Hi All
as the LOC has tightened up on its safety rules and wont let me use my old type III PFD anymore I will have to get a new type II one.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what is a good one to go for and what I should look for or avoid?

Im thinking pockets for flares would be nice to have and do any of them double up as an impact vest ?

TIA

I've recently got a Rip Curl D-bomb. It's type III, but the only difference between the II and III is high-vis colour. It's excellent. It's like it's not there. It was highly recommended by a guy I sail with.

I looked into this just recently, and like you I thought a pocket for flares would be a good idea.
Then someone said to me that with the possibility of impacting something hard and possibly rupturing the flare they wouldn't want something like that near their face.
Sounded like good reasoning to me, especially as I had hit the mast and boom recently.
Other options for the flares given included taping them to the boom, putting them up the mast ( makes access in an emergency a bit difficult) or putting them in a waterproof bag in a bum bag. I liked that last option. Easy to get at if you really do need them, but out of the way. Flare size bumbags are not common but Caribee do one and you can get them at Big W for $16. Ricey sails with his flares in a bumbag all the time so they are obviously not a hindrance.

Back to the PFD
You can get a Burke PFD 50 from Whitworths that has a pocket big enough to hold 2 flares for $70.
Comfy except I found it didn't sit well over my harness and wanted to ride up.

I got an NPX PFD from WSP. They assured me they get them in for events such as the LOC and that it complies. No pockets though. It is really comfy and doesn't ride up even in the water. I don't even need to put my harness hook through it to hold it down.
Yes, it doubles as an impact vest and has a lot more buoyancy than my last one. I wear it all the time while sailing now.

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Windxtasy said...

I looked into this just recently, and like you I thought a pocket for flares would be a good idea.
Then someone said to me that with the possibility of impacting something hard and possibly rupturing the flare they wouldn't want something like that near their face.
Sounded like good reasoning to me, especially as I had hit the mast and boom recently.
Other options for the flares given included taping them to the boom, putting them up the mast ( makes access in an emergency a bit difficult) or putting them in a waterproof bag in a bum bag. I liked that last option. Easy to get at if you really do need them, but out of the way. Flare size bumbags are not common but Caribee do one and you can get them at Big W for $16. Ricey sails with his flares in a bumbag all the time so they are obviously not a hindrance.

Back to the PFD
You can get a Burke PFD 50 from Whitworths that has a pocket big enough to hold 2 flares for $70.
Comfy except I found it didn't sit well over my harness and wanted to ride up.

I got an NPX PFD from WSP. They assured me they get them in for events such as the LOC and that it complies. No pockets though. It is really comfy and doesn't ride up even in the water. I don't even need to put my harness hook through it to hold it down.
Yes, it doubles as an impact vest and has a lot more buoyancy than my last one. I wear it all the time while sailing now.

Must be getting old.. ( So do I )...

thanks, though your not making this sound very macho

JSN - unfortunately the rules now are type 1 or 2 not 3's allowed, I have a 3 thats done a fair few LOCs. (can tell by the various marks made inside it at registrations).

the funny thing is that in previous years they always marked the jacket so only one person could register with it, this year they didnt bother but were "stricter" about what you could register.

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hardpole said...

thanks, though your not making this sound very macho

Sorry, I'm not very macho, just practical.