# PFD problems



## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi folks , i know there has been a lot of posts about which is the best PFD , i have Gorge Ultra , its a nice looking new PFD , but it rides up round my face all the time and drives me mad , does anyone have a PFD that dosnt do this , i am tempted to go to the yolk type PFD, but dont know anything about them , if you have one of those in manuel inflation does that mean that you have to blow it up when you fall in ????, and if you have the automatic , does it inflate as soon as you fall in . and if the automatic inflates when you fall in , do you have to get it recharged again ??. Does anyone use a STOLQUIST [spelling ], and if so do they ride up in your face , any help will be very much appreciated , as i cant fish offshore till i solve the problem , and i wanna kingfish .


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

I use a MACPAC one, no problems, snug and has a drink bladder pocket in the rear, 3 front pockets, nice. Does not ride up.


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## alfie (Sep 20, 2007)

bazzoo said:


> Hi folks , i know there has been a lot of posts about which is the best PFD , i have Gorge Ultra , its a nice looking new PFD , but it rides up round my face all the time and drives me mad , does anyone have a PFD that dosnt do this , i am tempted to go to the yolk type PFD, but dont know anything about them , if you have one of those in manuel inflation does that mean that you have to blow it up when you fall in ????, and if you have the automatic , does it inflate as soon as you fall in . and if the automatic inflates when you fall in , do you have to get it recharged again ??. Does anyone use a STOLQUIST [spelling ], and if so do they ride up in your face , any help will be very much appreciated , as i cant fish offshore till i solve the problem , and i wanna kingfish .


I had the same problem with my RFD jacket. I ended up getting some 1" webbing and buckle, stitched on a crotch strap. I split open a wetsuit material stubby holder and stitched it into a long tube to go over the strap to limit the wedgie factor.

Haven't tried it on the water yet 'cause of the damn weather and work. Hope it works O.K., it was a bitch to sew on. I had to use saddlery needles. You could possibly get a marine trimmer to to it if you don't want to hand sew it.


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## Donutslayer (Jun 9, 2007)

Yoke types. 
automatic self inflates when the trigger gets wet. Not a good thing on a kayak. Manual means you need to pull the ripcord for it to inflate. Both types can be inflates by mouth if required.
Except for the service requirments, thes PFDs are a pretty good thing.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Donutslayer said:


> Both types can be inflates by mouth if required.
> .


In reference to the manual version....Donut if you have inflated one by mouth can you deflate it as well later, for further use, or does it have to be returned to dealer/maker for resetting??


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## Clarkos (Oct 11, 2006)

With the canister inflatables, they have expirey dates on the canisters, so need to be replaced at set periods. Not sure what they are though. That's my 2c.

Mine doesn't ride up too much. I have it fitted very snugly though. I also went for the medium rather than large size as it felt a better fit even though the large was the recomended size. I can't remember the brand, but it was one of the ones used by lots here and I bought it at Blue Earth.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Steve , i'de say its the same as mine , as i bought it at blue earth also , and Julie said it was the one all the kayakers are buying , Steve , you are slim and nubile of figure , wheras i am a little more [ read lot ] rotund , and this may exaccibate my problem .With the manual inflate pfd yolk type , once its inflated where do we go from here when we want it deflated and ready to use again , do you only get one inflate out of a cannister , and once inflated and deflated does it have to go back to have a new cannister fitted , as you can see , i have no idea about these PFD s, or in fact any PFDs as i'm a bit of a dinasour and apart from having to wear "something "to race catamarrans in another life, i have never had anything to do with PFDs .Any help at all guys is much appreciated.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

bazzoo said:


> , wheras i am a little more [ read lot ] rotund , and this may exaccibate my problem .With the manual inflate pfd yolk type , once its inflated where do we go from here when we want it deflated and ready to use again , do you only get one inflate out of a cannister .


Baz I see many old farts like us, and who are using PFDs wearing them, as they are so compact and cool in our climate when worn and not inflated..and pretty sure it is one inflation per can, ... it is the mouth blow up I am interested in so it could be puffed up only if it got joggly as a precaution, rather than fully inflated by ripcord and can when in the drink.

I'll make it my business to look in Whitworths and get the good guts re all aspects of them


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2008)

Baz

The real problem is that know one makes a PDF for fat barstards like you and me, If they did you would'nt be talking about it. Isn't the hobie pdf made by that sohelst mob, doesn't it have a high back flotation and a better front to help this discomfort. Hell I never wear my pdf and your problem is probably why I don't wear it.

Like a said if the world catered for fat B's like us and not skinny people we would be right, :lol:

Best of luck, if you find one that has a superb fit, let me know 

Cheers


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Barry - I also have the Ultra Gorge PFD however I'm a tad slimmer than you.

The problem is that the waist straps on most PFD's are designed to sit underneath the belly. If you have 'more than a 6 pack' stomach (ie a keg), it's going to be difficult to get that strap around, and as such the pfd will ride up.

I have the XXL size PFD and I crank the straps as tight as I can.

Heres a thought... maybe you should strap an inflatable doll to yourself 'just in case of emergency'.....


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Davey G said:


> Heres a thought... maybe you should strap an inflatable doll to yourself 'just in case of emergency'.....


Davey , you cheeky bugger , but what a great thought , i wonder if they make Sandra Bullock inflatable lookalikes , then i would get on the water more often and i'm sure i would have a few emergencies :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

bazzoo said:


> i wonder if they make Sandra Bullock inflatable lookalikes , then i would get on the water more often and i'm sure i would have a few emergencies :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


yep pretty sure that 'blow up dolls.com' still has a few Sandra Bullock models left. Although I got the last of the Megan Gale and Jennifer Hawkins models, so you're out of luck there big fella.... :lol: :lol:


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## Baldy (Oct 1, 2007)

Gday Bazza

I'll throw a vote in for the yoke type mate, having only recently got one myself I wish I got one years ago now. 
As far as inflating and deflating them goes I can only speak for the stormy seas one but on the end of the pipe you blow into to inflate it has a valve and you use the back of the cap that covers the pipe to deflate it. And yeah the gas cylinders in them are a one shot deal but I look at it like this,Im only ever going to rip that cord if the proverbial poo hits the fan so its not like you will use one every trip. And you can replace the cylinder yourself but once again on the rare[hopefully never] occasion I have to use it I'll send it back for a service, I think the price is reasonable and a reported quick turnaround[3days] They reccomend a service every 12months but to be honest I think thats a bit of overkill, if ya look after it, rinse after a salt trip and check the gas cylinder is secure every now and then. I plan on sending mine back once every couple of years. [might pay to check your local regs but theres nothing I could see on the MAST site for Tas that says they need to be certified yearly] And in any case pfd1's are not required by law while on a kayak in Tas so even if the annual service is mandatory to meet the standards im not going to get booked for it. Only problem I could have is if I went in a boat offshore in an "off year" !! but i'll cross that bridge if I get there 8)

http://www.inflatablelifejackets.com.au/stormypfd.aspx some info on them there, shop around though, I picked my up for $99 on xmas eve no less!!

Hope thats the sort of info you and Dodge were after mate, im starting to sound like a bloody advert for them, buy any brand...I just think they are great for what we do. The only negative thing ive heard about them is if your knocked out you obviously cant inflate them and I will admit thats the only downside i can see but geez its not like its the only time we sacrifice safety for comfort, otherwise we would all be driving cars with full roll cages, 4 peice harness and helmets 8) :lol:

Cheers
Baldy


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## justinp (Jul 9, 2007)

I have a riptide and have found it reasonably good, however I do have to do the waist strap up as tight as I can get it, then adjust other straps accordingly, it does ride up a little, I only ever take it off when in very calm water and when their are no stink boats near, other things to consider are if self inflating what would you do if you were knocked out by a boat and lost conscieness or even worse sufferd a stroke or heart attack, fainted had a dizzy spell ect and toppled over, in this situation Id much rather have a normal pfd, just my 2 cents worth, cheers.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Baldy said:


> Hope thats the sort of info you and Dodge were after mate, im starting to sound like a bloody advert for them, buy any brand...I just think they are great for what we do. The only negative thing ive heard about them is if your knocked out you obviously cant inflate them


Thanks for the detail Baldy and was a great help mate, and prices are similar up here [don't know the brand names].

I have a good PFD but its so bloody hot it is only used on rare occasions when I feel it may be an asset [at night, and in locations with big boats or offshore], and on my fishing scene have not seen many worn up here on rivers and freshwater dams.

The being knocked out scenario was one of my arguments against inflatables in the past, but the risk with no PFD at all is greater, so no longer use that argument.

The blokes up here I have seen using an inflatable are totally relaxed and comfortable regardless of conditions


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## Bart70 (Jan 28, 2007)

Hi Bazz,

I have the Ultra Trek - Mine did ride up a bit when I first got it.

Being a....well.....more rounded chap myself I found the secret was in the lower strap (the one at the very bottom, not the one just behind the zipper).

Be ensuring it was 'tight' around my waist and low around my hips, it tends to get held in place by.....well....my 'roundness' if you get my drift......As it is tight in around my waist. I am not sure how this differs from your jacket but thought it might be of use.

Cheers,

Bart70


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## fishydude (Dec 30, 2007)

G'day Bazz, I'm a bit on the nuggety side myself....lol...and had the same problem....now I clip at the bottom of the pfd and leave it unzipped. It still sits sweet when I tested it out in the water and is dead easy to zip up. Although if I turn my head a lot I tend to catch goatee hairs in the zip somehow......ouch. This is probably not recomended but is only a matter of zipping up if the unthinkable happens. Not too different to having to inflate one I guess except that you are already floating. Cheers.


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