what is the best buoyancy vests & aids i'm useing n/p race sails and i find im useing to much energy water starting

I have a prolimit impact/ weight vest.



It is not a rated pfd but it does help and you can use the pockets for weight or supplies or I guess additional foam.
It floats 5kg of lead easily so maybe 8-9kg of float.





Not bulky and does make a difference and keeps you warmer in winter. I have taken to wearing it all the time. Fix my gps to the shoulder strap.
I got mine from WA Surf for $219.

keef, in addition to what lao shi recomendation ( I use a NP high hook vest same sort of thing) I use one of these floatation devises on boom end at start of season when using big sails. Stops the buggers from sinking. I actually made one from a cut down pool noodle.But they work a treat, and you dont burn up energy
www.easyuphaul.com/waterstarter/default.htm

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mineral1 said...

keef, in addition to what lao shi recomendation ( I use a NP high hook vest same sort of thing) I use one of these floatation devises on boom end at start of season when using big sails. Stops the buggers from sinking. I actually made one from a cut down pool noodle.But they work a treat, and you dont burn up energy

thanks guys, i think the pro limit stuffed with foam looks good, ill make a boom end out of EVA foam , mite be able to get a distance PB

Keef,

I use the NP vest, It has plenty of float and pockets to keep all your spares in..If that NorEaster comes through next weekend I'll be down your way and you can give mine a go. If you like it I can pick one up for you from the Wetspot when I come back down.



Cheers Jason.

Jh2703, Do you wave sail with a NP vest? i brought the same one after nearly drowning a few weeks ago, and was wondering what are they like in the surf? if you loose your board and sail can you still swim ok to your rig?

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jh2703 said...

Keef,

I use the NP vest, It has plenty of float and pockets to keep all your spares in..If that NorEaster comes through next weekend I'll be down your way and you can give mine a go. If you like it I can pick one up for you from the Wetspot when I come back down.

Cheers Jason.

thanks jase ill take you up on that offer the bom is predicting 15 to 25 on tuesday, seabreeze says 15, ill stick some EVA down my wetty

Keef,

Looks like I'll be down on saturday/sunday...Unless the forecast changes that is. Just hope the rain is gone and the northerly swings a bit more to the NE.

Flipper,

I no longer use the vest, I find my harness gives me all the flotation I need. It was good when I was learning to waterstart but have not had it on since. I don't think it would bother you too much in the waves It's not too bulky, Most of the big wave riders these days swear by impact vests with flotation of some type.

Cheers.

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flipper4444 said...

Jh2703, Do you wave sail with a NP vest? i brought the same one after nearly drowning a few weeks ago, and was wondering what are they like in the surf? if you loose your board and sail can you still swim ok to your rig?

Yeah mate, I spend alot of time swimming after my kit, the NP vest will let you go swimming hard with gains, but after a bit of a sprint the friction factor cuts in and just makes it that bit harder to push through the water, but hey!, your afloat

A note, I was thinking about getting a quick release sewn into my harness and vest to stop it from riding up, if you dont have a gut this wont be a proble "Me"

Anyway they work and are good at impact protection as well.

Cheers GT

Keef

+1 for the NP.
Was told (by family) to get one after 1.5km swim

Good impact protection, flotation. You don't notice it when you're having fun.
Sam's got them - cheap insurance/re-assurance

I use one of the NP vests and wrap the bottom strap on the vest thru and around the harness hook where the hook cutout is on the vest.
This prevents the harness riding up at all.(Thanks 4 that tip Mineral)

I'm with Wino on this one. You only need it once and its paid for itself bigtime.
Makes flying those larger cammed sails juse a little bit easier too.

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flipper4444 said...

Jh2703, Do you wave sail with a NP vest? i brought the same one after nearly drowning a few weeks ago, and was wondering what are they like in the surf? if you loose your board and sail can you still swim ok to your rig?

yeah last season i used one in the waves every time.
Greatly reduced hold down time. you pop up like a cork in the whitewash after getting smashed.
swimming is actually easier since you dont have to expend any effort to keep ya head above water.

Yes you can also dive under a wave to avoid one on the head if need be, since they arent that floaty.

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Bertie said...

flipper4444 said...

Jh2703, Do you wave sail with a NP vest? i brought the same one after nearly drowning a few weeks ago, and was wondering what are they like in the surf? if you loose your board and sail can you still swim ok to your rig?

yeah last season i used one in the waves every time.
Greatly reduced hold down time. you pop up like a cork in the whitewash after getting smashed.
swimming is actually easier since you dont have to expend any effort to keep ya head above water.

Yes you can also dive under a wave to avoid one on the head if need be, since they arent that floaty.

Ok, think I might wear one for wave sailing then, cause I want to start getting in to wave sailing. There is a bump and jump spot in vic, where the wind blows like off shore on a point in the bay. And I ended up losing my sail and board in a 40 knot freak gust, while water starting there a few weeks ago. The rig took off like there was no tomorrow. In a few seconds I lost site of the rig, so I swam upwind against the wind swept waves to another guy in trouble, and grabbed onto his rig. I will be always wearing a life jacket at this spot now..

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mineral1 said...

keef, in addition to what lao shi recomendation ( I use a NP high hook vest same sort of thing) I use one of these floatation devises on boom end at start of season when using big sails. Stops the buggers from sinking. I actually made one from a cut down pool noodle.But they work a treat, and you dont burn up energy
www.easyuphaul.com/waterstarter/default.htm

thanks mnieral1 for the tip about the pool noodle , i brought some tube foam from bunnings, used it on my 5/8rss and i couldnt believe the difference it made
i'm 1/2 way through makeing a vest hopefully ill get it done before the decent wind gets here

Keef, just stop falling in, that'll solve your problem>

I have a Pryde impact vest harness combo which works but I don't like the position of the hook.

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Waiting4wind said...

Keef, just stop falling in, that'll solve your problem>

I have a Pryde impact vest harness combo which works but I don't like the position of the hook.

Keef, just stop falling in, that'll solve your problem> your not wrong there des the problem is i like my custom it's about 70lt or less and run a 6/7,there's no room for era and your in the drink, done 57 k's on the CA55 and only dropped 2 jibes with a rss5/8, i must admit it was a sweet combo,
this looks good all it needs is some tabs to conect to the harness,khkkiteboarding.com/collections/impact-vests/products/np-surf-high-hook-kiteboarding-vest?variant=1081938563