Best high performance life vests?

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02-05-2014 | 07:23 PM

#21

boatfreak

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Joined: Mar 2002

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From: Indy

Lifelines for sure. I have 6 onboard as well as inflatables and jackets for the man if they question the lifelines. I love them and always wear them if running hard.

02-05-2014 | 07:24 PM

#22

underpsi68

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Quote:

Originally Posted by boating37

I went with 6 Lifeline Jackets, my passengers safety and mine to me is well worth spending the money. And if I ever did get stopped I do have 6 West Marine inflatables.

Don't the inflatable vests have to be on to be considered a USCG life jacket?

02-05-2014 | 07:55 PM

#23

242LS

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From: East Greenwich, RI

Quote:

Originally Posted by underpsi68

Don't the inflatable vests have to be on to be considered a USCG life jacket?

Yep - you're right.

Why aren't Lifeline's USCG approved? I ended up getting the Mustang 100mph rated (MV4600 I think) as they were USCG approved (and I don't go that fast anyway - not by choice though!)

02-05-2014 | 08:14 PM

#24

boating37

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From: Tampa

Quote:

Originally Posted by underpsi68

Don't the inflatable vests have to be on to be considered a USCG life jacket?

Did not know that, you can learn something every day, thank you. I'll buy six orange vest and put them up front, just in case.

02-05-2014 | 08:54 PM

#25

Pwraddr

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Joined: Aug 2011

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From: Metro Detroit

Quote:

Originally Posted by 242LS

Because they are made to your size. So they would have to certify every one they sew up. If it was a small medium large deal they could do it and it would be more affordable.

This is what Ken told me.

02-05-2014 | 09:01 PM

#26

Dave M

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Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 5,664

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From: Hollywood, MD, USA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expensive Date

http://www.machovec.com/catalog/mv5600.htm I got this for poker runs, and just running hard in the ocean, I like it

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wobble

Did you see this one? http://www.mustangsurvival.com/recre...601?country=25

I have a 5600, and several 4600's. They seem to be quality items.

I'd really like to see some real world test results of these vs. Lifelines at 3X the cost.

Regardless of whether you are going 50 MPH or 100 MPH, I think there are a lot of other factors that will determine whether you survive or not.

02-05-2014 | 09:08 PM

#27

chris21hope

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Joined: Aug 2012

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From: Grand Rapids, MI

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slippery

Agreed...it would take the wrong cop / wrong day / wrong location to hassle you about the Lifeline you're wearing not being USCG...but...it can happen.

Grand Haven Mi is notorious for "nitpicky" stuff ESPECIALLY if you aren't driving a fisher or cruiser.

I had customers with me in Grand Haven and was stopped and safety checked while we were demonstrating the boat to them. We were good, but the cop - sheriff, not USCG - was giving us a hard time about how we had our dealer tags mounted to the boat. It finally got to the point that I told him "Write your ticket. I can find the courthouse and we'll let the judge give us his interpretation of permanently affixed". No ticket written but he definitely was looking for an excuse to hassle someone & there's not a doubt in my mind that he would ticket you for not having a USCG approved vest aboard even if you were wearing a LIfeline.

Funny you say this, because I boat out of Grand Haven all summer. I was 'safety checked' four times last year, and three of the times they were great. The other time it seemed like they didn't care to see the go-fast types out on the water and were pretty pushy.

02-05-2014 | 09:11 PM

#28

chris21hope

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From: Grand Rapids, MI

Great info! I never really doubted the quality of lifelines, but didn't want to drop that much cash if there was something else of comparable quality on the market for less dollars. The money is definitely worth the added protection!

02-05-2014 | 09:43 PM

#29

Slippery

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Joined: Jan 2014

Posts: 409

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From: W. Mich.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris21hope

We're just north of Grand Rapids, not far from Hardy Dam. We used to boat at Grand Haven fairly often; if we were on my dad's Tiara we never got hassled. If we were in any kind of hot rod it was another story, so we quit spending our money there…way too many nice places in Mi where as long as you're not acting like an azz-hat you don't have any problems.

It's really a shame - GR Haven is a great town but the sheriff patrol seemed to really have it out for anything resembling a hot rod.

In all fairness that was 20 years ago & things may have changed…..but based on my previous experience & what I've heard/read we won't try it with the new boat…I know it won't pass a db meter and it has no rub rail…I don't need a big repair bill from some overzealous deputy trying to put another "notch" on his ticket pad.

s

02-06-2014 | 07:42 AM

#30

thirdchildhood

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Joined: Oct 2005

Posts: 5,825

Likes: 612

From: Clarkston, Michigan

First off, the lower end lifelines are NOT custom made. They will ask your measurements and send the appropriate size off the shelf. Second, while I do carry a range of sizes in neoprenes, the Coast Guard has never given me any trouble regarding my lifeline not being approved. If I'm wearing it I am already on their good side. They want to see people wearing life vests!

Another observation: my lifeline does not always turn me onto my back. I've tried it several times and I stay face down.

Last edited by thirdchildhood; 02-06-2014 at 07:50 AM.

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