Safety Skunkwerks for the Rally Season...

[roadtripse]

Well, skunkwerks season is upon us and I have talked to many folks who are working on significant performance enhancements for their Donzis in anticipation of rally season, which will be here before you know it!

At the Awakening the past couple of years, I have noticed folks doing significant safety enhancements to their boats, too. A lot more people are running hydraulic steering and investing in good, offshore performance-style safety vests.

Steering. Anybody that is trying to steer a performance boat at 60+ on a cable is living on borrowed time. If that cable or connecting hardware goes in a crowd of boats, you can lose complete control in seconds and watch helplessly as you plow into others in your path. Besides the safety aspects, steering just gives you more precise control of the boat in general. There are no excuses any more really, as more affordable and good quality offerings have emerged like the Zieger systems, which are top notch.

Safety vests. Ribbon or ski-style vests are not designed to protect you and your passengers in the event of an accident, period. A Lifeline or Mustang vest can be custom ordered to your size and supplemented with flak jacket material to protect your rib cage. These vests are also designed with a collar to flip you over in the water and prevent drowning in the event of an accidental ejection.

http://www.lifelinejackets.com/pleasure_jackets.cfm

Spring will be upon us shortly, but there is still plenty of time to engage in a little safety skunkwerks for rally rides. Please consider doing so, if you haven’t already.

See you at the runs!

[fogducker]

I totally agree with all the points made.....I do however have a problem buying a $300+ PFD that is NOT Coast Guard approved.....:Eye:

[roadtripse]

Here is what I suggest you do J. Go buy a stack of the Coast Guard approved orange pullovers, put them in a bag, and throw them up under the deck. At the same time, buy a couple of Lifelines. Then, you will have the best of both worlds, something that will protect you in an offshore accident and something that meets a government standard. Given a choice, I know which one I would grab first.

[fogducker]

Personally I prefer the Mustang hydro static "horseshoe" style PFD, if you go in they automatically inflate and flip you right-side up if unconcious, plus they are very comfortable and cheaper then the Lifeline, which I find uncomfortable......but it is all good, we are at least discussing safety stuff.................:grin:

[boxy]

Personally I prefer the Mustang hydro static "horseshoe" style PFD, if you go in they automatically inflate and flip you right-side up if unconcious, plus they are very comfortable and cheaper then the Lifeline, which I find uncomfortable......but it is all good, we are at least discussing safety stuff.................:grin:

If you go in, don't hit anything on the way out, and don't tear it off when you hit the water at 70 mph, they automatically inflate and flip you over.....

I see value in the LifeLine more for the protection it's going to give you between when you leave the seat and when you stop bouncing.

[MadPoodle]

Boxy's point is very valid. It's not so much the getting tossed in the water that gets ya, it's the stuff you hit on the way to the water that hurts ya..

FWIW, I have been pulled several times while wearing lifelines. I have yet to have an officer give me a hard time about it, nor ask to see an approved PFD...

[Ed Donnelly]

Now you have done it.. Can't wait till you get pulled over next time.

Karma gonna get ya......................Ed

[silverghost]

Take a Coast Guard approval tag off a cheap lifevest & sew or glue it on your Lifeline race vest !

The only one who will really know ~~~is YOU !

I can hear the Feds comming after me now for suggesting doing this !

[roadtripse]

All of the occupants in the Outerlimits that did a spinout at the Smoke On the Water Poker Run a few years ago were wearing these things. They found the inflated vests floating in the water, but unfortuantely, not many of them had anyone floating in them. And rescuers responded within moments of the accident. People just vanished.

As for comfort, I am uncomfortable not having my Lifeline on when running or riding these days. Pretty basic insurance, really. Jill insists on her's too.

[Bertram Boy]

Great topic Todd.

Although, just a little bit of warning. I purchased the "Offshore" type jacket a few years ago, and although it offers excellent protection, it's meant as more of a standup jacket. It's bit difficult to use it while sitting down in a Donzi.

It's like the one seen here.

http://www.lifelinejackets.com/comp_jackets.cfm

[roadtripse]

Agree Cliff, the competition version is, how do you say it kindly, a bit bulky? We use the poker run versions, and even with the flak jacket inserts, they aren't bad sitting down. Good heads up for someone who might be looking at these and doesn't know the differences in the models.