Strip Poker 388

iTrader: (6)

My local Bass Pro shops has the Automatic vest on sale, $74.94 till March 14th.


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st..._SearchResults

Panther

Have the Lifelines been USCG approved yet? Otherwise you need two sets of jackets on the boat to be legal.

For me, the amount of $$ the jacket costs it's a real thorn in their side to NOT be USCG approved. What if there's an accident and your passenger gets killed/hurt from a non-USCG approved jacket? That's always been looming on the back of my mind.

MrOffshore

I've run the Mustang Survival inflatables (automatic)...sure they're comfortable when you're in the boat, but that's not really why you wear a life preserver now is it? You wear them to save you life if you're thrown overboard...you need to look at what kind of boating you do (that's kind of a rhetorical comment), of course we're talking offshore powerboating with speeds over 50mph (slow by most standards) and quite simply the vest type inflatables simply aren't designed for ejections at those speeds.

It was posted early and not to repeat it but at those speeds (and higher) you can bet an inflatable isn't going to be on your body when you hit the water...but hey, you looked good for the pictures and you were comfortable so maybe that's a fair trade-off.

There's a reason Lifeline makes a jacket like they do...because different types of boating take different types of life jackets...Lifeline is the best at what they do for a reason.

Now...what was I thinking when I ran mine...not sure really, but I didn't run them long. On wet, rainy or even a humid day my Mustangs would "boom" inflate...sitting in the cabin or on my body...no real water...just a hot humid day and pow it inflated. Rendering it useless unless I left it inflated.

As remarked above, they're fine for fisherman around the dock...not sure I suggest them for pro fisherman with bassboats that can run faster than most of the OSO members offshore boats...if they're ejected they're coming off too. They're nice for sailboats...comfortable and safe at those speeds....but as for using them in your circumstances...I wouldn't suggest it. Self inflatables will be going off all the time and you'll spend more in replacement cartridges than you would in a nice Lifeline...get the manual one and you won't be conscious to pull the cord (if you're lucky enough that it's still with you when the carnage stops).

Good luck!! Go Lifeline.

GLH

Actually to satisfy everyone here you should have a space suit with a Gemini rocket on it to get a million miles away the moment someone farts on your boat.....

Gizmo

I purchased two lifelines a few years back and haven't regretted it one minute. I was asked why I spent that much $$$ on life jackets. I chuckled, then said that my girlfriend and I are both worth more than the $$$ spent. BTW, before the lifelines I bought two of the auto inflate jackets. We wore them once and took them off the boat. I just didn't feel safe.
my .02 worth!

Panther

It may be the best jacket in the world but I still don't understand why they haven't applied for USCG approval.. Or if they have, why does it not meet the regs?

I probably wont buy them untilthey do. For now it's jetski impact vests for me.

hotjava66

This thread is timely for me, I just got my boat and need to procure some good life jackets. I have looked at the lifelines but the uscg thing and price has held me off them. I dont want auto inflatables, what else is out there of good quality and comfort. I have heard Mustang makes a good one, what else, who makes the jetski impact ones?

boatfreak

I have 4 of the auto inflatables but I think it's time to step up and buy the lifelines. Trust me I've had these for a few years and I really think they are just to satisfy the organizers of the runs because if you hit the water at 90 the jacket may inflate but I really doubt it will be on you when it does. Does anyone know who has the best price on Lifelines?