Choosing A PDF

April-May 2003

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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Mercia Sixta talks with Alan Wilson

Photos courtesy of Salus Marine Wear: 877-418-9998

Aside from your kayak and paddle, your PFD (Personal Flotation Device) is your most vital piece of equipment. A Coast Guard approved PFD is part of the required items for legal operation of your kayak.

But according to Mercia Sixta, the 'doyenne' of sea kayaking in British Columbia, PFDs have to fit well or they're really not going to do the job.

"Sizing is crucial", she says. "Most people buy one which looks good and fits fine in the store, but PFDs aren't for making a fashion statement - they're a matter of survival.

"Most people buy one which is too big with the result that, once in the water, it rises up and can be hazardous. Be sure to test the PFD carefully in the store. Your body shouldn't rotate inside the jacket.

"Cinch it up and have someone get behind you and try to pull the jacket up. If it comes up to your chin or higher, it will become a problem in the water. Get a smaller, tighter fit.

"And be careful with the new combination sizing, such as 'small/medium' or 'medium/ large'. This may well lead you to buy one too big for yourself.

"As for zippers, side zippers can be hard to operate, especially for busty women. A center zipper is the easiest to use.

"You should also have two or three adjustable side straps, plus a buckle, and straps over the shoulders to adjust the fit.

"Some PFDs have rigid panels that your arms may rub against as you paddle, whereas others have flotation which wraps around the body and are more comfortable to wear.

" Mercia's big concern is with the new style cut-away PFDs. "They're great for paddling, but if you jump-test them by leaping into the water with your arms up, you'll discover that most of them come off!"

She and some paddler friends havestarted jump-testing PFDs to see which ones work, and to her surprise, of 20 they have tested, only two stayed on (and one of these was unapproved ).

"This test proved especially problematic with bustier women and bigger guys", she says.

Photos courtesy of Salus Marine Wear: 877-418-9998

"The surest way to secure a PFD is with a crotch strap", she says, but any modification of a PFD nullifies the Coast Guard approval, so it's a dilemma. "At the end of the day," she says, "I'd rather be sure my PFD was going to stay on, come what may."

Another problem with the latest designs comes in self-rescuing. "Busty women in bulky PFDs are having trouble getting close enough to their kayaks to perform a successful self rescue", she says. As PFDs have become shorter (so they don't rise up on your sprayskirt when you're seated in your kayak), many have become bulkier in front to accommodate the required flotation.

She recommends purchasers take plenty of time trying on PFDs in the store, and be sure to conduct trials in the water, including the jump test, a swim test, a float test, and a self-rescue test.

If you've already got a PFD you like, check it each year to make sure it hasn't degraded, that its buckles and straps aren't broken, and do a float check to see it's still working as it should. If there's a problem, get rid of it.

Mercia uses an inflatable which she inflates with a CO2 cartridge upon capsize, but she stresses you need to be a good swimmer if you have one of these as it won't be inflated till after you're in the water. "Not only do you need to pull your sprayskirt grab loop to exit your boat, and keep hold of your kayak and paddle so you can perform your selfrescue, but you also have to pull the inflater cord on your inflatable. It's a lot to remember."

And she points out that once an inflatable has been inflated, it's no longer 'approved' till the CO2 cartridge is replaced (beware that different manufacturers' cartridges aren't interchangeable). She also notes that inflatables are very bulky when inflated, and they tend to float you on your back.

The belt-type inflatables require a 2-step process so they're even less safe. And none of the inflatables give you any extra warmth the way a regular PFD does, until inflated.

If you're a visitor from another country, be sure your PFD is approved in your home country, in which case it will be accepted in the jurisdiction you're visiting. Otherwise you could end up with a fine. If you're a Canadian and you buy a US-approved PFD, you'll still have to have one that's Canadian-approved along with you to be legal in Canada.

As for colour, red, orange or yellow are the most visible. "Visibility is important," she says, "especially if you've got a darker coloured kayak."

Whatever type of PFD you get, Mercia says, make sure you practice your basic skills with it in the water so you're prepared for any eventuality.

© Mercia Sixta is the key organizer of and an instructor at the annual Coast Kayak Symposium on Thetis Island (May long weekend each year). She is Western Canoeing & Kayaking's Sea Kayak Specialist and Buyer and can be reached at mercias@telus.net or at Western Canoeing & Kayaking (in Abbotsford, BC) at 604-853-9320.