Deals

Just bought this Garmin touchscreen 12 incher to replace the Garmin 741 7 inch screen for you youngsters, and a Garmin AIS 600 tx/rx to replace the Garmin AIS Rx only. This is a steal for $1600, friends, if you like 12 inch displays as much as I do! $2500 at Westmarine on clearance.

https://www.boemarine.com/products/garm ... ps-antenna

After getting the boat back from annual service, I'll take pics of the Garmin AIS 300/741 playing well together and sell both here for $550 total together. you pay shipping, cheerful refund within 30 days if it don't work out for you.

Merry Christmas to someone!
Happy shopping, if you find a better deal I'll beat it! (bet you won't).
John
 
>>> Defender 1st >>>

This week's Defender 1st special is an AMAZING deal on inflatable PFDs.
These are all of the Crewfit 35 vests currently left in the US. They
come with all the standard features and provide 35 lbs of buoyancy when
inflated. Defender is offering a choice of manual and automatic vests.
Both are Type V commercial and Type III recreational (when worn). The
manual and the automatic vest come in Blue and in Red (color
availability is strictly while supplies last).

These are high quality USCG approved vests. The inflator on both the
automatic and manual inflation vests are the highly trusted Halkey
Roberts inflators, used on a huge number of inflatable vests. This
insures re-arm kit availability. Crewsaver offers a single Rearm kit
that provides what you need for both vests (sold separately).

At these prices, these PFDs won't last long. And when they are gone,
they are gone!

Check out all the specifications and get the special ActiveCaptain code
at the link below.

Crewfit 35 USCG Inflatable LifeJacket / PFD Automatic: $47.99
(Special Price: $59.99, List Price: $169.94)

Crewfit 35 USCG Inflatable LifeJacket / PFD Manual: $39.99
(Special Price: $49.99, List Price: $149.94)

Special ends: November 29, 2016 at 11:59 PM ET

Get the special price and learn more at:
http://www.defender.com/activecaptain.jsp

D.D.
 
For anyone purchasing these inflatable PFD's, and are not already aware of it, they only count if you are wearing them. IE, if the USCG boards you, just having the inflatable readily accessible doesn't count. They must be worn to be counted. So if you are thinking about buying them to replace the old style, just be aware of that. (With the other style, they just have to be on board and accessible, for each passenger.) I carry both styles, but the inflatables are much smaller so conserve space, and more comfortable to wear. Colby
 
colbysmith":2xgatxo4 said:
For anyone purchasing these inflatable PFD's, and are not already aware of it, they only count if you are wearing them. IE, if the USCG boards you, just having the inflatable readily accessible doesn't count. They must be worn to be counted. So if you are thinking about buying them to replace the old style, just be aware of that. (With the other style, they just have to be on board and accessible, for each passenger.) I carry both styles, but the inflatables are much smaller so conserve space, and more comfortable to wear. Colby
Click to expand...

Can you cite a Coast Guard source for that?

Their life jacket PDF makes no mention of a requirement to be worn.

https://www.uscgboating.org/assets/...ederal-Requirments-for-Recreational-Boats.pdf
 
There really is no rule of thumb any more with inflatable PFDs. The only way to really know is read the USCG label on the PFD. I have older auto-inflatable PFDs that state it must be worn to be counted. My newer ones do not have that requirement.

Unfortunately many USCG boarding officers still go by the rule of thumb that auto-inflatables always must be worn to count. USCG Auxiliary vessel examiners are now taught to read the label on the PFDs as it clearly states whether or not they must be worn.

Read the label.
 
http://sailing.about.com/od/lawsregulations/a/InflatablePFDlegal.htm

That was from an "unofficial" link. However, doing some more quick research, I found this statement on the Hull Truth Forum:
Checking Inflatable Life Jackets During VSC
New Inflatable Life Jackets
Impact the VSC
Inflatable life jackets (PFDs) have gone through an evolution, since the production of the VSC manual, which affects the VSC process.
At the time the VSC manual was produced essentially all inflatable life jackets were “type V” and required that they be worn to count as a viable life jacket. There are now many USCG certified inflatable jackets available that are type II and type III when used on recreational vessels in addition to the type Vs. Further the need for the jacket to be worn to count is dependent on the specific USCG certification of each individual jacket model. Whether the jacket must be worn is printed on the label affixed to the inside of the jacket itself. Therefore,
Vessel Examiners now must check the label on inflatable life jackets to determine whether or not it must be worn to count.
This has been coordinated with the USCG Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety.
R/C Bob Miller
Safety Committee

My boat is more or less closed up for the winter here in the midwest, but I'm pretty sure my inflatables said they must be worn to count. (However, I could be mistaken, and remembering that from the older regs.) IN the end, it doesn't really matter for me, since I carry both types. Colby
 
This comes from the official USCG link:
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp


"Inflatable PFDs have a number of limitations as explained in the "Think Safe" pamphlet provided with them, and in some cases, as marked on them. They are not recommended for non-swimmers and not approved for use on personal watercraft and in water-skiing and similar water sports. Additionally, as characterized in the pamphlet, the reliability of inflatable PFDs is less than that of inherently buoyant PFDs. Some say that maintaining them is easy, but that is a small part of the issue. Actually doing the maintenance is the most frequent problem noted in studies to date. So, while inflatable PFDs may increase use in some circumstances, they aren’t suitable for all boating activities, and their reliability when maintained by boaters is yet to be proven."

Actually, the more I read about the inflatables, the less impressed I am with the two I have for my wife and I. I primarily got them for the comfort of wearing them full time when I'm salmon trolling. Truth is, if I fall overboard in Lake Michigan, I'd probably be better off with the old manual flotation style... There are some annual requirements for maintaining the inflatables, such as replacing the automatic inflation bobbin every 12 months. It's also worthwhile to get in the water with them each season to be sure they work. That then requires a new bobbin and cylinder, which is just about what you would pay for the cheap orange life vests... Colby

Colby
 
colbysmith":a3b33l19 said:
This comes from the official USCG link:
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp


"Inflatable PFDs have a number of limitations as explained in the "Think Safe" pamphlet provided with them, and in some cases, as marked on them. They are not recommended for non-swimmers and not approved for use on personal watercraft and in water-skiing and similar water sports. Additionally, as characterized in the pamphlet, the reliability of inflatable PFDs is less than that of inherently buoyant PFDs. Some say that maintaining them is easy, but that is a small part of the issue. Actually doing the maintenance is the most frequent problem noted in studies to date. So, while inflatable PFDs may increase use in some circumstances, they aren’t suitable for all boating activities, and their reliability when maintained by boaters is yet to be proven."

Actually, the more I read about the inflatables, the less impressed I am with the two I have for my wife and I. I primarily got them for the comfort of wearing them full time when I'm salmon trolling. Truth is, if I fall overboard in Lake Michigan, I'd probably be better off with the old manual flotation style... There are some annual requirements for maintaining the inflatables, such as replacing the automatic inflation bobbin every 12 months. It's also worthwhile to get in the water with them each season to be sure they work. That then requires a new bobbin and cylinder, which is just about what you would pay for the cheap orange life vests... Colby

Colby
Click to expand...

I use inflatable PFDs from Mustang and only use inflatables. I do that since:
1) they are much more likely to be worn due to the comfort
2) they provide a better range of movement when fishing, netting fish, pulling crab pots etc.
3) they are cooler in warm weather

I've had friends on my boat ("macho men") who really didn't want to listen to me when I told them they had to wear their PFD at all times. With the inflatables, I can tell them that the law requires it. Compliance is now 100% with no hard feelings.
 
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