Hobie Cat Forums

Looking for a Personal flotation device which can be worn while sailing the TI. Meaning there is nothing on the back to make seating uncomfortable.
It should be well made but inexpensive.

I suspect the answer will be a Type III PFD

Any recommendations?

You have a couple of options, we sell high-back foam style PFD's built by Stoilquist that work awesome. If you want something that's even a bit nicer you can go for the suspender type inflatible PFD - those are a touch more $ but it's like you aren't wearing anything.
Both are available from your Hobie dealer.

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Jacques Bernier
http://www.hobiecat.com/
http://www.facebook.com/HobieCatCompany

I've had several models and currently own the Hobie inflatable.

If you are in colder climates, the foam models will break the wind and retain body heat, That's a nice feature. Hobie's is great.

But because I hike in and out all day, fish, etc the freedom of the inflatable is what I crave. You can launch, land or swim in these without being slowed down.

The problem is, these low profile models lack any real storage or even accessory tabs for attaching your VHF/knife/camera/etc. That's a real drawback. I like to wear my radio.

If you go inflatable, check out the west marine offshore model. It's better, more comfortable than the Hobie and has a safety harness. Only buy a "manual" inflatable model, like Hobie's. These are harder to find.

None of these mentioned so far are "cheap" but they will last, and are the right tool for any captain doing serious boating.

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"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."
- Ayn Rand

If you go to a specialist kayaking shop, they should have a good range of PFD's with cutaway backs, if you don't want to go with an inflatable.

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I'm in Texas. The lake water and gulf water is relatively warm.
I doubt I will actually ever wear the jacket as the requirement is that it only be at the ready for each person aboard. If it were cold water, I would probably wear one, but then again, I probably would not go sailing if the water were cold.

As I've grown older it has dawned on me that (1) accidents happen, (2) they often happen fast, and (3) they happen when you least expect them (remember, they are accidents.) With that in mind, I've quit using inflatables (I usually don't sail in the heat of the summer in S FL.) It seems to me, if you do have a real accident--the type where you need a PFD--you may be unconscious, and unable to inflate your inflatable. (I don't like automatic inflating inflatables because they have a habit of firing unexpectedly.) For that reason, I have a Hobie high-back PFD designed for Mirage kayaks.

The Coast Guard actually recommends inflatables. Their argument is that more people will wear an inflatable rather than a traditional PFD. They have data indicating that it is better to be wearing ANY PFD, when an accident occurs, then no PFD.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

a set of these

We always wear our manually-operated inflatables, find them most comfortable in the Florida sun [along with hats and high-UPF-rated clothing].

If you are in the market, West Marine has a better price than Hobie.

If you aren't going to wear them, you probably can't beat THESE.

I can envision times when I would wear it, for example if I were out in the gulf and the sea turned nasty...or perhaps when passing through the breakers at the beach. But if the weather is good and the water relatively calm, I would stow them

Keith, along that line of thinking (better to wear) I feel the inflatables may be a safer choice because they are much easier to put on and forget about.

In other words, they are more likely to be put on (before they are needed).

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"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."
- Ayn Rand

I gotta weigh in with Keith on this one. I'm not worried about falling out of the boat - I'm tethered and I can swim. I'm more concerned with being hit by some dill in a power boat and if that happens, I'm likely to be injured or unconscious. That's when I want my PFD to be in place and working.

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Split;
Check out Basspro they have a new one out now that looks like the Stoilquist with the fold down benchs for rigging lures and such. I bought one a few weeks ago and it's pretty comfy. It has a high back so it's above the seat. It cost about 75.00 so it's not as bad as some of the higher fishing PFD's. Good Luck.

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"Riding The Island Wind" RIPIT (Tim)
'08 Red Hibiscus AI w/2013 replacement hull, Lovin' it!!!
'11 Golden Papaya AI (for a chap)
'10 Outback w/sail
'11 Tarpon 160

Your LIFE JACKET can't save your life if it's stowed away. Accidents happen and people die in calm water. Read this and wake up. Stay alive.

http://duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=189754;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

There are many many more stories just like it.

Split;
Also, I'm like you as I live in Texas and don't normally wear a PFD when I'm fishing in the Bay marshes. But I do have a inflatable stuffed right behing my seat. In the marshes you don't have to worry about getting run over by PB's cause they can't run and that shallow water. I did buy the one from BassPro for fishing offshore this summer with the Adventureislanders.com guys. Hope this helps. Come down and fish we us and check out the site above.

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"Riding The Island Wind" RIPIT (Tim)
'08 Red Hibiscus AI w/2013 replacement hull, Lovin' it!!!
'11 Golden Papaya AI (for a chap)
'10 Outback w/sail
'11 Tarpon 160