Help with Mustang Survival Life Vests

My boat was outside for a few days this weekend in the rain. When I brought the boat in I opened all of the compartments to let things dry out. I took my Eliminator Mustang Survival Jackets out of their storage compartment and they were damp but they weren't soaking wet by any means. I laid them up on the deck of the boat and they hanging over the rod box slightly. When I came home from work today two of them had inflated. Has anyone seen this happen before? How difficult is it to reload them?

Thanks for any help.

This happens any any any moisture will cause this. the reload kit has a white disc that in the arming piece. the direction are on the vest and the kit. do you live near BPS? I have reset several of this.

[QUOTE=BrentCar;383678]My boat was outside for a few days this weekend in the rain. When I brought the boat in I opened all of the compartments to let things dry out. I took my Eliminator Mustang Survival Jackets out of their storage compartment and they were damp but they weren't soaking wet by any means. I laid them up on the deck of the boat and they hanging over the rod box slightly. When I came home from work today two of them had inflated. Has anyone seen this happen before? How difficult is it to reload them?

Thanks for any help.[/QUOTE]

I JUST discussed this a couple days ago.

They are easy to reload............I converted both of mine to manual.

The AUTOMATIC ones simply fire off to much, and they COST a LOT to reload.

Here is a link to the discussions........

[url]http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showthread.php?t=75935[/url]

Later,

Geo

These things collect condensation after they get wet. After a rain pull them out and dry
them out in a breezy place. Open up the side where the inflaters are, let air blow on there. Thats where they collect the water when kept sealed up. Boat Bum is correct on
rearming kits. Just get the correct one ,Auto or self pull. Good luck!!!

Geo, you had better tie a string in your boat seat to set yours off,in case of a heart attack ,or should you bump your head!! Lets hope not.

Thanks for the responses. I have ordered the automatic re-arm kits.

I bought 2 manual/auto vests from Cabelas (the Guardian series). Nice vests but they discharged 2 times each in the storage compartment of the boat, perfectly dry. I sent them back and bought 3 regular dense foam filled vests, with money left over. They were nice to fish in, and took up less space, but at $20 a pop for a re-arm kit, I was sick of them quickly!

If I were to buy the inflatable type again, I would buy the ones that require either a cord yank or hydrostatic pressure (pressure resulting from being immersed in water) before discharging.

Geo,

Can you explain the task of making an auto-inflate manual only?

Thanks,

Steve

I've way too many stories from people who have fallen in the water only to have the vests NOT inflate. I'll never EVER wear on of those.

I have a mixed view on these and water.

If is raining, I use my old tradtional vest. The stories of the vests self inflating in a bad rain storm are numerous.


I don't know what the probabilty the vest won't inflate but I'm pretty sure I would not have a traditional vest on if I was fishing a bank; even by myself. I wear the small survival vest 100% of the time. So I guess if you were willing to wear a traditional jacket 100% of the time then I'm certain they are safer. If on the other hand you are only going to use it when running, then your probabiliy of drowning is likely lower with the self inflating version.

What I find with a traditional vest is that when I'm running from spot to spot, I forget to put the bulky jacket on.