Your thoughts on inflatable PDFs

[musicmanontheseas]

I hope to start sailing soon and planned on buying an inflatable PFD with a built in harness. Someone of great knowledge shared with me not to buy an inflatable. They said that the contents in the CO2 breakdown the materials of the PDF once it is used and therefore the PFD wasn't any good any more once it was used. I thought you would just get another CO2 and reuse the jacket. What are the facts???

[poopdeckpappy]

I have 6 of them, we test them once a year, 2 I have had for 5yrs and 4 I've had for 3yrs, I don't believe the CO2 will damage the pdf's

[musicmanontheseas]

Do you recommend them for sailing?

Someone just asked me yesterday what was a poopdeck? I couldn't tell them.

Tom

[Sixpoint]

Poopdeck - lots of subtle variations and such, but generally speaking it's the deck furthest astern. Most of the modern sailing vessels I've seen don't have a poopdeck as such, as that's where the cockpit is.

[musicmanontheseas]

Thanks Sixpoint
What a funny name for an important place!

Any comments on the usage of inflatable PDFs?
Tom

[musicmanontheseas]

Originally Posted by poopdeckpappy

I have 6 of them, we test them once a year, 2 I have had for 5yrs and 4 I've had for 3yrs, I don't believe the CO2 will damage the pdf's

Thanks Poopdeckpappy!

[mdbee]

I think you may need to reassess your opinion of him: "someone with great knowledge". Do you honestly think that could be true? (CO2 issue) Can you imagine the liability issues if that would be the case?

The only issues that I am aware of is that periodically it may be good to replace the arming mechanism and to test the pfd. Also it's best not to leave the pfd in a high humidity area when not being used on your boat. I always take mine home and keep it inside my house. (might be a good idea not to leave it in a hot car either)

Originally Posted by musicmanontheseas

I hope to start sailing soon and planned on buying an inflatable PDF with a built in harness. Someone of great knowledge shared with me not to buy an inflatable. They said that the contents in the CO2 breakdown the materials of the PDF once it is used and therefore the PDF wasn't any good any more once it was used. I thought you would just get another CO2 and reuse the jacket. What are the facts???

[poopdeckpappy]

Yes I do, they're very comfortable and don't restrict movement

Poopdeck is either a raised deck area behind the helm and also a deck that forms the roof of a cabin at the stern; I have a raised deck behind my helm and when otto is in control it's my favorite place to stand and look out

also a following seas breaking over your stern or stern deck is called being pooped

[CapTim]

I wear an inflatable, have for years. It's great. I prefer the kind that don't auto-deploy. When the weather gets really rough, I put on a 'normal' vest-type PFD over the top of the inflatable.
By doing so, I gain the physical protection offered by the vest type pfd, which can be handy if you get tossed around a bit.
Additionally, I figure that if I get knocked on the noggin and tossed overboard, the vest will keep me afloat. Alternatively, if I get tossed overboard but come up under a boat/sail/other bad thing, I can just slip out of the vest, swim away, and then still have the backup inflatable to deploy if necessary.

I know.. I've really over-thought that 'worst case scenario' thing.. but then, that's sort of how I am with worst case scenarios.

As a final thought, the reason most people call me daft when they find out I prefer the non-auto inflatables is that, should I get hit in the head, the auto will inflate when I hit the water and I'll be fine. My answer to that only in sailing do we wear vests to protect from head injuries. Every other sport would recommend a helmet. Seems to me that if one really wants to protect oneself from a head injury, a helmet is the best option. Auto-inflate vests are a silly way to secure the brain box.

[arf145]

Just for the record, I think it's PFD, for Personal Flotation Device, rather than PDF.