Like Jackets

[shakey55]

To cut a long story short, I purchased four new life jackets from the RMS (NSW) when they had their trade your old in for New about four years ago.

they now require servicing by a professional and I’m finding it very hard to find someone to service this brand (ULTRA).

I’m now thinking of replacing them altogether with a brand that I will not find hard to get serviced by a professional.

I’ve done the annual servicing but I thought I could do it for five years and I now find you can only service this brand for three years.

What auto inflatable brands are people using that you would recommend

I fish off shore and looking for at least 150N’s

suggestions or recommendations please

[PaddyT]

throw the inflatables in the bin and get real ones! 

[shakey55]

19 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

throw the inflatables in the bin and get real ones! 

Real ones ?

[Marmot]

Try watersnake, or order some from ebay

[Rebel]

Hi,

Dinga Fishing has a special on Watersnake jackets.

Cheers.

[zmk1962]

44 minutes ago, shakey55 said:

they now require servicing by a professional and I’m finding it very hard to find someone to service this brand (ULTRA).

I'm not sure about ULTRA, but maybe contact these guys ... they did Burke, Marline etc when I was doing my research before following down @PaddyT's path.  

http://www.aegirmarine.com.au/

BTW,  I found AEGIR by first contacting Marlin ...and getting a list of their official endorsed service centres up and down NSW coast.  If you have not done so, I suggest you contact Ultra or their distributors and maybe they can point you in the right direction.

Cheers Zoran

 

[PaddyT]

yep real ones, like Burke , more and more the whole service once a year thing is a PITA, AND im not so sure i trust an inflatable 100% if something did go wrong- the whole inflatable thing has been driven by the idea of wearing a LJ the whole time you are on a boat and i dont, so if i feel that i need to put on a jacket then things are going to be bad, real bad!

[Berleyguts]

49 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

yep real ones, like Burke , more and more the whole service once a year thing is a PITA, AND im not so sure i trust an inflatable 100% if something did go wrong- the whole inflatable thing has been driven by the idea of wearing a LJ the whole time you are on a boat and i dont, so if i feel that i need to put on a jacket then things are going to be bad, real bad!

The Burke ones are good. I wear an inflateable because I fish solo and am required to wear one at all times. I have faith in them - when the CO2 cylinders needed replacing because they were expiring, I put them on and jumped in the water to test them. 😉 However, I keep a couple of regular jackets in the pointy end of the boat that I can put on if the weather turns really dodgy or I’m going to cross a bar, just to be sure.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Berleyguts

[savit]

Distributor of Ultra PFD -  Activ Concepts in Vic - they should be able to advise where those can be serviced locally.

http://www.ultrapfd.com.au/default.asp?PageID=27

Though, I would rather go non-inflatable way or at least get inflatable Marlin PFD or similar. As far as I remember Marlin recommends professional service once per 5 year + annual? self checks vs Ultra requires professional service every 3 year and self check every half year.

http://www.ultrapfd.com.au/default.asp?PageID=37#

 

[dunc333]

hutch wilco i think are the best inflatables. rms, water police wear them and my new one has 5 years service,one thing i wil lnow do is check date of manufactor when buying new as my new jacket was stamped june 2017 and i purchased last week  so i only get three years self service .

[Berleyguts]

2 hours ago, savit said:

Distributor of Ultra PFD -  Activ Concepts in Vic - they should be able to advise where those can be serviced locally.

http://www.ultrapfd.com.au/default.asp?PageID=27

Though, I would rather go non-inflatable way or at least get inflatable Marlin PFD or similar. As far as I remember Marlin recommends professional service once per 5 year + annual? self checks vs Ultra requires professional service every 3 year and self check every half year.

http://www.ultrapfd.com.au/default.asp?PageID=37#

 

I’m pretty sure my jackets have at least 10 spots to record the annual self-check. I’ll be doing the annual check in a week or two. Two of the jackets I bought from the RMS at the local boat ramp.

[savit]

23 minutes ago, Berleyguts said:

I’m pretty sure my jackets have at least 10 spots to record the annual self-check. I’ll be doing the annual check in a week or two. Two of the jackets I bought from the RMS at the local boat ramp.

What brand are they?

[Berleyguts]

3 hours ago, savit said:

What brand are they?

I’ll have a look tomorrow. My memory’s not as good as it used to be! 😉

[Sea Ranger]

Good topic this one.

I’m doing my self checks tonight.   I have 3 Marlin inflatables purchased last year and one Ballistic purchased in 2007/8.   To be honest I haven’t really been all that good at inspecting my Ballistic model other than to check the co2 canister reasonably regularly.  Now that my family fishes with me I’m going to continue annually as required with full proper inspections.  I cannot find Ballistic and assume they are no more or have changed names.  It is in good nick and I can’t see why I could not continue to use it if it works and passes Marlin’s inspection process. Anyone know about Ballistic.  I can’t remember where I bought it but think it was a box store.

 

Bear

Edited January 5, 2019 by Sea Ranger
Add pics

[savit]

1 hour ago, Sea Ranger said:

Good topic this one.

I’m doing my self checks tonight.   I have 3 Marlin inflatables purchased last year and one Ballistic purchased in 2007/8.   To be honest I haven’t really been all that good at inspecting my Ballistic model other than to check the co2 canister reasonably regularly.  Now that my family fishes with me I’m going to continue annually as required with full proper inspections.  I cannot find Ballistic and assume they are no more or have changed names.  It is in good nick and I can’t see why I could not continue to use it if it works and passes Marlin’s inspection process. Anyone know about Ballistic.  I can’t remember where I bought it but think it was a box store.

 

Bear

The trademark Ballistic for PFD devices and lic. 20432 (from the above screenshot) relate to Victorian company  Activ - same company that distributes  Ultra PFDs 

https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trademarks/mobile/view/1183256

I would contact them to confirm service requirements. Their phone number is in the link provided earlier in this topic . If the services requirements are the same as for inflstable Ultra PFDs then professional service required every 3 year and self check - at least every 6 month.

[Sea Ranger]

Thanks mate 

[Berleyguts]

21 hours ago, savit said:

What brand are they?

Hi,

The brand I bought from RMS on the exchange program at the ramp was: Ultra. It has space for 7 self inspection checks. I thought I bought 2 but it was only 1. It’s a PFD 150 auto inflateable.

I also have a Burke 150 (auto). It has space for 8 checks. It’s 5th is about due.

Both of these I keep for my crew, if any.

My main one is a Crewsaver Crewfit 180 Pro (auto). I find this the most comfortable and wear it exclusively. It’s due for its 2nd check and if I write small enough, I could fit 12-16 records in! Although, I expect I’ll replace it before then!

The instruction manuals for each simply state that they must be inspected regularly and serviced annually. Self servicing is fine if the correct processes are followed, recorded and parts replaced as needed.

[savit]

On 1/6/2019 at 2:57 PM, Berleyguts said:

Hi,

The brand I bought from RMS on the exchange program at the ramp was: Ultra. It has space for 7 self inspection checks. I thought I bought 2 but it was only 1. It’s a PFD 150 auto inflateable.

I also have a Burke 150 (auto). It has space for 8 checks. It’s 5th is about due.

Both of these I keep for my crew, if any.

My main one is a Crewsaver Crewfit 180 Pro (auto). I find this the most comfortable and wear it exclusively. It’s due for its 2nd check and if I write small enough, I could fit 12-16 records in! Although, I expect I’ll replace it before then!

The instruction manuals for each simply state that they must be inspected regularly and serviced annually. Self servicing is fine if the correct processes are followed, recorded and parts replaced as needed.

That Crewsaver looks really nice. 

[Berleyguts]

13 minutes ago, savit said:

That Crewsaver looks really nice. 

Yeah, it’s really comfortable....

if  you don’t pull the crotch strap up too tight! 😂

Edited January 9, 2019 by Berleyguts