PFD with high buoyancy?

MarcinG

Hi.

I was recently looking for PFD for my kayak and got confused - i was pretty sure that PFD is life jacket equivalent in terms of buoyancy (as it is padded at the front and back). But most of them are in 50-70N range (which is buoyancy aid). Can you get PFD with bigger buoyancy without spending fortune on one?

KenHy

For Kayaking you want a boyancy aid (or as the americans call them PFDs) - Normaly come in the 50-75N range as you said.

Anything with higher flotation would restrict your movement too much for kayaking. Sometimes you'll see rafting ones which have slightly higher boyancy and flotation behind the head - but they are not great on the movement frount and are genarly only used for comercial operators who want to be sure their clients head will stay above water - I wouldn't wear one kayaking myself.

Zuppy

The life jackets will float the unconscious face up the PFD will just float.

The usual is to get a PFD for your weight and one that fits and feels comfortable.

wet-paint

MarcinG wrote: »

Hi.

I was recently looking for PFD for my kayak and got confused - i was pretty sure that PFD is life jacket equivalent in terms of buoyancy (as it is padded at the front and back). But most of them are in 50-70N range (which is buoyancy aid). Can you get PFD with bigger buoyancy without spending fortune on one?

What are your reasons for considering more buoyancy? I had done so myself when getting for big water, as I'm a bigger guy, and had heard war stories of better boaters than I getting serious down time on the Nile, but in the end, I went for a 50N one, and was more than happy with it.

MarcinG

I simply don't know what is 50 or 150N like luckily. I'm well over 120Kg in wet clothes easily (bare naked around 112?) and not a great swimmer so my approach is this: more buoyancy safer you are . Somewhere (not sure but believe here on boards) i read that PFD=life jacket and buoyancy aid is something different. i guess i'm clear now.

nookie

This post has been deleted.

wet-paint

MarcinG wrote: »

I simply don't know what is 50 or 150N like luckily. I'm well over 120Kg in wet clothes easily (bare naked around 112?) and not a great swimmer so my approach is this: more buoyancy safer you are . Somewhere (not sure but believe here on boards) i read that PFD=life jacket and buoyancy aid is something different. i guess i'm clear now.

Aye, you're in the same place I was at the time, it's false logic. Your body is inherently buoyant, so the larger you are, the more buoyancy you have within yourself, so it's not a case of heavier people needing more foam to keep them up.

PFD is an acronym, it stands for personal floatation device. This is the only thing you should be considering buying, a life jacket is totally unsuitable for kayaking.

You're at risk of coming in contact with tree branches and barbed wire when you're boating, and an altercation with either can burst a life jacket and render it useless, a BA is much more sturdy. It also gives you a level of protection from impact with rocks, and other boats, from the foam padding. The foam also keeps you mighty warm on cold days.

Cork Skate

I'm based in Cork. Does anyone know where best to go looking for buoyancy aids / life jackets ?

KenHy

Munster Dive and Canoe in Cork City or Banty Bay Canoes

Cork Skate

KenHy wrote: »

Munster Dive and Canoe in Cork City

Gone !!

KenHy wrote: »

Bantry Bay Canoes

Cool ... i'll check 'em out ... www.bantry-bay-canoes.com

Actually forgot about Union Chandlery (cheers for the PM) so i'll check there as well.