Automatic/Manual Inflatable Vest

[Tyme2fish]

Fellow fisherpeople and boaters. I've been extolling the comfort and safety of these vests for years. When I wear mine I forget I even have it on.

I'm not pushing a particular retail store but Basspro has these on sale now for the low price of $79.97

If you don't have one of these or seldom wear your PFD please consider one of these.

[GeoFisher]

I will second this.........

You all know I go to Canada on a canoe camping trip every year. Sometimes I go twice a year. On the first dozen trips or so, I never wore my life vest. After I started taking my daughter, it really was not "fair" for me to mandate that she wore her life vest every day and I didn't, so I purchased an auto - inflating vest.

I will tell you this. It is a great vest, and I rarely know it is even on. Once you get used to using one of these, they are great.

Later,

Geo

[Tyme2fish]

I do want to let you know to check the "bobbin" date if you purchase one. They expire after 3 years. I'm sure the vest will still be good but that's the manufacturer's expiration date and they recommend you re-arm every three years.

The date on the "bobbin" is the date made, not the expiration date. Just add three years.

Re-arm kits vary in prices and if the vest never inflated the CO2 cartridge will be good, you just need a new "bobbin".

[riverrat12]

Fellow fisherpeople and boaters. I've been extolling the comfort and safety of these vests for years. When I wear mine I forget I even have it on.

I'm not pushing a particular retail store but Basspro has these on sale now for the low price of $79.97

If you don't have one of these or seldom wear your PFD please consider one of these.

Got 2

[Moveon]

These new life vest are comfortable and easy to wear. I wear a regular life jacket when I'm in my boat at all times. It gets hot in the summer time but helps keep me warmer in the fall and early winter months.

I've been looking at one of the newer type life vests. I think that most all of them can be inflated manually by blowing on a tube. And the new ones have a way of inflating with a CO2 cartridge when they get wet or they get too much humidity exposure.

Make sure that you get the type that only inflate when they get under the water. Some of the others will self inflate if they get wet from a rain storm or they are stored in the boat's compartments and exposed to too much humidity.

I'm leaning towards the "HIT" type technology type. These have to be under the water before the inflate. They are more expensive which is why I don't have one yet.

The regular type life jackets work as I've had them on several times when I fell out of my boat and they hold me above the water perfectly. But they are not comfortable.

As I got older I started to wear my life jacket more and more. I was always a good swimmer but I don't get the chance to swim much anymore these days so I'm not sure I could survive in the water if I was too far from shore or shallow water without a life jacket on.

I never feared falling out of the boat until a few years ago when I accidentally lost my balance and fell out of the boat. It's hard to swim holding onto a fishing pole and wearing sandals. I was lucky that the wind blew my boat up onto the shore not too far away from where I fell in. And the water was shallow. I was lucky in that I didn't break a leg or hit my head on the boat. I was conscious and OK but it was harder to swim with all my gear on. I made it back to the boat and was able to climb back into the boat using the motor lower unit to step onto.

The same lake that this happened to me on was the site of a drowning just a few years before my incident. Two fishermen went into the water and only one was able to make it out alive. The other guy drowned and died.

[Tyme2fish]

Excellent hint to use the lower unit to get back into the boat. As long as the motor isn't running!!

I've got power tilt and could probably put my foot on the lower unit and use the trim bottom right on the motor to lift my fat butt back into the boat. Haven't had to try it but it's in my Man Overboard Plans.

[sweetwater]

Excellent hint to use the lower unit to get back into the boat. As long as the motor isn't running!!

I've got power tilt and could probably put my foot on the lower unit and use the trim bottom right on the motor to lift my fat butt back into the boat. Haven't had to try it but it's in my Man Overboard Plans.

If you haven't got one I'd recommend you get a boarding ladder. I looked for the $80 inflatable jackets at BPS's online site and I didn't see them.

[Tyme2fish]

If you haven't got one I'd recommend you get a boarding ladder. I looked for the $80 inflatable jackets at BPS's online site and I didn't see them.

The PFD item number is 1857406. I got their flyer through the mail. If you call the mail order I'm sure they'll honor the sale price.
You're correct that the website doesn't show the sale price. Reg $114.99 on sale for $79.97

[Moveon]

Excellent hint to use the lower unit to get back into the boat. As long as the motor isn't running!!

I've got power tilt and could probably put my foot on the lower unit and use the trim bottom right on the motor to lift my fat butt back into the boat. Haven't had to try it but it's in my Man Overboard Plans.

When I fell out of my boat the motor was not running fortunately. I was fishing at the front of the boat and using the trolling motor with the foot pedal.

Yea definitely don't try this if the motor is running and and the boat motor is in gear. Now I normally turn the motor off when I'm getting someone back into my boat when water skiing. I figured that was a given but I'm glad that you brought this up. Not everyone may know this.

[Tyme2fish]

Now I normally turn the motor off when I'm getting someone back into my boat when water skiing. I figured that was a given but I'm glad that you brought this up. Not everyone may know this.

Never underestimate the stupidity of some people. Yes, it's a given to those that know better but others may not.

[sweetwater]

The PFD item number is 1857406. I got their flyer through the mail. If you call the mail order I'm sure they'll honor the sale price.
You're correct that the website doesn't show the sale price. Reg $114.99 on sale for $79.97

We just ordered two of them. Thanks for making the post Tyme. ;-)

[Tyme2fish]

You're welcome. I know they will be comfortable for you two. When you get them, open them up and read the date on the bobbin.

Just remember the date on the bobbin is the made date and add 3 years to that for the expiration. I'm sure they are still good after expiration but they might go off accidentally if the bobbin is too deteriorated. Mine went off in a friend's boat stored in a hatch when it rained that night. I don't even remember if the jacket was wet or not.