This winter i got a cabelas inflatable life jacket for boat season. I’ve never used one before so might be a dumb question, is it possible for it to inflate due to heavy rain? My understanding was they became inflated when in contact with water
I have both a Cabala’s and an Onyx inflatable, wear them 100% of the time in the boat and never had a problem, even in heavy rain. The tablet is tucked well inside the inflation mechanism. I was curious how well they worked so I jumped in a friends swimming pool once to see what would happen. Jumped in the deep end and began to sink when in less than 2 seconds I shot back up to the surface with a “collar” behind my neck I floated face up. It happened a lot faster than I anticipated. These types are so comfortable I often forget I have it on and at my age I am not going to tread water! I have 3 in my boat, 1 for me and 2 for my guests. I tell them that they can wear them and if not I am not jumping in to save them, period. Most put them on as they don’t count as a legitimate life vest per person unless they are wearing them.
Rain has never been an issue for me during the time the vest is being worn. I would not recommend leaving one lying on the deck in a rain storm. I actually store mine in my tow vehicle. I put the vest on BEFORE the boat hits the water and it doesn’t come off until the boat is back on the trailer.
The little triggering “pill” will deteriorate over time and should be replaced on a regular basis. I try to replace the pill (only, not the CO2 cartridge) every three years. Much cheaper to replace just the “pill”.
Most put them on as they don’t count as a legitimate life vest per person unless they are wearing them.
I am curious about this. I have heard this a bunch of times, but it doesn’t make sense. A regular vest(PFD) can be hung on the back of your seat and you are legal, but an inflatable can’t? Is this the actual law? I guess I don’t understand the difference.
NOTE, since BK made me get an inflatable last year I wear it all the time.
I have a Cabela’s inflatable life jacket. Had the jacket off, laying by the console when a squall came thru. Probably rained an inch in 20 minutes and then the sun came out. 10 minutes later I was still up front casting when I heard this load “pop”. Thought something blew in the battery compartment. Went back to check and saw the jacket had inflated. I won’t run in the rain with it anymore, but still use it.
Might not be a good idea to store your inflatable vest in a boat storage compartment for a long time, there is moisture that is trapped below the deck and I have had one pop after being stored there for a long period. I now keep my newer hydrostatic vest in the truck – put it on when boat is going fishing. Regular vests are stored below deck.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>David Anderson wrote:</div>
Most put them on as they don’t count as a legitimate life vest per person unless they are wearing them.I am curious about this. I have heard this a bunch of times, but it doesn’t make sense. A regular vest(PFD) can be hung on the back of your seat and you are legal, but an inflatable can’t? Is this the actual law? I guess I don’t understand the difference.
Heard this too. But as usual, the Mn DNR makes the rule confusing. Here are the regs from the Mn DNR website. Rules start on page 15.
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/boatwater/boatingguide.pdf
If you skip to page 19, the reg says:
Some inflatable life vests are required to
be worn in order to be counted as one of
your U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable
flotation devices. Inflatables are not
approved for use on personal watercraft or
while water-skiing or similar sports. Read the
label and follow any restrictions.
So, some are and some are not? No clarification stated? I’ll just assume mine does not.
Personal experience. Been checked on the St Croix river by the WI DNR. Both inflatables laying on the seats, we were pitching jig to shore with the bow mount down. They did the usual check for fishing license, life jackets, throwable, fire extinguisher, we were good to go.
Personally, I wear them when running on plane. I’ll keep it on when the water is cold or wearing bulky clothes that would make it hard to swim. Summer time, it comes off while fishing.
-J.
A regular vest(PFD) can be hung on the back of your seat and you are legal, but an inflatable can’t? Is this the actual law? I guess I don’t understand the difference.
Stick, I can explain this and then take everyone right back into confusion.
Read the direction on the tag of your inflatable. There are some that can only be used for people over 16 (or 18 can’t recall) and others that can.
To your question. The inherently buoyant PFD (foam filled fishing type vests) float and can be taken off the back of a chair or where ever and put on.
The inflatables change shape and become harder to get off a chair but more importantly, much harder to put on after inflated. Try it sometime. I was surprised.
Now to add to the confusion… A Coast Guard licensed fishing boat such as mine is require to have Type II (the orange collar style) PDF’s on board for each person. That means I need three.
However I require my customers to wear and inflatable at all times so I have three collar style PDF laying around in my boat getting in the way.
I requested the coast guard to change it’s rules to allow an inflatable to replace the type II’s.
Their response was: Denied. Not enough injuries or deaths to make the change.
Yes, I had to read it three times because EVERY law enforcement agency including the CG spenst thousands of dollars each year hammering the need to wear a pdf in our heads. Now they say that having a pfd on the floor is good enough.
I won’t wear the orange collar style. How could I ask my customers?
So they continue to be tucked under the bow gunnel, flopping out occasionally to be a tripping hazard.
/Rant
Inflating in the rain? I can’t speak for every brand but I’ve boated miles in down pours an was just waiting to hear the pop of three inflatables filling up. Never happened in 8 or so years.
They’re designed so water needs to travel upward to reach the pill. If you stand on your head I will guarantee they will go off in the rain!
By law, they need to inflate in 5 seconds or less when a person enters the water. I demoed the Float Techs many times and have yet to have one reach 3 seconds.
I do recommend having extra pills along with at least one recharge kit. They are cheap and have a shelf live of three years (the pills not the co2). Remember if buying them from a retail store to check the “born date” Three years is the shelf life.
I know, more then you guys wanted know. 
Do not store them in your boat – I had mine go off when it was stored. The combination of moisture and heat apparently causes the pill to deteriorate.
To the original poster, I have never had one go off in the rain. I use the Mustang MIT 100 auto inflate brand.
-J.
Stick, I can explain this and then take everyone right back into confusion.
, you nailed it BK, I couldn’t possibly be more confused 
I’m just going to wear the thing and go fishing.
Have worn in light rain without problem. Was driving home with a friend in a very heavy rain and he didn’t pull the drain plug at the ramp. We were lucky he didn’t break a spring on the trailer due to so much water in the boat but his two infatables deployed in the compartment. I keep mine in the back of my suburban and put it on when stowing the transom saver and vise versa.
Got the same Christmas present so thank you for the post!
Follow on, if it’s in my best interest to store it in my boat where should I put it? Is the back of a seat or somewhere open better than in a storage compartment?
Got the same Christmas present so thank you for the post!
Follow on, if it’s in my best interest to store it in my boat where should I put it? Is the back of a seat or somewhere open better than in a storage compartment?
I had mine in an open compartment but the boat was covered in the summer time. Not sure how hot and humid it is under the cover but it still deployed. I leave mine in the garage by my other gear and make sure to throw it in the truck the night b4 I go.
if it’s in my best interest to store it in my boat where should I put it? Is the back of a seat or somewhere open better than in a storage compartment?
If you keep the pill type inflator PFD in a compartment or in a boat that’s covered, I can almost guarantee you that it’s going to go off prematurely.
Most all auto inflates are fairly expensive. Treat them the way you would if your families life depended on them.
Personally I keep them on a hanger in my home through the winter months and have hooks in my camper in the summer. Never stored in the boat. I know there are some that are worried they will be forgotten in the house prior to leaving for the lake but place a reminder in your boat..maybe a post it note on your steering wheel.
BTW I don’t know why anyone would but an inflatable that was NOT auto inflate…unless a person stands on their head in the rain a lot. 
Patk, Dry no moisture/humidity is the key.
I’ve had a Cabela’s for 3 years now…….Since I forget I’m wearing leaving it in the boats has never been a problem…..Unless I stop for a cocktail afterwards (not often enough any more sad to say 
) I end up hanging up at the house….I have yet to forget it when I go…..
I buy the pills 3 for $20 and I have 1 CO2 cartridge for back-up…….
I love the darn thing……
So the pressure of hitting the water with it on has nothing to do on how it deploys?
X2 on replacing the ‘pill’!!!
Funny story about that.
I’ve had my inflatables 4-5 years now and last summer I was redoing some wiring in the boat. Long story short– precisely the same time as I reconnected the positive connection to the battery one of my inflatables ‘popped’ behind me. Scared the beJesus out of me! Once I determined the cause of the noise I changed my drawers AND the ‘pills’.
My dad and my buddy wear theirs’ religiously, no issues with rain or moisture. Funny story though. After my dad and I showed up to our annual Canada trip with them one summer, my grandpa wanted one too, so I grabbed him one of the Cabela’s ones. He still never wears it (tried explaining it doesn’t count as a PFD unless it’s on, unlike the non-inflatables, but he didn’t care), so every trip we take it gets crammed in the bow of the little 14′ bench boat with all our other extra gear. One year we had a boat that leaked a like a sieve, and there were a few inches of standing water in the back of the boat where I was at. Well we ran up to the cabin for lunch, and when I cut the motor at the dock, the momentum caused all the water to head towards the bow. Right as my grandpa was tying us off, a muffled “POOF!” came from under our extra jackets and rain gear, and that’s the story of why I know they work!
So the pressure of hitting the water with it on has nothing to do on how it deploys?
Most inflatables are set up on a “pill” that dissolves fast when in contact with water. They will dissolve slowly over time due to humidity.
I recommend what Mudshark is doing because spending a day on the water with an inflated inflatable isn’t that comfortable.
Have at least one co2 cartridge and one “pill” in the boat (1 recharge kit). Have extra pills and change them out every year or three depending on the humidity of where they are stored at. Inflate them by mouth at LEAST once per year to check for leaks.
I’m just tickled that the old thought of wearing a pfd lowers a persons manhood and more and more are being seen on the water.
got a warning ticket from Mn CO last summer, inflatable, laying on a bench, doesn’t work. Also a warn ing for having a throwable device, that folds into a bag with the rope sticking out, not legal in Mn. it has to a cushion. Bought it for Ontario if I remember right?. That being said I always wear it these days.
Have at least one co2 cartridge and one “pill” in the boat (1 recharge kit). Have extra pills and change them out every year or three depending on the humidity of where they are stored at. Inflate them by mouth at LEAST once per year to check for leaks.
I’m just tickled that the old thought of wearing a pfd lowers a persons manhood and more and more are being seen on the water. waytogo
I’ll second those thoughts.
Where can I buy pills and co2 cartridge?
Where can I buy pills and co2 cartridge?
What brand inflatable do you have Glen?
Most can be bought at Fleet Farm, Cabelas or on line.
One other thought. If you’re concerned about your pill being old and having an accidental discharge/inflate, Float Tech’s can be changed to a manual inflate until the new pills arrive.
Personally I wouldn’t recommend this…stay ahead of the game by having replacements at your ready.
Re Charge kits on SALE. $14.00
Shipping is $10. but if you buy more then one it’s a great price. Buy one and your paying regular price.
Make sure this is for your PFD before ordering.
Great share, thank you!
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