non-USCG life jackets?

[Arctic Slalom]

i planning to get a new vest for the upcoming season ...

is it illegal to ski/wakeboard with a non-USCG jacket/vest in minnesota or north dakota?

are they legal in some states/regions and not in others?

how can they sell a product which is illegal if it is?

are the non-USGS jackets noticeably less boyant?

if you get 'knocked out' will the non-USCG jacket keep me up?

just curious

[Muffintop]

i planning to get a new vest for the upcoming season ...

is it illegal to ski/wakeboard with a non-USCG jacket/vest in minnesota or north dakota?

are they legal in some states/regions and not in others?

how can they sell a product which is illegal if it is?

are the non-USGS jackets noticeably less boyant?

if you get 'knocked out' will the non-USCG jacket keep me up?

just curious

In Michigan, you need USCG approved life vests on your boat, plus a throwable. Behind the boat, you can wear a speedo and nothing else and be legal.(adults). They sell the life vests because they are not as bulky, you can still do your tricks, and you won't sink to the bottom of the lake if you crash and knock yourself out. The USCG thing is a boating issue, not a skiing/WB issue- that being said- the cops just want a count of how many jacket are on board the boat and how many people are there- they've never looked at my labels. You should be albe to look at your MN or ND state websites to get a better handle on what they require, but if you have 4 people in the boat, and have 4 life vest(USCG or not), and a throwable- then the cop would have to be a real ahole, or you'd have to be real drunk to get in any trouble...

[MalibuTime]

i planning to get a new vest for the upcoming season ...

is it illegal to ski/wakeboard with a non-USCG jacket/vest in minnesota or north dakota?

are they legal in some states/regions and not in others?

how can they sell a product which is illegal if it is?

are the non-USGS jackets noticeably less boyant?

if you get 'knocked out' will the non-USCG jacket keep me up?

just curious

USGC approved are supposed to turn you so that your head is leaned back (more floatation in the front of the vest) so if you're konk'd out you don't suck up water while you are hopefully still breathing. My outlaw vest (non GCA) floats me fine, just maybe not as much or in the attitude of CGA. Plus. I would put money on the marine patrols around here checking labels. Safety enforcement is a top priority, but I am sure that revenue generation is a close second. We have several orange CGA vests along to be 'legal'. In Wa, anyone under (age 15?) on a power boat over 16' must be wearing a GCA vest, so all the kids have close-fitting neo vests.

Non CGA vests are legal, you just are not in compliance if a CGA vest is required, that's why they are for sale.

[spaznoook]

I love the look of the non CGA vests...and I'd buy one in a second. Problem is I can't swim for anything. So I wouldn't be able to board or ski without the floatation.

Oh well.

[Muffintop]

They float just fine- I'm over 200lbs, and have a LF Team jacket- very thin, but holds me fine in the water. I'm on a small inland lake though- there might be considerations for larger bodies of water, more uptight patrols, etc..

[Brodie]

I use an Outlaw vest as well and it holds me up just fine. Most of the people that I ski/board with use non-USCG vests as well due to the increased movement and less weight associated with them. I haven't heard of any issues in MN where it was a problem, but that's not to say it can't happen. Like Muffintop, I believe the main issue is having the right # of vests in the boat.

Edited January 29, 2008 by Brodie

[Brodie]

Per the 2008 MN DNR boating guide, "a U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD must worn by a person being towed on water skis or other device, or carried in the towing watercraft". which I guess means that as long as there is one in the boat, the skier doesn't need to wear one. Surprising to me!

Edited January 29, 2008 by Brodie

[Hwood]

USGC approved are supposed to turn you so that your head is leaned back (more floatation in the front of the vest) so if you're konk'd out you don't suck up water while you are hopefully still breathing.

This is somewhat misleading. There are many types of USCG personal flotation devices.

Only Type I & II vests are designed to turn you over.

Type III (ski) vests do not do this.

Type IV are the throwables, and Vs are special use devices I'm guessing nobody on here has in their boat.

True, a non-USCGA vest may keep you afloat with air in your lungs. Next time you're out in your A-10 or similarly wafer-like vest exhale as much air out of your lungs as you can and see how far you drop down. Depending on your body composition you may not stay afloat at all. Kids have died wearing these vests while falling, knocking the air out of their lungs and sinking.

Edited January 29, 2008 by Hwood

[Gordo]

True, a non-USCGA vest may keep you afloat with air in your lungs. Next time you're out in your A-10 or similarly wafer-like vest exhale as much air out of your lungs as you can and see how far you drop down. Depending on your body composition you may not stay afloat at all. Kids have died wearing these vests while falling, knocking the air out of their lungs and sinking.

He's correct!!!! Its totally different conscious vs unconscious - as far as flotation required to keep you up. You will sink like a rock with no pfd if you are unconscious. Most non-USCG approved vests do not have enough flotation to keep a large adult on top of the water if they are unconscious!!

Edited January 29, 2008 by Gordo

[Bill_AirJunky]

It definitely depends on which non-USCG approved vest your talking about. Their not regulated for flotation & can be designed strictly for style & comfort. I used to have one that would not float me at all. It worked fine in a drysuit, but not on it's own. There is also a number of documented cases where unconscious riders sank with these vests on. So be careful about which one you trust. Test it out first.

The one time I ever got bad feedback on Ebay was because I sold that non-USCG approved vest to a guy who had no idea what it meant to be an "outlaw vest". Guess I needed to be more specific.

There are quite a few good comfortable neo-vests out now days that are USCG approved. I usually only ride on WA & ID lakes but occasionally hit navigable rivers that the USCG patrol. They don't even like my Rubber Jungle vest, which is Australian CG approved but lacks the 3 straps to be USCG approved.

[DizzyG]

if you want to do a test, jump in the water and exhale all of your air, see how you float and if that makes you uncomfortable you may want to consider a USCGA vest. There is a noticable difference with most of the approved vs. non-approved in regards to flotation. Totally depends on what you want to do, you're going to get arguments from both sides on this one.

[MalibuTime]

USGC approved are supposed to turn you so that your head is leaned back (more floatation in the front of the vest) so if you're konk'd out you don't suck up water while you are hopefully still breathing.

This is somewhat misleading. There are many types of USCG personal flotation devices.

Only Type I & II vests are designed to turn you over.

Type III (ski) vests do not do this.

Type IV are the throwables, and Vs are special use devices I'm guessing nobody on here has in their boat.

True, a non-USCGA vest may keep you afloat with air in your lungs. Next time you're out in your A-10 or similarly wafer-like vest exhale as much air out of your lungs as you can and see how far you drop down. Depending on your body composition you may not stay afloat at all. Kids have died wearing these vests while falling, knocking the air out of their lungs and sinking.

I stand corrected. Type I is the only one really designed to dependably turn an unconsious person face up.

[VinRLX]

Anyone try on a new Eagle, Bird of Prey vest? They look to be extremely comfortable, not sure about USCGA.

[MalibuNation]

i planning to get a new vest for the upcoming season ...

is it illegal to ski/wakeboard with a non-USCG jacket/vest in minnesota or north dakota?

are they legal in some states/regions and not in others?

how can they sell a product which is illegal if it is?

are the non-USGS jackets noticeably less boyant?

if you get 'knocked out' will the non-USCG jacket keep me up?

just curious

In Michigan, you need USCG approved life vests on your boat, plus a throwable. Behind the boat, you can wear a speedo and nothing else and be legal.(adults). They sell the life vests because they are not as bulky, you can still do your tricks, and you won't sink to the bottom of the lake if you crash and knock yourself out. The USCG thing is a boating issue, not a skiing/WB issue- that being said- the cops just want a count of how many jacket are on board the boat and how many people are there- they've never looked at my labels. You should be albe to look at your MN or ND state websites to get a better handle on what they require, but if you have 4 people in the boat, and have 4 life vest(USCG or not), and a throwable- then the cop would have to be a real ahole, or you'd have to be real drunk to get in any trouble...

It's weird in Michigan, if you are being towed by a PWC the law is different:

"Those being towed behind a PWC must wear a U.S. Coast Guard—approved Type I, II, or III PFD. Inflatable PFDs may not be used."

http://www.boat-ed.com/mi/handbook/ski.htm

[Rip6@36]

I switched to a Non-CGA O'Neill Gooru pull over a couple of seasons ago and I will never go back. It floats me just fine and it is very comfortable. No need for a rash guard either. Perfectly legal in MI.

[NorCaliBu]

It's weird in Michigan, if you are being towed by a PWC the law is different:

"Those being towed behind a PWC must wear a U.S. Coast Guard—approved Type I, II, or III PFD. Inflatable PFDs may not be used."

I didn't write the law but if I had to guess, it's because if knocked out you can't really be pulled back into a PWC like you can a boat. Just an assumption though...and you know what happens when you assume.

[Arctic Slalom]

thanks for all the good insight, everyone!

which non-USCG jacket/vest would you recommend? I'm 6'2" and run about 220 lbs. I usually where a rash guard under my vest, am looking for a recommendation? -any thoughts?

thanks!

[onamission]

I've been using O'Neill Outlaw's for 18 years without any problems with the fit, comfort and flotation and crash and I've had a few in the part 18 years. Just got an HO non-CGA very cheep, haven't tried in the water yet but it seam to fit as look as the O'Neill's.