The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Hi all,

I know this subject had been bandied about on the old board, but I was wondering if there was ever a final word on the subject of specific models of inflatable life vests that meet or exceed all the legal and safety requirements for float tubing California's lakes.

Which life vest do you choose to use for tubing or tooning and why?

Thanks, Dave

Dave,

I don't use an inflatable, because I don't have one. I do use a kayaking Type III vest. Not much for pockets, but who needs pockets on a tube or toon? It does have lots of arm freedom, so casting is not a problem. Not sure of the model, but if I fall asleep due to lack of fish, and fall in, I don't have to inflate it. It already floats.

Dave,
I've used a Stearns Inflatable (Belt/Vest) for a few years...since towing a Class IV boat cushion from the back of the float tube got me thrown off a lake in Sierra County...I've used it in the tube, the pontoons (before they all went away), and in the pram (depending on conditions)...but I've got at least two cushions in the pram.

http://www...turnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=stearns&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=stearns&noImage=0

Paul

I just noticed the price...on sale...about a third less than what I paid about 4 years ago.

Paul

it folds up nicely and fits in the compartment on my Pontoon and my Tube.

Paul

I also wear a kayaking style vest that I bought cheap from Sierra Trading Post. Fit's well and gives lots of room for arm movement. I typically only wear it when 'tooning down rivers.

here is what i wear http://www...fid=2167&deptid=956. when i fall in i want to float immediately. The auto inflatable vests allow you to sink before they inflate.

Thank you all for the ideas.

Sorry guys, sometimes answers beget questions.

Hi Ed,

You wear the vest while in your tube? - What make of tube are you using?

I have an Extrasport kayak vest that I picked up at R.E.I. many years ago. It was great for pontooning where I had ample room for storage, it could also be zipped around the seat back serving as a secondary back cushion when not in use.

In my old tube where I'd often try to carry the vest rolled up in the cargo pocket above the backrest chamber. That configuration would become something like the float tubers version of a Hahn's device, greatly limiting head movement and side or rear vision. Trying to wear it while in the tube - at least for me, became a true "pain" in the neck. Yet in my pram where space isn't so much a premium, it's just the thing.



Fishhawk,

I've been pleased with the quality and construction of my Extrasport vest. Do you know if they make that vest without the pockets?

Paul & Paul,


About the Stearns Belt, does it meet the code requirements for places like Davis and Martis?


From the Cab's website : Stearns® 32 lbs. Manual Inflata-Belt

" USCG-approved Type V with Type lll performance. "


A quick search of the net turned up this for Plumas county:

http://www....asp?sid=5&pid=13824

Sec. 10-1.18. Use of flotation devices.
It shall be unlawful for any person to traverse the waters farther than 300 feet from the shore of any lake within the County on an inner tube, air mattress, or any other device capable of transporting a person on the water without wearing correctly a Coast Guard approved wearable Type I, II, or III personal flotation device; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply if State laws or administrative regulations otherwise require the carrying, or exempt the carrying on board, of the device in question or other personal flotation devices.
(§ 2, Ord. 76-154, eff. July 19, 1976)

You guys tell me, I see no mention of type V devices in that text, is this an outdated code or did it ever apply to tubing and tooning?

Or does the type V infer that it meets or exceeds type I, II & III specs.?

The Belt in principal sounds good, easy to wear and easy to store when not in use.


Are there any inflatable vests that meet those code requirements, being used by anyone here?

Thanks again, Dave

Dave E. wrote:...
Paul & Paul,
About the Stearns Belt, does it meet the code requirements for places like Davis and Martis?

From the Cab's website : Stearns® 32 lbs. Manual Inflata-Belt
" USCG-approved Type V with Type lll performance. "

A quick search of the net turned up this for Plumas county:

http://www....asp?sid=5&pid=13824

Sec. 10-1.18. Use of flotation devices.
It shall be unlawful for any person to traverse the waters farther than 300 feet from the shore of any lake within the County on an inner tube, air mattress, or any other device capable of transporting a person on the water without wearing correctly a Coast Guard approved wearable Type I, II, or III personal flotation device; provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply if State laws or administrative regulations otherwise require the carrying, or exempt the carrying on board, of the device in question or other personal flotation devices.
(§ 2, Ord. 76-154, eff. July 19, 1976)

You guys tell me, I see no mention of type V devices in that text, is this an outdated code or did it ever apply to tubing and tooning?

Or does the type V infer that it meets or exceeds type I, II & III specs.?



I'll answer for myself (but not for Paul), Yes a Type V that is marked as a I, II or III (like the Stearns belt in the Cabela's catalog) is equal to a I, II or III.

From the Coastie Web site:

"A Type V PFD provides performance of either a Type I, II, or III PFD (as marked on its label) and must be used according to the label requirements."

With the attribution:
http://usc...fety/fedreqs/equ_pfd.htm

Paul
(not Paul)

Dave E. wrote:
Thank you all for the ideas.

Sorry guys, sometimes answers beget questions.

Hi Ed,

You wear the vest while in your tube? - What make of tube are you using?

I have an Extrasport kayak vest that I picked up at R.E.I. many years ago. It was great for pontooning where I had ample room for storage, it could also be zipped around the seat back serving as a secondary back cushion when not in use.

In my old tube where I'd often try to carry the vest rolled up in the cargo pocket above the backrest chamber. That configuration would become something like the float tubers version of a Hahn's device, greatly limiting head movement and side or rear vision. Trying to wear it while in the tube - at least for me, became a true "pain" in the neck. Yet in my pram where space isn't so much a premium, it's just the thing.

Thanks again, Dave

Dave,

Yes, I wear it in my tube (mostly). the tube is a Fat Cat, and the vest is cut pretty high in the back, so it doesn't push up around my ears very much. The Fat Cat is a single chamber tube, so I am pretty religious about wearing the PFD, especially in places like O'Neill Forebay where the wind can come up in a heartbeat. If the lake is REALLY shallow and small, I occasionally leave the vest in the compartment behind the seat, hoping it'll float out if we sink....

Dave,
I wear my Stearns inflatable when pontooning. However, I wear it under my fishing vest because the pfd has to be strapped down tight to work properly, and that just won't cut it on top of the vest (which I never, ever, zip up).

I do not wear my pfd when tubing. My tube has two chambers, and there's no way I can imagine both chambers explosively decompressing at the same time, given the fact I'm just paddling around a lake. I wonder if anyone has ever experienced that.

If I fall out of my float tube, I deserve to drown.

Years ago I took my partially inflated tube up the hill to fish. By the time I got to the lake the inner tube (yep, that long ago) had expanded and ripped out about a third of the stitching and was bulging out obscenely. I fished in it anyway, to no ill-effect; except for a slight case of nerves every time a couple more stitches would pop out.

Anglerboy