Suspender-type PFD Regulations

Casey · Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 5:21 pm Post subject: Suspender-type PFD Regulations

We just ordered two Type III, manual inflating suspender-type PFD's from Mustang. Now I want to reconfirm my "understanding" of suspender-type PFD's and relevant USCG reg's.

From what I read the manually inflatable suspenders are TYPE III and meet USCG regs regardless of whether you are wearing them or not. On the otherhand the auto-inflating suspenders are TYPE V, but must be worn to meet USCG PFD reg's.

See: http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/082000c.htm

All this may be somewhat irrelevant since the whole purpose of getting suspender-type PFD's IS TO WEAR THEM. On the other hand the TYPE III vs TYPE V classification seem to be splitting hairs - but I want to understand it (I don't need to understand the rationale!)

Thought I'd throw this out there for any of our USCG/A members to respond-to. Have I got it right???

Best,
Casey&Mary

beermanPDX · Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 5:50 pm Post subject:

Short answer - check the label on the PFD. That is what the USCG AUX is instructing vessel examiners to do in my neck of the woods. Too many things have changed for accurate rules of thumb. The label will state whether or not it must be worn in order to qualify. My guess is that yours will say it qualifies as a Type III for recreational use without the need to be worn. The label will also state the requirements for commercial use which may differ with respect to wear requirements.

There are auto-inflating PFDs that count even when not worn...I have one. But I also have two auto-inflating PFDs with offshore harness attachement points. Those attachment points make it a special use PFD and the labels say it must be worn to count.

Check the label.

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:34 pm Post subject:

I had always thought that both III and IV had to be worn to be "counted" and that is why we carry the type II aboard, if we are not wearing the PFD. I have been told by both CG and LEO in the past that was the rule. Is there a new rule? I did not find it in the CG site:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp

If this is true--that a manually inflatable PFD is counted and an automatic is not--then what about the manual deployment of the type V? Many of these, including the ones I own have a manual inflatable tab, as well as the bobbin for automatic inflation.

beermanPDX · Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:48 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 10:26 pm Post subject:

beermanPDX, Thank you,
You are correct I meant type V, not type IV.

I appreciate the link to your inspection manual, and have down loaded it as a PDF file on my computer.

I had been told several times that the type III needed to be worn. It either has changed, or the people who told me were mistaken. However, I'll still carry a couple of the Type II aboard.....

Just to see if I had read this somewhere, I got out the 3 volumes of Chapmans I own: 1958, Edition V 500 pages, 1981 55th edition, 640 pages (and pretty beat up after over 100,000 miles at sea) and 66th edition, 2009, 925 pages, printed in China! What a difference in the PFD's--no types in the 1955 edtion! There were cork belts from WWII type PDF. in 1981, the type III had appeared, but far different than we have today,