When do YOU wear flotation gear?

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I recently made a jump which had the exit spot over a large body of water. The winds were strong and blowing onshore, so I wasn’t too worried at the time.

After landing I was thinking that if I had opened low for any reason, I might have had a water landing several hundred yards from shore. That thought got me wondering: What are your personal rules for when you wear flotation gear near large bodies of water. I am NOT referring to the student/round canopy situation addressed in the USPA SIM.

What do you use as your rule assuming that you are a licensed jumper with ram-air main and reserve?

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[petejones45 0]

I always have to wear flotation gear because our DZ is right next to a big lake.

Look out for the freefly team, Smelly Peppers. Once we get a couple years more experience we will be a force to be reckoned with in the near future! BLUES!

[airtwardo 7]

If I exit over... will be flying over...will be landing near water... I wear my water wings.


What happens if an in-flight emergency dictates an exit way out over the pond?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[NovaTTT 2]

(comment removed)

Nevermind - it was already handled in the Skyride/West Tennesee Thread.

"Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

[captain1976 0]

The 2 DZ's i jump at have small and medium sized lakes which normally aren't a problem, but on 2 occasions I ended up near them, so I wear a small inflatable device on all jumps. I figure, why take a chance?

You live more in the few minutes of skydiving than many people live in their lifetime

[Beachbum 0]

I am thinking about heading to the beach jumps at Aransas in a couple of weeks, and if I go, I plan to take my old scuba bc with me to wear. I've never really thought about just what all circumstances I might WOULD wear it though ... good thing to consider!

As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

[erdnarob 1]

Flotation gear ? When the DZ is at 1 kilometer or 0.62 mile or less from an open body of water. This is the regulations in Canada. Now we cannot underestimate the importance of a good spot especially when being near water. People are often too confident to their canopy performances to bring them back at the landing area.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[NWFlyer 2]

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I am thinking about heading to the beach jumps at Aransas in a couple of weeks, and if I go, I plan to take my old scuba bc with me to wear. I've never really thought about just what all circumstances I might WOULD wear it though ... good thing to consider!

Have you thought that through? I'm not a very experienced scuba diver but I'm envisioning a fairly bulky vest-style BC ... how wearable / usable is that going to be under your rig? Is it some other style that I'm not familiar with?

Most people use this or something similar for flotation gear in skydiving as it "plays nice" with our gear.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[airtwardo 7]

I use an airline 'horse-collar' type.

It fits nicely under the jumpsuit and nothing interferes with normal skydiving.

Just remember to unzip the jumpsuit prior to using.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Beachbum 0]

Mine could also be described as horse collar type. It lays very flat against me, and is not bulky at all ... should work nicely under my jumpsuit.

The one you posted the link to is a belt, and unless thinking has changed since I did my WSI training way back when (70's) ... a vest is much better floatation than a belt, especially in the event someone is injured. A belt really puts the floatation in the wrong place on you, and makes it more difficult to float upright (or on your back and still keep your head up). Vests by design hold your head up ... worth using, to me.

As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks?

[NWFlyer 2]

Sounds like a good choice for a flotation device, then. I was obviously envisioning something totally different.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[erdnarob 1]

Until the CO2 cartridge will fire accidently ??? The vest type shouldn't be used for normal jump because when inflated it will interfere with the chest strap. When suspended to your parachute, the chest strap get up.
The aviation horse collar is also cumbersome and is likely to restrict you (when inflated) when located around the collar (vision, helmet, chest strap...).
Just to tell you how embarrassing is a sudden inflation, I remember last year having a jumpsuit zipper malfunction. My jumpsuit zipper gave up in freefall and I got my jump suit inflated. I couldn't find my hackey at the normal location. I tried twice and I pulled my reserve.
IMO the best water gear is a bean shape flotation device attached (velcro+elastic webbing) to the left container/harness stabilizer (part linking the bottom of container to the harness). Its size is about 6 x 3 x 2 inches. Unfortunately Paragear new catalog is not showing it anymore. I have two of them, a small and a big one. I made their container myself from Parapack fabric. The CO2 cartridge trigger is secured by a mini handle (1/4" plastic rod 1 " long) with Velcro. Tell me if you want a picture of them. Both have an oral inflation tube which can be locked.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[airtwardo 7]

I removed the Co2 cartridge because although it's an airline model, you can't carry it on board and I travel with gear a lot.

Since I have exited over water many times I've practiced the procedure...I can get it out and somewhat inflated in under 10 seconds.

I also have a couple of the Military (bean) type LPU's you described with the -10 harness set up, they work great but I've had better results with horse-collars in actual use.

Obviously it's a personal choice matter...just make sure you have one when needed, and know how to use it.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mjosparky 4]

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IMO the best water gear is a bean shape flotation device attached (velcro+elastic webbing) to the left container/harness stabilizer (part linking the bottom of container to the harness

If you are wearing only one flotation device it should be attached to you not your gear. After you land in water the first thing you should do is get out of you gear and swim away from it.

When needed, and that is anytime there was a chance of landing in water, I would wear one of these for me.
http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=467#L14409

And one of these for my gear.
http://www.paragear.com/templates/base_template.asp?group=26#L1417

The plan being once I was free of the gear I would inflate the one on the gear and swim away from it.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[erdnarob 1]

Yes this is the LPU type (second picture) I was talking about. Glad to see it on line. My flotation gear is attached to the container left stabilizer but can be removed easily since it is held with an elastic webbing wrapped around the stabilizer, sewn on the flotation gear envelop and secured by a Velcro. My own design.

For an intentional water landing, no problem with a vest type or collar type but for formation skydiving the LPU type placed on the left side is probably better.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[kuai43 7]

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Sounds like a good choice for a flotation device, then. I was obviously envisioning something totally different.

Since you're envisioning something different, check out what we use. Not only are they an excellent choice, but they're independent of the rig and you can continue to 'save' yourself once out of the water. You might never jump without one again.

Photo = B license water training. We get many repeat customers.

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[NWFlyer 2]

Quote

Quote

Sounds like a good choice for a flotation device, then. I was obviously envisioning something totally different.

Since you're envisioning something different, check out what we use. Not only are they an excellent choice, but they're independent of the rig and you can continue to 'save' yourself once out of the water. You might never jump without one again.

Photo = B license water training. We get many repeat customers.

Awesome.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[grimmie 186]

We may need some of those "floaties" for Belize!

A rig will float for a very long time after a water landing. Cut away the main if needed in windy situations and you will float nicely on your packed reserve.

[airtwardo 7]

A rig will float for a very long time after a water landing. Cut away the main if needed in windy situations and you will float nicely on your packed reserve.

[champu 1]

I've only made one jump with floatation gear, and it was the San Francisco demo back in August. I had one of the airline horse collar types.

I don't jump with floatation gear at my home dropzone even though Elsinore has the lake right there. On a nominal skydive, you'd have to try (hard) to land in the lake. If I find myself bailing out low on my reserve, there are several platforms spaced around in the lake and I'm confident enough that I can land near one of those platforms if I can't get to a shore. If the plane goes into the drink never getting high enough to bail out, well... yeah that would suck.

If I ever decide to go to one of those Central America or FL Keys boogies I would bring floatation, even if it wasn't required.

[Sletzer 3]

The guy on the left looks like his face is getting close to that flotation device's "danger zone."

I will be kissing hands and shaking babies all afternoon. Thanks for all your support! *bows*

SCS #8251

[rhanold 0]

I wore it in the Florida keys when I jumped there. I did not wear it in Hawaii when I jumped there (I did not own any then) If I jumped over the ocean again I would probably wear it.

~Ryan

[Amazon 7]

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I am thinking about heading to the beach jumps at Aransas in a couple of weeks, and if I go, I plan to take my old scuba bc with me to wear. I've never really thought about just what all circumstances I might WOULD wear it though ... good thing to consider!

Have you thought that through? I'm not a very experienced scuba diver but I'm envisioning a fairly bulky vest-style BC ... how wearable / usable is that going to be under your rig? Is it some other style that I'm not familiar with?

Most people use this or something similar for flotation gear in skydiving as it "plays nice" with our gear.

I kinda go old school... since its what I have used for a couple hundred water landings.
They fit well right under the armpits and work well with a rig. plus I still have a whole box full of them.

[fcajump 164]

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What do you use as your rule assuming that you are a licensed jumper with ram-air main and reserve?

When I jumped here (attached) everyone was required to (and I think the least of us had a 'D' and many were PRO rated). I had one of the ParaGear specials for that jump.

Normally I am at least several miles from the nearest body of water, so not close enough that I worry about it.

I guess if if I jumped close (

JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[SStewart 13]

On jumps like this.....

Onward and Upward!