Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) PFD Recommendations (Read 4226 times)
CORETRON
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PFD Recommendations
06/01/18 at 09:50:22
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I'm in the market for a vest-style PFD and wondered what you guys like. Do you prefer auto-inflate or manual inflate?
Looking at Mustang - is there anything I should know?

-Corey
  
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Darren Thomas
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #1 - 06/01/18 at 11:03:28
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Auto inflate. Manual does you no good if you are knocked out.
  
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Elway4lyfe
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #2 - 06/01/18 at 14:44:07
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I wont use either. No guarantee it will wrk. Had a buddy fly out fdoing 60 slmodt knocked out. Vest failed to inflate
  
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Darren Thomas
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #3 - 06/01/18 at 15:17:35
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Elway4lyfe wrote on 06/01/18 at 14:44:07:
I wont use either. No guarantee it will wrk. Had a buddy fly out fdoing 60 slmodt knocked out. Vest failed to inflate


Yep, best to use an actual vest when running. The padding helps for impact and it is guaranteed to work. I get lazy sometimes though and just use my auto-inflate knowing it can malfunction.
  
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Rodney H
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #4 - 06/02/18 at 06:47:41
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Mustang pdf's are top of the line. I had an inflatable fail when I stepped off of the front of my boat expecting shallow water not knowing there was a deep hole from prop wash though I was beached on the gravel bar. I went fully under and walked up very quickly. Did not inflate. Get US Coast Gaurd approved foam filled.
  

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CORETRON
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #5 - 06/02/18 at 15:03:48
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Great input guys, thanks!
  
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Chris B.
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #6 - 06/05/18 at 07:53:37
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I had a little incident at stump filled Lake Kapowsin over the weekend.  It got cloudy so the stumps were harder to see. In my small boat I was moving fairly slow ready to cast and must have hit a smaller tree.  Boat came to a abrupt stop, lost my balance enough to where I knew I was going in.  Kinda flopped jumped in away from the boat cause I knew the prop was spinning.   I was wearing my Mustang Survival automatic because it had started raining and most people went home, plus it's the smart thing to do out on that lake.  The PFD went off like it was supposed to as I was under water, and I even got my rod back.  Luckily the boat was spinning in circles so I was able to grab it and turn the motor off, swim it to shore and get back in.  Even fished for another hour as the possible rain wouldn't get me any wetter  Cheesy 
I guess the only way to be 100% safe is to wear a normal life vest, but I would say don't buy a cheap inflator style.  A manual inflate is almost worthless if you are knocked out leaving the boat at high speeds, or bonk your head on a stump or the edge of the boat on the way down. 
My vest is close to 10 years old and I recharged it myself in 2015? so at the least I know I did it correctly.  $90 recharge kit and lesson learned, watch out for stumps even more carefully  Angry
  

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Elway4lyfe
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #7 - 06/05/18 at 08:14:21
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Chris I live 10min from kapowsin and you are lucky! Annually there is a drowning case in that lake because of the tress underwater. Glad to hear your ok!!
  
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Chris B.
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #8 - 06/05/18 at 11:38:23
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Elway4lyfe wrote on 06/05/18 at 08:14:21:
Chris I live 10min from kapowsin and you are lucky! Annually there is a drowning case in that lake because of the tress underwater. Glad to hear your ok!!


I'm surprised there aren't more.  It looks like the most popular lake with the improved launch but it's also the most dangerous.  I'll scratch it off the night fishing list for sure.  Cheesy
  

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Rodney H
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #9 - 06/06/18 at 05:42:07
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Good to hear you lived a great safety story!
  

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CORETRON
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Re: PFD Recommendations
Reply #10 - 06/07/18 at 09:20:15
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I used one of the ones Says has in his boat last Sunday - Kayak style foam. I didn't even take it off and felt comfortable all day. I will probably go with one of those. Again, digging the club & really appreciate everyone's input.
  
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