Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Spinlock Deckvest 5D life jackets arrive

I ordered 4 Spinlock Deckvest 5D PFDs (380 bucks) with the optional AIS transmitters (250 on top of that). They aren't cheap (total cost of 700 USD per jacket) but given that we will be sailing as a couple or with just my daughter, if we have a man overboard or wife/daughter overboard then we have no spotter so being able to see them on the chartplotter immediately is essential to be able to sail the boat around to where they are. The AIS radios on the vests them selves basically transmit GPS coordinates over VHF as soon as they get wet and can also send a coast guard 400mhz signal also. The jackets arrived 2 days after ordering them.

We ordered the hammar hydrostatic inflation which is pressure based (10cm's of water) and it opens. These vest have lights built in as well as a head spray hood. Expensive but very comfortable to wear, they don't get in the way and have a 5 year warranty which seems related mostly to batteries and such for the lights and AIS units.

They also come with a nice nylon mesh bag for hanging them up.

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