Legal Requirements for Inflatable PFDs

Inflatable PFD © Tom Lochhaas.

In 1996 the US Coast Guard began approving inflatable personal flotation devices (PFDs) to meet the requirement to have onboard one PFD per person. Although inflatable PFDs are somewhat more complicated than standard lifejackets with inherent (built-in) buoyancy, and certain specific requirements must be met, automatic inflatables offer key advantages for sailors, especially those going offshore. Inflatable PFDs must meet Coast Guard rules.

Gary Jobson, head of U.S. Sailing and a winner of the America's Cup race, explains the importance of wearing a PFD and the advantages of using an inflatable type.

Many inflatable PFDs now manufactured feature both automatic and manual inflation modes. The automatic mode is simple in concept but more complex in engineering.

A cylinder of compressed gas is connected to a firing pin, which is engaged when the mechanism is immersed in water. If this mechanism does not fire automatically after immersion, the user can jerk the manual inflation lanyard (the yellow handle in the photo) to activate the firing.

After firing, the compressed gas rapidly inflates the buoyancy bladder, which expands out of the encased fabric housing worn over the shoulders and around the neck, providing significant buoyancy. A tube with a one-way valve is also connected to the bladder, allowing the user to blow air into the bladder for buoyancy if the automatic device fails or if the gas gradually escapes after inflation.