Life Jackets / Vests

[PaBassMan13]

So how many of you out there actually wear a life jacket out on the lake? When tragedy strikes I see comments all over the internet saying how the folks were fools for not wearing a life jacket etc. But yet I see so few folks that actually do wear them. I for one am not the greatest swimmer in the world so I do wear a life jacket even though I am not required to. I prefer my Mustang inflatable vest. Not only is the vest comfortable; it's so lightweight that you almost forget you're even wearing it. Certainly not the least expensive life vest around but I for one cannot put a price on my safety. But seeing so few PFD's worn by folks out on the lake I was just curious who does wear one. For the Tourneys you must wear one when operating the outboard so I am sure that rule is followed; but how many folks take them right off as soon as they shut down the big motor? If anyone is interested; Overton's has some great pricing (and free shipping) on the MIT 100. Plus they have online deals (up to 20% off) which makes them even cheaper. I actually have the manual only version now but my auto/manual inflate is on the way; you never know when you might enter the water unconscious.

 

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Mustang-M-I-T-100-Automatic-Inflatable-PFD&i=845387

 

[Hez]

 

 If anyone is interested; Overton's has some great pricing (and free shipping) on the MIT 100. Plus they have online deals (up to 20% off) which makes them even cheaper. I actually have the manual only version now but my auto/manual inflate is on the way; you never know when you might enter the water unconscious.

 

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Mustang-M-I-T-100-Automatic-Inflatable-PFD&i=845387

 

 

They are actually cheaper on Amazon 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mustang-Survival-M-I-T-Activation-Fluorescent/dp/B00P0DVUK6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494356798&sr=8-3&keywords=mustang+MIT+100

[Spankey]

I remove mine when I shut down. Stays on my seat with kill switch lanyard attached. 

 

You can never be too safe I guess and should wear it all the time. But, I don't. 

[jimf]

Almost never.  

[RoLo]

I plead the 5th

 

Roger

[WestBranch]

I bought an auto inflating one from cabelas and Wear it all the time. Light weight and comfortably.

[Ski213]

I only wear mine when the outboard is running. I really need to change that. 

[22hertz]

I was a boy scout growing up and every year during summer camp I earned the mile swim badge.

Looking at drowning statistics its strange how many people who drowned were proclaimed 'good swimmers'.

 

I bought a Mustang MIT 100 PFD and put it on when getting into my kayak and it doesn't come off until Im back at the boat ramp. Many times I will get out onto the shore and walk around, stretch my legs and make a few casts and I still leave the PFD on. Its lack of bulk makes it easy to forget about and one less thing I have to think of or worry about while on the water.

[3dees]

I wear mine when I'm alone and the big motor is running. I have a Mustang MIT and I am an excellent swimmer. I read the tag on the pfd and it says not for non swimmers. anyone else see that? it might only be for the auto-inflate. maybe I'm missing something but lots of people wear them all the time because they can't swim. I'm confused.

[22hertz]

Its not for non-swimmers because the activation of the PFD takes a couple seconds. During that time you will go under, so the expectation is you should be able to swim for a few seconds while the pill is breaking down to release the firing pin.

[sully420]

Never!!!

[NHBull]

One thing that seldom gets talked about is electrocution.....believe it or not, most boating forums talk about this a lot and adds to the reasoning behind pfd's 

[Ski213]

 

I was a boy scout growing up and every year during summer camp I earned the mile swim badge.

Looking at drowning statistics its strange how many people who drowned were proclaimed 'good swimmers'.

 

I bought a Mustang MIT 100 PFD and put it on when getting into my kayak and it doesn't come off until Im back at the boat ramp. Many times I will get out onto the shore and walk around, stretch my legs and make a few casts and I still leave the PFD on. Its lack of bulk makes it easy to forget about and one less thing I have to think of or worry about while on the water.

I think what often happens is folks get over comfortable in the water. Water is unforgiving.

 

When people know they're going in for a swim they're in control of a lot of the variables. When it's going in at 65mph or even just tripping over the trolling motor it changes things. It's easy to crack your head on the way in and no matter how good a swimmer is they can't swim if theyre unconscious. 

 

I'm not being critical cause I'm as guilty as anyone else. 

[GoneFishingLTN]

I'm looking to buy an auto inflate life jacket by mustang that would be super comfortable. I was looking at the elites are there ever sales on these?

[PaBassMan13]

20 hours ago, Hez said:

 

They are actually cheaper on Amazon 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mustang-Survival-M-I-T-Activation-Fluorescent/dp/B00P0DVUK6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494356798&sr=8-3&keywords=mustang+MIT+100

The one you show listed on Amazon is for the Manual Inflate; not the Auto/Manual Inflate. Still a good price on the manual version though.

14 hours ago, 22hertz said:

Its not for non-swimmers because the activation of the PFD takes a couple seconds. During that time you will go under, so the expectation is you should be able to swim for a few seconds while the pill is breaking down to release the firing pin.

I am not an actual non-swimmer; I am just not a strong swimmer by any means. I would imagine my swimming abilities may be less if put into a "situation". I believe it can take up to 5-10 seconds for it to auto-inflate. I should be good for that amount of time. I just can't see myself swimming 500 yards to the shoreline without one (if I had to). 

What prompted me to create this post was the fact that a man drowned at my local lake less than a week ago. He and two of his buddies went out at midnight on Friday night. Apparently they overloaded the small boat and within a few minutes from leaving the dock the boat started filling with water. The boat flipped over; two of the men swam safely back to shore (about 50 feet away) and the third man did not make it. So of course comments were made about him not wearing a life jacket because that would have "saved his life". But yet so many of these folks that state the guy was stupid for not wearing one I wonder if they themselves are out on the lake without one. Most folks I see on my local lake do not wear them; even when running the big motor. I wear mine all of the time. So I am not saying I cannot swim; I can swim somewhat......but not sure how it would be in a panic situation. 

[Hez]

1 hour ago, PaBassMan13 said:

The one you show listed on Amazon is for the Manual Inflate; not the Auto/Manual Inflate. Still a good price on the manual version though.

 

 

ah...good catch.  

[JustinCT]

Should I? Yes.  Do I?  Ummm, no.  Guess I should start.

[MickD]

I have forgotten to wear mine, but seldom.  I most always wear mine.  Auto inflate, light, free movement, almost like not wearing one.

 

Think of it this way, wear one so your family can easily find the body.  It's a real pain in the butt to have to drag all over a lake looking for the body.

[NHBull]

My father in law (85) came out with me last weekend.

Made him buy one at BPS on the way up.

 

He knew there was no way I was going to jump into the water after him. ?

[BassnChris]

I wear mine 100% of the time on the water.

 

So do my wife and son.

 

If we knew something was going to happen before it happened, we would avoid being in that place at that time.

 

[slonezp]

23 hours ago, 3dees said:

I wear mine when I'm alone and the big motor is running. I have a Mustang MIT and I am an excellent swimmer. I read the tag on the pfd and it says not for non swimmers. anyone else see that? it might only be for the auto-inflate. maybe I'm missing something but lots of people wear them all the time because they can't swim. I'm confused.

No one is allowed in my boat if they can't swim

[frosty]

23 hours ago, 22hertz said:

Its not for non-swimmers because the activation of the PFD takes a couple seconds. During that time you will go under, so the expectation is you should be able to swim for a few seconds while the pill is breaking down to release the firing pin.

Please explain to me what happens when you go in unconscious? I'm an awesome sinker, but a horrible swimmer! I'd like to eventually get an auto inflate to wear but maybe I'd just be better off with a regular life jacket?

23 hours ago, NHBull said:

One thing that seldom gets talked about is electrocution.....believe it or not, most boating forums talk about this a lot and adds to the reasoning behind pfd's 

Can you explain this more? Electrocution from what exactly?

[NHBull]

10 minutes ago, frosty said:

Please explain to me what happens when you go in unconscious? I'm an awesome sinker, but a horrible swimmer! I'd like to eventually get an auto inflate to wear but maybe I'd just be better off with a regular life jacket?

Can you explain this more? Electrocution from what exactly?

Poorly grounded boats and marinas.

It is a big deal with pontoon boats!

I will try to find the links

http://www.boatingmag.com/key-ways-to-prevent-electric-shock-drowning

 

http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/magazine/2013/july/electric-shock-drowning-explained.asp

 

Just Google it and you will be surprised 

 

[frosty]

1 minute ago, NHBull said:

Poorly grounded boats and marinas.

It is a big deal with pontoon boats!

I will try to find the links

Interesting, I had no idea something like that would be that common. 

[gim]

I wear mine when the main outboard is running and the kill switch is attached to it.  If I fished more by myself early in the spring or late in the fall when the water was really cold, I would wear it more often while fishing.