SOSpenders

[dickmont]

i use a sospenders belt pac. it doubles as a wader belt and is only 3x4x9. it's got a lanyard to manually fire it as an automatic would be useless in the surf. there is a tradeoff with it as far as safety goes, not only do you have to pull the lanyard but you then have to duck your head down and slip it around your neck for it to work properly both of which require you to be concious. a bad fall in the rocks is a risk. i figure i increase my odds by wearing it

[lurch]

I use it every time I am in the surf or a river. I have never worn it while in the canal but after the rough surf and conditions I may think twice.

[zimmy]

wear mine when if I fish at night, (especially when by myself) at a rocky surfspot like point jud or the breachways. Don't even notice when its on.

[Fishpart]

Wear it!!!!!

[Water Treater]

Your wife watches you fish????

[likwid]

The SOSpenders autos take quite a bit of water to inflate.

I've worn them both on the bow of raceboats getting submerged and in massive breaking seas in the cockpit all day long and never had them fire on their own in those conditions.

Out of curiosity the ones i wore to USVI last year (which we dealt with a full day of breaking seas INTO the boat) I tested this spring and fired fine after about 5 seconds actually submerged.

I'm not sure if I'd want the manual inflate in the rocks considering if you get thrown you may not be consious to pull the lanyard.

[Steve K]

Go manual. My auto inflated in the back of my truck due to too much moisture.

[Water Treater]

Bob,

Just kidding about your wife watching you.

Inflatable PFD's, however, are serious business. I've been wearing CREWSAVER brand auto inflating vests for more than a decade when fishing from my small boat. I never leave the dock without wearing one. They are very comfortable and hardly noticeable under loose fitting sweatshirts.
Years ago I had one of them inflate (in the trunk my car) after a very windy and wet trip across Cape Cod Bay from P-Town to Green Harbor.
I test test my PFD's every spring (inflate manually) to see if they stay inflated overnight. I also check the actuator and valve and weigh the CO2 cartridge to see if it is still full of CO2. Important to do these things every year.

I would not rely on manual inflation when fishing rough surf (I surf fish every fall). Buy the auto inflating type of PFD, and get one with a harness so you can be grabbed and pulled to safety. By the way, you can always manually inflate an automatic PFD and convert an automatic PFD into a manual style by removiee CO2 cartridge. The automatic models all come with the same manual rip cord as the manual models.

Your wife is right. You should wear one of these devices when fishing rough surf.

Bill

[tattoobob]

Originally Posted by Water Treater

Your wife watches you fish????

Yes, I take along a photographer with me were ever I go LOL
If she didn't go she would never see me, and she was drawing
in the truck when it happened talking to my friend Bruce who was
taking a break.