[Alberg30] SOSpenders Questions

[alberg30 at mindspring.com]

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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