What price do you place on your life?

[peter]

Prayers for those young men and their families. So tragic when something like this happens and could possibly have been avoided. I have not read whether or not these boys had on PFD's or not but I suspect not...then again in those water temps hypothermia sets in quick. I learned the hard way some years ago when I tripped over my trolling motor foot control and fell in. Water temp was 45 degrees and outside air temp was 35. I was lucky in that I was not injured in the fall and that I had a strong client in the boat that was able to pull me back up and over the side pretty quick. I had taken my PFD jacket off when I had gotten up out of the driver seat...habit from my tournament days. Even with getting out of the water pretty quick, by the time we got back to the ramp (about 3 miles) I was really feeling the effects of being in wet clothes in that cold air.

Now when I go out in the cold I have a 300.00 Mustang auto/manual inflate PFD on and don't take it off. There is a reason the U.S. Coast Guard uses the Mustangs. I also have a full change of warm clothing and a towel in a waterproof bag stowed in the boat. I keep my cell phone stowed in a waterproof bag also. I have a boarding ladder on the boat now also.

Not sure what HIT (Auto-Hydrostatic) is..

[Dave Stewart]

If anybody has the inclination to get one now while they are thinking about it.

Amazon.com: Mustang Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (Auto-Hydrostatic),Tan/Black: Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Mustang MD3087 Deluxe Inflatable PFD (Auto Activation) Bass Competition: Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Mustang Deluxe Inflatable PFD with HIT (Auto-Hydrostatic) Bass Competition: Sports & Outdoors

Not sure what HIT (Auto-Hydrostatic) is..

Basically HIT means it will not inflate until it is submerged 4" under water so that it will not inflate while stored in a damp storage box or if you are in heavy rain as some of the cheaper models and brands tend to do.

NOTE: There is a safety advisory on these models from Mustang if you have one that was manufactured during April or May of 2012 in Canada. You can find this safety advisory on the Mustang Website: www.mustangsurvival.com by clicking on the Learn More button of your particular model. You can also check the inside label of your vest to see when and where it was manufactured. Also, read the instructions that come with the vest and perform the self inflation test to ensure there are no leaks in the vest!!

[GeoFisher]

Basically HIT means it will not inflate until it is submerged 4" under water so that it will not inflate while stored in a damp storage box or if you are in heavy rain as some of the cheaper models and brands tend to do.

NOTE: There is a safety advisory on these models from Mustang if you have one that was manufactured during April or May of 2012 in Canada. You can find this safety advisory on the Mustang Website: www.mustangsurvival.com by clicking on the Learn More button of your particular model. You can also check the inside label of your vest to see when and where it was manufactured. Also, read the instructions that come with the vest and perform the self inflation test to ensure there are no leaks in the vest!!

I have two vests, and I check EACH one every year. Easy to do. Most every model has a manual inflation tube to manually blow it up.

Do that, and then leave it overnight. Check the volume of air after a couple days and make SURE the air has not leaked out. That is important. If you find a leak, they are pretty hard to fix, best to get a newer one.

On one of my Mustangs, I found a leak in a seam, and they replaced the entire vest for free.......

Later,

Geo

[Bill M of NJ]

Drowning victim at Hunterdon County reservoir identified as N.Y. man | NJ.com

[peter]

I was shopping for a life vest because I grabbed the wrong one when heading back from the lake and I need one this weekend. I remembered this thread and found it through the search feature. Just thought I would stick it to the top for a while so It might give pause for thought to those like me that don't use one on a regular basis or only when in a scary situation. The one Dave Stewart recommends might be worth the bucks . The fact that it does not inflate until 4" underwater (HIT) and that the Coast Guard uses then, to me makes it a no brainer decision.

[Nanna]

I have to be honest, I had never really thought about one, since I do most of my fishing from the bank. Then one day I was out fishing, and I fell backwards over a rock, a big rock, and landed hard. This was after I slid down a muddy bank. I think I can still feel it thinking about it! That day I could see how easy it could be. I lost a friend to drowning when I was a child, he was only 14, out fishing with two friends...

Last year I bought a vest to wear when I fish alone in isolated spots...I have only wore it once or twice, old habits and what not.... I like it just fine, pockets galore, I should get a pair of waders to match

[peter]

I was shopping for a life vest because I grabbed the wrong one when heading back from the lake and I need one this weekend. I remembered this thread and found it through the search feature. Just thought I would stick it to the top for a while so It might give pause for thought to those like me that don't use one on a regular basis or only when in a scary situation. The one Dave Stewart recommends might be worth the bucks . The fact that it does not inflate until 4" underwater (HIT) and that the Coast Guard uses then, to me makes it a no brainer decision.

I ended up getting one of those Mustang HIT inflatable jackets. I really do forget I have it on even last Saturday on the Cumberland River mid afternoon. A2O in Clarksville IN has them for $219 which is a real good price but still a lot of money. Gonna get an extra cartridge and jump in with it on and see if I could swim to the bank wearing it if I had to. Seems like you would have to swim on your back. They don't recommend them for swift water or white water.

[ragdaddy]

I was reading a story several years ago about a man drowning in the Susquehanna river fishing alone about my same age . I bought an inflatable soon afterwards and wear it religiously. You seriously don't realize you have it on most of the time. One problem was I wore it for a long time feeling real good about it I went to check it to buy a rearming kit and found that the co2 cartridge was not screwed in. Make sure you check it. Also try it on at the store a friend bought 3 and found them uncomfortable so would not wear it except when he thought it was really necessary. I'm pretty sure each drowned person didn't feel it was necessary before falling in. My friend did fall in trying to load his boat and decided to buy one he would wear. I have another friend who bought one after me convincing him to do it and it literally saved his life one day in early spring when he fell out of his boat while fishing alone. Any one of you who can agree that you should wear one but don't just give up and do it. I know old habits are hard but it's not like an addiction or something.
. Ragdaddy