G'day,

All of the VSAG boat owners provide personal floatation device type one (PDF Type 1) compliant items to wear at times of hightened risk, such as crossing the Port Phillip Bay heads.

Plus, I'm usually wearing my 7mm wetsuit at such times. With this wetsuit on, I can wear 10kg of lead in my weight harness and still be possitively buoyant. So I'm not in danger of sinking anytime soon.

However, I noticed that Rob Kirk had his own inflatable PFD Type 1, which got me to thinking. Why should I rely on the boat owner to provide this safety measure? A compact, inflatable unit is no real problem to add to my diving kit. Plus I'll be safer as I'll be more familiar with my own device.

So I decided to get one, and began to look at the various options and brands available.

In the end I selected the Stormy Yoke SIY PDF Type 1. See http://www.stormyaustralia.com/pfd/stormy_yoke.html.

They are made in Tasmania. The local service agent is Dive and Dive, at JV Marine on Springvale Road in Braeside. This is where I purchased mine for $175, as I happened to be passing near there on my way to a VARS meeting at Aquability.

They have other styles available, such as jacket versions, but as I'm usually wearing my wet suit, I think the yoke version is preferable.

You can also get ones that inflate automatically via a water activated inflation system. However, as some of the boat trips I've been on were so wet that you almost needed to consider a decompression stop afterwards, I went for the manual inflation option.

In a non-emergeny situation, or if the manual inflation system fails, you can also orally inflate the Stormy PDF.

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.

Yes, I didn't want to say anything to you on the day Lloyd, but I certainly agree that it is very important to be responsible for one's own safety. For me the main reason for going for the yoke type is that I can't fit into any of the standard size PFD's. Damn near ripped my ears off trying to get one of Alan Beckhurst's PFD's on over my head and then I couldn't get the stupid thing off!!

This style is easy on, easy off and you're right - it takes up very little space.

Good choice!

Cheers,

Rob

From a boat owner point of view I am probably responsible for the safety of all persons and as such I carry PFD's. Also the law requires that I have one for each bod on board.

Over the past three weeks I have been checkd twice by the water Police and the first safety device they ask for is one PFD for all on board. My boat has 6 adult and four childrens PFD's. The adult ones are the basic cork filled units and bloody uncomfortable but they would keep a bod afloat. The childrens ones are the proper vest units.

I share the view that it would be best for all divers to purchase their own PFD's for comfort and knowledge of how to fit an use their PFD.

Very few divers who come out on my boat have a personal PFD and they can be bought as low as $100 from places like JV Marine and boat supply shops.

JL

Is this still a requirement? I went on a couple of boat dives a little while back. And the skipper just said we had to zip up our exposure suits. On a side note Anaconda in Carnegie are selling this style of PFD for $60 on sale... Thus why I would like to confirm.

On a small craft it's law that a personal floatation device type one (PDF Type 1) compliant item is worn at times of hightened risk, such as crossing the Port Phillip Bay heads. This even applies to divers already wearing wetsuits/drysuits.

On commercial dive charter boats, this is not a requirement. Most charter operators simply suggest you zip up you wetsuit/drysuit.

Best Regards, Lloyd Borrett.