Lifejackets USCG ?

[Fast Jack]

Why are the lifejackets we pay big $$$$$$$$$$ for not USCG approved? . With new Boaters safety laws coming about this could become a problem.. A $ 5.99 may west from Wally world is cetrified ??

[sam]

Because 10 million of the $5.99 jackets have been made from the same pattern and 1¢ from each one went to the $100,000 certification.

There have only been 4,000 or 5,000 each of SRP and Lifeline Stock jackets made from 1980 to 2008 when they had to change to 360° impact jackets. If they had known for sure and took out a loan, they could have added $40 or so to each jacket and just broke even in 2008. Change to impact jackets and start over ... great risk that the jacket pattern (including straps or buckles) will have to be changed again before another certification could be paid off even at $100 more per jacket.

Its just not worth the business risk.

[Danny Pigott]

Just buy wally jacket an have it in the boat with you. funny APBA outlawed Gentex jackets an they were DRN approved. I still like the Gentex better than any other they. saved my life a few times.

[modracer7b]

Gentex

I also liked the Gentex better than any other jacket I used. Was disappointed when they were outlawed.

Bill Rosado

[sponsonhead]

Because 10 million of the $5.99 jackets have been made from the same pattern and 1¢ from each one went to the $100,000 certification.

There have only been 4,000 or 5,000 each of SRP and Lifeline Stock jackets made from 1980 to 2008 when they had to change to 360° impact jackets. If they had known for sure and took out a loan, they could have added $40 or so to each jacket and just broke even in 2008. Change to impact jackets and start over ... great risk that the jacket pattern (including straps or buckles) will have to be changed again before another certification could be paid off even at $100 more per jacket.

Its just not worth the business risk.

Sam is basically correct...granted the number of 4000 to 5000 each of SRP lifejackets is probably a gross overestimation, but the reason why they aren't CG certified is essentially correct.

Also keep in mind that it isn't just the fee to Coast Guard, it's a fee for each make and model of the lifejacket we make that gets the whammy fee attached to it. We make about 15 or 16 different flavors.....so it's just not viable financially, unless that cost is passed on to the customer. Aaaaaaand, since most people are whining about a recertification fee every 4 years of well under $100, I'm guessing most of you probably would rather not see the base cost of the lifejacket increase either.

R-19

[Skoontz]

Or better yet...Get a jacket with the tag, carefully cut it out then sew it into your Security of Lifeline....The morons checking most likely wont see a thing...

Just like my four stroke conversion kits for lakes that will not allow two strokes....You can convert your two stroke engine to a 4 stroke for about $12.00. Red Line makes Oxygenator additive that looks just like their oil if you need to mix fuel in sight of rangers...

Works great and you save the planet.

[Smiley]

I found the same dilema getting back into racing. The laws,(Washignton State) state we must wear coast guard approved life jackets. Well, a logical person would presume that our impact jackets are safer then a cheapy nylon covered foam pad stuffed wally mart special coast guard approved jacket in our circumstances. I stuff one of those jackets into the front of the hydro or runabout during testing and forget about it. In the event the lawman comes, I can show him the whistle and jacket. Doesn't matter if you are wearing a full face helmet, another jacket etc. If he reads the law and is really tough about it then I suppose you have to remove your helmet and swap jackets if you want to continue on that day. But I think a reasonable lawman might just look the other way. In any case we have demonstrated an attempt to comply. This should avoid a citation and even a warning ticket. It definitely would stimulate a good discussion.

Oh yes, There is another problem about permanently installed fuel tanks and fire extinguishers. The fix here is to 1. carry around a 16 inch cylinder fire extuingisher for your fixed installed tank OR tie your tank in with a shoelace knot cord that you can untie and dump the tank overboard. Interesting. Who is going to do that if the tank is torched???? I'd rather go swimming with my lifeline jacket and leave the whistle behind.

Bob Smiley

[david bryan]

mine to

[trident]

USCG Exemption from subpart B of Coast Guard Regs

So, was that exemption, granted by the USCG on Sept 14, 1995, rescinded?

Anyone know anything about this?

Dick Snyder, on behalf of APBA, requested an exemption which was granted by the Coast Guard... astute drivers, back in the day, carried a copy of that exemption letter when racing or testing in case of a visit from law enforcement.

Is that exemption still in effect?

I have a paper copy of the letter, but I have no way to post it Then it would be moot, if its no longer in effect.

To quote Ben Stein, "Anyone?"

Jerry Wienandt

[Syd Marsden]

I have never seen the exemption, but if there is some official number on it, send it to me (copy of letter the best) and I will see what I can find out. I am retired USCG. The exempt would only be good for fed laws, not state laws.

[trident]

Life Jacket Exemption

Syd, I sent you some info in a PM...

Jerry

[T Chance]

So, was that exemption, granted by the USCG on Sept 14, 1995, rescinded?

Anyone know anything about this?

Dick Snyder, on behalf of APBA, requested an exemption which was granted by the Coast Guard... astute drivers, back in the day, carried a copy of that exemption letter when racing or testing in case of a visit from law enforcement.

Is that exemption still in effect?

I have a paper copy of the letter, but I have no way to post it Then it would be moot, if its no longer in effect.

To quote Ben Stein, "Anyone?"

Jerry Wienandt

I remember this too, good for racing or testing for a race, not for general boating.

[Dave M]

Fed

Doesn't Federal Law over ride state law ? It works in the reverse of this. In other words, if you are doing something deemed not legal by state standards, but it is in the federal law book, you can still be held by the feds. In the outdoor world, if you get a ticket from a State DNR Conservation Officer, you also get one for violation of the Federal law. So they get to issue you basically two tickets for the same offense. I have never gotten one, but know some who have.

[sam]

The Constitution prohibits "double jeopardy" You can not be convicted twice for the same offense. Once you have been convicted on one, the other is automatically nullified. Neither trumps the other before the conviction.

Even before the 1995 exemption there was an exemption for equipment used during official regattas that dated back to the 1930's and was never changed. I think the 1995 was just an official repetition/clarification of the 1930's rule.

I think these CG rules applied to numbers as well as jackets. I have a friend who retired from the MD Marine Police and he said that all MD DNR knew about the regatta exemptions and were always cool with it ... to the point that he didn't know where to start to look up MD's law to see that "COMAR" repeats the CG regatta exemptions. Eventually he found it and quoted it to me when I was fighting the county about having "unregistered" race boats at my house.

[ram95]

It sure is a good thing us boat racers are all pretty much a level-headed, law-abiding, intelligent, trustworthy, rational, friendly (for the most part), group of people..... lest we be slowly driven to irrational acts because of some of this total BS that is imposed upon us.

I just worry about the other folks in this country who aren't boat racers..... was Timothy McVeigh a boat racer? Nope!!! See what I mean. Are the "hutarees" (that group in Michigan that just got nabbed by the FBI).., are they boat racers? I hope not.

Wonder what drives these types to do the things they do?