life vests

[Diessel]

does anybody know how the coast guard know if your vests is an approved one i got stoped maybe 7 or 8 times this past summer but they never got me out of the water to look what brand it is and if its approved, they got a pic chart on board with all not approved popular ones or what? ohh don;t know if you guys know or not but BuyWake.com posted the jetpilot 2007 edition. thanks

 

[thrllskr]

Well it should have a class rating in it and should say USCG approved. Only type III are approved for PWC use. All of my vests have this info printed in them.

I found this which sums up the types of vests nicely:
Edit: This link is better:
http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/pfdbasics.htm

 

[Shonuff]

They usually can look at it and see if it's approved or not. It's what they do for a living after all.

If they didn't know, be sure that they would have you remove it so they could check.

 

[cambo au]

in australia thyey are all printed pfd 1/2/or 3 i could not find a 3 i liked and we always get checked so i got a screen printer to change it to a 3 so now no problem. they cant make you pull it of in the water but most of the blokes make you hold the side of the boat and look down your back to see the print

 

[Duster8]

i really hope they arent that strict here. My new one is definitely not approved, but its so much more comfortable...

 

[Speedfreak]

I use to ride with a wake vest that wasn't approved but it just doesn't float me as well as a approved vest does. I have banged the water a few times HARD and been under and turned around so I just let my vest float me to the surface. If you use a wake vest that doesn't float very well then it takes a while before you come up. I changed my old comfortable vest for a slippery pull over and now since I am used to it I won't ride with any other.

 

[sflsurfrider]

if it says USCG approved, its okay.