Gear review Update:

Rob B

Rob B

Well-Known Member
Well I had my big sea trial for my new gear this weekend at a regatta in Charleston, SC.

The Zhik hiking strap and matching “power” hiking booties were nothing short of perfect. I have never felt so connected to the boat and secure in the hiking strap. I totally recommend these items. The only downside of the booties is that they are not intended to be “foot protection” against rocks or shells. However, the soft bottoms allow you to “feel” where your feet are in the boat. It’s the next best thing to sailing barefoot and they allowed me to better feel when the sheet was tangled around them and MUCH easier to free the sheet when it got around my feet.

The SEA 2 mil skiff pants were great as well. The padded bottom and knee pads worked exactly as I had intended. I wanted a light weight full length pant that would not hold water and allow for good knee protection. I highly recommend these.

Zhik “Power Pads” individual hiking pads worked great. They did slip down just a bit during the races, but no more than regular hiking pants, (just to the top of your knees). I was able to re-adjust them between races even though they were under my SEA skiff pants. They provided great hiking support with less weight and the outfit was great for a hot summer day.

Gill long sleeve rash guard over my OLD Musto Type 1 life jacket provided a great low profile and slim fitting, class legal, combination. This is what I’m sticking to from now on. I do miss the pockets from my Soloquest jacket, but I can tuck stuff into the side of me SEA skiff pants and it holds a few things like small sunscreen and chapstick.
 
You sure the Musto is CE approved ? My understanding was it no longer was approved/accepted and hence why it is no longer sold anywhere.

I've found the current crop of CE approved (gill/zhik etc) to be just as thin and flexible... If only the US would adopt the same standards..
 
CE is similar to Underwriters Lab (UL)

Europe, Canada and down under use the CE specs for pfds (it's a much lower flotation requirement then what the USCG specs are, hence the thinner foam and less of it)

This is the typical verbage on marketing of their PFD's
"Approved to European CE standard EN 393 50 N
Not USCG approved at this time"


Maybe some of our Euro members can fill in with more accurate info, but I don't think the Musto ever had CE approval, it was designed before that standard was in place and just sort of accepted. But something changed at least 5 years ago where the Musto was no longer made/sold (IIRC either because they didn't want to go thru the cert process and/or it wouldn't have passed) and I think I heard thru the grapevine it was no longer accepted in events in Europe.
 
I'll go back to the soloquest, (type 3) vest when it gets cold, but for summer in the south the "swimming aid" will be my choice.
 
Given what happened to that guy who got run down last summer, I would want a USCG approved PFD in those waters. Just my opinion, but would you want your wife/mother/children not to get your life insurance because you wanted to be a little more comfortable? You are in the United States, Land of Litigation. We all know a type II is uncomfortable in the heat, but a USCG PFD is required equipment on your vessel.
 
mlemieux1978 said:
Given what happened to that guy who got run down last summer, I would want a USCG approved PFD in those waters. Just my opinion, but would you want your wife/mother/children not to get your life insurance because you wanted to be a little more comfortable? You are in the United States, Land of Litigation. We all know a type II is uncomfortable in the heat, but a USCG PFD is required equipment on your vessel.
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Then you'll love this. The guy that got run over last year was out sailing his new boat w/out ANY kind of PFD on his body or in the boat.

They kept us well out of the commercial traffic lanes and quite frankly I can't understand how that big assed ferry could "sneak" up on anyone.

Land of Litigation and Land of the Free.
 
I run an oceangoing tugboat and travel all over. That guy must have deaf/blind cousins in every state. I've been to Charleston quite regularly over the past 6 years, going up the Cooper River to NUCOR. Its not just the ferry I'd worry about. I was picking up my barge in the anchorage about 3 months ago and I got passed by a cruise ship doing 18 kts. Not to mention the 3 containerships in and out of there on every tide. A great venue for sailing, to be sure, but you gotta be careful. I don't think many people are aware of how dangerous sailing can be. I don't mean to be argumentative, but it is the law to have a real PFD o/b. Seeing commercial/recreational vessel accidents is upsetting to me for obvious reasons. Any sailor who places at events has a responsiblity as a role model to junior sailors as well. If a kid saw your cool lifey and asked his parents for one, do you think the parent will know the difference between CE/USCG approved and non-approved?
 
Any sailor who places at events has a responsiblity as a role model to junior sailors as well. If a kid saw your cool lifey and asked his parents for one, do you think the parent will know the difference between CE/USCG approved and non-approved?[/QUOTE]

As a parent myself I hope their parent would be enough involved in their child's sport to check out the safety of the equipment they wanted. For example, my daughter rides horses and is studying the "hunter/jumper" side of that sport. You bet your ass my wife and I closely research what kind of safety gear she gets.

I'm 6'2" and around 200lbs. For me having a lower profile support vest is really important for getting under the boom and around the boat. When I was younger and smaller this was NEVER an issue.

As for the CE/USGC deal. The Laser class designates a minimum flotation device requirement and that is what I choose to follow. After nearly 30 years of competitive sailing I have NEVER been "pulled" by the water police during a regatta. However, I have been stopped several times in my power boat, (have never been cited thank you very much).

If you look at APS, Layline and other gear companies you'll see Zhik, Gill and others are offering more and more of these "flotation" devices in cool colors and designs. They are selling them.

I also stand around and drink a couple of beers or glass of scotch after a day of sailing and I'm prone to utter the "F" word. Now I guess I have to worry about the juniors drowning AND becoming profane alcoholics all because of me? What do you say to guys that smoke?

I understand your safety points and I have no argument with them.

However, I do take a bit of exception to the "role model" deal as I think it's a little overboard, (no pun intended) in this situation. Why would any kid want my stinky, faded, no longer in production, 20 year old Musto jacket when they can get a slick new Gill or Zhik device that is advertised so well and slick on the websites as HOT NEW gear?

I would expect parents to take the same responsibility for their kids as I do my own.
 
just sayin' Rob, I remember being a junior sailor and looking up to the guys at the head of the pack. If there are 16 year olds competing in your fleet, as there are in mine, you have to consider it. Growing up in a sailing town, when I needed something for my boat, I went and got it when I saved enough cash. No mommy/daddy handholding. Not everyone is as responsible as they should be. If the zhik or gill floatation aid were designed with enough bouyancy to meet the uscg requirements, they would be uscg certified. I think this thread has gone far enough on this point. Good luck with the riding lessons. We have a lot of equestrians in the family up here and its a great learning experience for kids.

happy sailing
Mike
 
Is the water less buoyant in North America or something? Litigation on buoyancy?

All the aforementioned PFDs are fine here (CE certified).
 
Well Rob, though you may not have been pulled on the water while sailing, some regattas are now requiring Coast Guard approved life vests. The slim "Buoyancy Aids" for most are not Coast Guard approved and if you were them at a regatta where Coast Guard approved life jackets are required, it is grounds for a protest and to have you thrown out for every race you raced using that life jacket. Though I highly doubt that someone would protest you around here in Charleston.... if you went to a larger venue it would be a possibility. I say this with experince b/c while racing in highschool that issue came up in a Regional Championship where the team that was protested got DSQ for every race that the buoyancy aide was used. So be aware of the racing instructions on life jacket requirements.
 
Sailandsurf_89 said:
Well Rob, though you may not have been pulled on the water while sailing, some regattas are now requiring Coast Guard approved life vests. The slim "Buoyancy Aids" for most are not Coast Guard approved and if you were them at a regatta where Coast Guard approved life jackets are required, it is grounds for a protest and to have you thrown out for every race you raced using that life jacket. Though I highly doubt that someone would protest you around here in Charleston.... if you went to a larger venue it would be a possibility. I say this with experince b/c while racing in highschool that issue came up in a Regional Championship where the team that was protested got DSQ for every race that the buoyancy aide was used. So be aware of the racing instructions on life jacket requirements.
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Very good point and very true! I did check the SI's prior to wearing the non-USCG vest and had my type III with me just in case as quite often SI's will specify PFD's. The SI's said nothing about life jackets at all. In this case you always defer to the class rules of the class you are sailing. In which case the guy with no PFD at all could have and really should have been protested.
 
Just curious Rob, you've mentioned a couple times above that
"The Laser class designates a minimum flotation device requirement"

Where are you seeing that ? I don't see it in the class rules.
 
49208 said:
Just curious Rob, you've mentioned a couple times above that
"The Laser class designates a minimum flotation device requirement"

Where are you seeing that ? I don't see it in the class rules.
Click to expand...

I don't have my book with me. You might be correct. I was figuring the class had a minimum requirement because I've seen so many guys going to the bouancy aid products recent events I've attended.

Can anyone else check their class book?
 
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