Hydrostatic PFD Did Not Deploy

I had an incident where I went overboard the other day while wearing my hydrostatic auto inflatable PFD. I won't mention the brand, but it was a high dollar one from a big name retailer. As soon as I went over, I was able to calmly grab the gunnel of my boat and work my way to the back of the boat so I could re-board. I was thinking the whole time that this PFD is going to go off any minute and scare the [censored] out of me ( I have heard them deploy in person, and they can startle you even if you're expecting it). So long story short, it never did inflate. The PFD is only a few months old.

I am wondering if anybody else has had a similar issue with a hydrostatic type PFD that inflates based off of water pressure.

P.S.
After reading online, it looks like the unit needs to be submerged in at least 4" of water to discharge. Maybe I never got it 4" below the water surface. Oh well, I may be going back to a traditional PFD after this.

Thanks

Why not mention the name brand? I would like to know if this is the type I have or not.

Good point squib. I guess there is no harm in mentioning it. Again, maybe the circumstances that I had were not critical enough for the unit to deploy. My unit is a Mustang Survival Elite Inflatable Life Vest with HIT.

This is why I only use a full mustang pfd. Just not worth it to risk that 1 time it doesn't inflate when you really need it to

+1

Looks like you found the info you are looking for, but the hydrostatic mechanism has to reach its pressure point in order to inflate, it is not going to inflate from getting wet on the surface.

I had one inflate while I was driving the boat. Probably the closest I have ever been to a heart attack. I thought I had been shot. Never used it again.

Here is the answer from Mustang.

Auto Hydrostatic Inflator Technology will automatically inflate under water pressure, not inadvertently in rain, spray or humidity

+2

i was flippin a cove on Fork last year,had thrown mine in the drivers seat, standin on front deck and mine deployed, scared the @#$# out of me!

+3

Fishing a tournament with my brother early one morning and he must have stepped on the pull cord while his was laying in the bottom of the boat. Scared the [censored] out of both of us when it went off, it sounded like a gun shot!

This is what he looked like for the remainder of the day..... Hahaha!!!


I wear a full Mustang pfd because I'm just not confident in the inflatable vest...

Thank goodness nobody drown this time.

Look at NSR chinook kayak fishing Lpfd
Mine is very comfortable
Floats me well also.

Here is the correspondence I received today from Mustang just in case anybody that owns one was curious:

"These units are manufactured to go off when you absolutely need them to go off. It takes the inflator itself to be submerged in 4” or more for 5 or more seconds. There are some factors to take into account also so I have included information from the manufacturer of those Hammar inflators that can better explain how they are manufactured to perform. I have also attached some non-inflation questions that will help our QA department in their investigation into the non inflation complaint if you choose to send back after reviewing the information below.



Please review the below information and also fill out the non-inflation questions attached to the best of your knowledge. From here we will then take the next step in getting you taken care of the best that we can.



Here is some useful information regarding the performance of the Hammar Auto Hydrostatic Inflation Technology (HIT.)



Below is the link to the inflator manufacture’s website that explains how the Hammar inflator works. The website does a good job explaining the mechanics of the inflator. There are also a couple of videos showing examples of users falling into the water.

http://www.cmhammar.com/products/personal-safety-mob/lifejacket-inflator/in-water-performance/



Below is a direct link to a video by Hammar showing one possible circumstance in which the inflators will not activate.

https://vimeo.com/203200474



Whether the inflator will or will not activate is complicated. It really depends on a number of factors such as:

· The orientation of the user’s body when they impact the water

· The depth under water the user goes to

· How long the user is under water

· Lastly if the product had been rearmed was the air fully removed from the bladder



All these factors can influence when or if the product will inflate automatically. That being said, assuming there is minimal air inside the bladder, the product will activate if the Hammar inflator is under 4 inches of water for more than a 5 seconds. However as shown in the above video when the user falls in backwards and is floating in a neutral position the Hammar will not activate. One of the benefits of these inflators is they will only activate when you need them. If a user is face down or under the water for longer than 5 seconds the product will inflate.



Please let me know if you feel like the PFD should have still inflated after going through the information above and we will take the next step.



Thanks so much for your time and have a wonderful day."

Guess they are like my “smart” phone? The life jacket is to decide how critical the circumstances are? Not trying to be a smart a$z or question the experts explanation( but I would think “going overboard” would warrant the vest inflating without the vest “deciding” on the circumstances.(OK, maybe I am questioning the experts!). Moisture, spray, splashed....would be what I would would consider reasons for not inflating but “going overboard”? My simple brain considers that a “fail” and would make me question it I could count on it operating when needed.

I was fully in your camp, then you see the videos of the hard ones not flipping you over when you go in face first (there is one near the top of freshwater fishing right now and others on YouTube). In the same video it shows you an inflatable flips you from face down to up. I feel like the one time I really need it is me unconscious for whatever reason. With an auto inflate I'm done if it doesn't deploy. With a hard vest im in done if I land face down. I've switched back to the auto and check the indicator for green every single trip. Really on the fence though, idk.

I have the Mustang, but as I have tinnitus bad, I absolutely don't want this going off unless I'm dying. You never know what the next big sound will do to tinnitus, but I'm careful and avoid concerts, [censored] like that now. Wondering if I should have just bought a regular vest. You just can't win.

I used to do a ton of in store demos on inflatable PFDs and never had one "pop" or explode as they started activating. Sounds like a balloon being filled but no explosions.

Completely agree, people always act like they exploded or sounded like a gun shot, but that is not the case with any of mine. They deployment is very mild and I always laugh when I read others reviews of it going off in the seat.

and +4. Just do it

I have tested several and when jumping off of an elevated platform most of the time my feet will touch bottom in 8-10 ft of water in a swimming pool before it goes off and brings me bobbing back up. I generally wear a traditional PFD, but with the mesh upper every day instead of the inflatable just because I trust it more and we have to wear them all the time that we are in a boat. I still wear the inflatable if it's extremely hot like it has been lately.

i love having the chinook for my kayak, but unfortunately, they aren't impact rated to be used on boats.

Only thing for certain is uncertainty

Please elaborate.

I yak fish and love my NRS. Why would it not be ok in a boat? Impact rating what?

Mine has to be maintained, like anything else. There are little pieces in them that expire...and when they expire, they don’t work.

If you go in facedown unconscious with an autoinflate and it doesn't deploy, you're done. Atleast with a traditional they can find you quicker......

You stated you've had it for 3 months, did you properly arm it before you started wearing it, or is it like it was on the shelf at the store?

I can tell you from firsthand experience that if you wear the inflatable version please wear it snugly. If it deploys while you are in the water it can and will slide around and possibly hold your head under water. If its worn too.loose this is a reality.

I'm not willing to take the chance that an inflatable will work. Traditional floats every time, no arming or maintenance required.

There are two basic types of inflatables , the older lower cost version which uses a " tablet " ( made of salt/calcium ?) -- that tablet dissolves in water and the PFD inflates . I have two of these and both have gone off unexpectedly --- and yes , they were both very loud and inflated very quickly . The " tablet" absorbs moisture during use and eventually will go off without being in the water . The manufacturers try to advise that you should replace the arming mechanism every 3 years or so .
The hydrostatic version uses a pressure sensor . Once that pressure sensor is immersed in water , that pressure reaches a point to trigger the inflatable . They designed these to get away from the " tablet " version .
Several years ago in a tourney at the California Delta , a boater hit a submerged log @ 70MPH , ripping the motor off the boat and sending both occupants into the water , the driver survived , the non-boater died when his inflatable didn't go off , it took almost 8 hours to find his body and the inflatable was a hydrostatic version .