Check out the SUP VIC website for info on Victoria's PFD regulations for stand up paddle sports:

www.supvic.com/safety-on-the-water/

In a nutshell, it's over 400m from shore when you need a PFD, except for children under 10 who are required to wear one at all times.

If you are local to Canoes Plus, I suggest you check out the Ultra Pinnacle II. I think it's a better permanent PFD for SUP as it has a hydration pouch at back and a zip at front in case you overheat and need to cool off a little. Ultra also make an inflatable bumbag style but I don't think Canoes Plus carries that one. Try RPS.

Bum bag PFD Type 1 inflatables are great. The WA DoT advocate them as the highest level PFD:

www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_B_Safety_Equipment_Lifejackets.pdf

They won't go off when they hit the water - you have to pull the tag, but important to keep them in bag with strap. Be wary of purchasing an inflatable PFD type overseas - most local events will have to comply with Australian safety standards - for inflatables it is Level 150 and Australian certified. We had to refuse a couple of South African and US PFDs during the King of the Cut scrutineering.

foamballer said..

Goochi said..

Bum bag PFD Type 1 inflatables are great. The WA DoT advocate them as the highest level PFD:

www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/marine/MAC_B_Safety_Equipment_Lifejackets.pdf

I was looking at this link, but I couldn't see any reference to bum bag style PFDs. Were you just referring to level 150?

Level 150 refers to the buoyancy and safety standards rating and you will find that this inflatable below has the text "150N MANUAL". It also says Type I, which is the older style ratings system. The red one in the post above is a Type II and it would now be regarded as a Level 50. So the inflatable is substantially safer when inflated. Of course, when it's wrapped up in the bag, it is doing nothing at all towards saving your life so you need to know how to get it out, put it over your head, tie the straps, and pull the cord on the gas cannister all while you are sinking in the water.



I have not experienced one of these inflatables exploding or self-inflating without warning, but what they will tend to do if the bag gets filled with water is the velcro will give way and the vest will flop out. That can be really annoying, especially in the middle of a race. To prevent this, I have put a loose elastic band laterally around the bag, which would be very easy to remove if I needed to get at the vest in an emergency.

under the old system there was 3 types of life jacket ( + the commercial offshore type N/A here only used on commercial vessels)

Type 1 life jacket- yellow or orange, thick uncomfortable most likley stored in your boat and never use or looked at
Type 2 life jacket , still hi vis colours less neck floatation and a little more comfortable
Type 3 life jacket , waterski jacket wont float your head above water bare minimal floatation

new rating are

150N - provides 150 newtons (measure of power/energy) of buoyancy this is what most commercial operators now use as a minimum i.e. commercial skippers, deck hands, constuction workers working near the water.

100N - provides 100 newtons of buoyancy they say the same as a type 1

50N - provides 50 newtons of buoyancy old level 2

50NS - same as above but not high viz

there is also 180N and 300N used by offshore sailers and marine workers

maritimemanagement.transport.nsw.gov.au/lifejackets/index.html

the thing to remember is that if you fall off and belt your head on the board and pass out the manual jacket might as well be not even be worn...

this is interesting though from the RMS website

www.lifejacketwearit.com.au/vessel-type/paddle-stand-paddleboard/

says that a paddle board is not a vessel therefore you dont need to wear a life jacket

and this is the definition under the international collision regulations
(a) The word ???vessel??? includes every description of water craft, including non-displacement craft, wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) vehicle, and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

For Vic - page 50 of the safety handbook

http://www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/41121/Victorian-Recreational-Boating-Safety-Handbook.pdf

SUP coastal offshore greater than 2 nm (3.7km) from the coast type 1 or 2 or 3, 1 x torch, 2 x orange smoke flare, 2 x red distress flares, EPIRIB, 1 compass.

not sure where you would keep all that,

SUP all other waters ( this would include Port Phillip Bay as not offshore) if greater than 400 m from shore then a PFD 1 or 2 or 3 is required.

from the secumar website:

Anyone floating in the water requires a minimum of buoyancy force to keep his head on the water surface as well as to turn his body to keep his nose and mouth above the surface. The distance from water surface to the mouth is called "freeboard", and this distance may be influenced by the clothes worn. An undressed adult will achieve this freeboard with a buoyancy of 100 Newton (N); (10 N = 1 daN = DecaNewton equal to 1 kp. As a safety margin and to ensure turning of the unconscious wearer by the lifejacket, 150 N is required. An inherently buoyant lifejacket of this buoyancy would be much too bulky.

this is the brand i use at work

Something else to keep in mind with a pfd is that the bulk at the front makes it harder to slide on a board. Especially so for women, kids and overweight people. Do a few capsize drills and get them to practice kicking with their legs.