, all with integral harnesses. 6 of them of the standard 175 newton ones, and two are larger 275 newton ones. I find them all very comfortable and there is really no excuse for not wearing them all the time on deck. Especially the smaller ones, which you hardly notice. Except when you have to pee, which requires taking them off (plus a bunch of other stuff -- in the interest of waterproofness, my foul weather overalls don't have a fly, so it's a PITA altogether).
Tips for buying life jackets (all of which have been given before, but desere endless repetition):
1. Never buy or wear a life jacket without a crotch strap. They don't really work without them, as several deaths in the '79 Fastnet showed.
2. Equip your lifejackets with spray hoods.
3. Equip your lifejackets with lights if you ever sail at night.
4. Rig decent jacklines and be sure to have enough safety lines on board.
5. Don't use safety lines of unknown origin -- they are no good after a good fall.
6. People regularly die from being dragged under water with their safety lines. If possible, rig your jacklines and choose your safety line length so that you can't go under if you fall.
|
|
|
06-03-2012, 05:25
|
#14
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strait Shooter
Do you really cruise with a life jacket on all the time?
|
Yes actually I do. There not much good in the locker I find and the auto inflatables are quite easy to wear. The only time I'm tempted to not wear them was when I'm topless. (!) as they chafe a little. I'm so used to it now that I feel funny without it. It also acts as a carrier for my torch, knife and PLB
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
06-03-2012, 05:27
|
#15
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinwater
* Dave doesn't know what PFD stands for.
* Quebec listens to his wife too much.
* Roverhi must sleep like a rock and not shower much.
It depends on the sailing. Paddling jackets are probably the best there is for small boat sailing; good freedom of arm movement and less to snag than typical water ski jackets or inflatables (very important when the trapeze is used). Cruisers and keel boat racers like inflatables. Some prefer a harness and jack line set-up, and no PFD. No one answer, no matter what the peanut gallery says.
On the other hand, you didn't say what you were sailing.
|
I actually know exactly what a PFD is. In this part of the world it is NOT a life jacket. It's a flotation device with less then 150 newtons of flotation. It's designed for inshore use and typically where the user get wet. This is a legal definition in Europe. A PFD is not a life jacket.
So there !
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
 |
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|