hmason
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2013
- Messages
- 2,814
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Lucky Lucky
- Vessel Make
- Pacific Mariner 65
I'm in the market to replace 4 auto inflate life jackets. I always keep a jacket handy for everyone on the fly bridge. Since I was alone up top I had one auto inflate jacket on a seat. The next day when I went up top the jacket was inflated. And no, it did not get wet. Fast forward to yesterday. I went up top to find that another of the life jackets had inflated and actually lifted the seat it was stored under in the air!
I called Mustang Survival and they told me that when they reach 10 years old they should be replaced as the material degrades. Also said that high humidity could trigger the jacket to inflate if it is old and the bobbins had not been replaced. These are about 8-years old and the bobbins about 4-years old.
So, my question is, do I replace them with a high quality offshore jacket or with new auto inflate jackets? We cruise the ICW, make ocean passages and live aboard. What do you use?
I called Mustang Survival and they told me that when they reach 10 years old they should be replaced as the material degrades. Also said that high humidity could trigger the jacket to inflate if it is old and the bobbins had not been replaced. These are about 8-years old and the bobbins about 4-years old.
So, my question is, do I replace them with a high quality offshore jacket or with new auto inflate jackets? We cruise the ICW, make ocean passages and live aboard. What do you use?