[Alberg30] SOSpenders Questions

[Kevin Blanc]

My uncle had an automatic vest (this was back 15 years ago) when he went 
to Catalina Island from San Fransisco. It inflated in the hanging locker 
one very damp night while he was off watch and was useless to him for 
the rest of the trip.

alberg30 at mindspring.com wrote:

>I have had the West Marine manual inflation SOS vest for about 9 months. I
>sail in the US Virgin Islands, always offshore, always wet. I use it for
>work, too, where we get really wild and wolly. I highly recommend them. I
>find I wear them as a lifevest much more than my standard offshore vest. Its
>almost un-noticable. Harness is very good.
>
>Coast Guard and marine law enforcement here use manual SOS because automatic
>does get tripped in spray if you're wet long enough. Rain will also do it.
>Get the long version unless you're a midget. If your gonna get the vest, add
>the strong points for jacklines on the A30 and clip in.
>
>Two thumbs up.
>
>Joe #499
>"One Less Traveled"
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Neal Jackson" <NJackson at npr.org>
>To: <public-list at alberg30.org>
>Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 5:05 PM
>Subject: RE: [Alberg30] SOSpenders Questions
>
>
>>My dear sweet wife is threatening to get me as a birthday present a set of
>>SOSpenders with both the harness and automatic inflation features (if she
>>does I will soon reciprocate).
>>
>>I do not plan to resist, though I originally thought they were overkill,
>>
>as
>
>>our sailing is on the Chesapeake.  But we may in the future wander off
>>
>into
>
>>rougher waters, and I must confess that some fall sails with PEREGRINE
>>
>have
>
>>been unexpectedly challenging, especially when I have been running around
>>the deck in some transitory emergency, grabbing whatever I could to stay
>>
>on
>
>>board.
>>
>>But I am interested in the collective experience, if any, of others
>>Albergers with this item.  My most specific questions are these:
>>
>>1.  Does the automatic inflation feature on these work reliably?  I have
>>heard that sometimes water spray or a wave will trigger the feature.  But
>>are we only talking blue water storms here?  I also heard that the
>>technology of this feature has recently improved.  Has it?
>>
>>2.  How about fitting?  I have a long torso, but it does not seem to me
>>
>that
>
>>there is a great advantage to having the suspenders reach, say, all the
>>
>way
>
>>to the waist.  Some models come in a "long" version, others don't.  Does
>>
>it
>
>>really matter.  Remember, I am getting the one with the harness.
>>
>>3.  I notice that West Marine has a co-branded version. It looks like it
>>
>is
>
>>the same as the one from SOSpenders.  It isn't much cheaper, though I have
>>seen it more often on sale.  Is it as good as the ones branded only as
>>SOSpenders?
>>
>>Any random thoughts would be appreciated.  I think this is one safety
>>element to which I have not paid enough attention.
>> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
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>
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
> | Sale on Yale & New England Ropes.  Save up to 25 percent. |
> | http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/sailnet/t.asp?id=1066 |
> +-----------------------------------------------------------+
>
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