Re-dyeing PFD

How old is the PFD? Is it entirely one color. How many days use does it have any estimate on how often you use it? What color is it?

@magooch said:
I have to wonder how often the Coast Guard replace their life jackets–that we pay for.

Am guessing more often than most given the constant training and rescue work the Coasties do. Writing as a taxpayer, this is one service I’m delighted to pay for and if I could, would increase their budget. They do fabulous work (including their ongoing round the clock rescues in Houston) and also have to deal with complete idiots like the two jerks described in the link below, who took their tubby recreational kayaks into the Straits of Mackinac. Naturally the kayaks took on water because of wind, waves, current - and lack of bulkheads.

A Great Lakes freighter and a passenger ferry diverted their courses to lend assistance, two USCG stations and the Mackinac Marine rescue unit came to their rescue. One of the guys involved was so proud of his incompetence, he boasted on a local t.v. station website reporting the incident how much “fun” it was and that he intended to do it again because, after all, his taxes pay for the USCG.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/08/great_lakes_freighter_ferry_he.html

They need to bill him for his fun.

@PaddleDog52 said:
How old is the PFD? Is it entirely one color. How many days use does it have any estimate on how often you use it? What color is it?

I don’t know off hand how old it is (maybe 3, or 4 years). The pfd in question is/was orangeish yellow. After the fade, it is more yellow. Of course the jacket is not all yellow–much of it is black–like the straps and rescue belt. I alternate between 3 different pfd’s, but the rescue jacket is one of my favorites. In fact, I wore it yesterday and had not the faintest doubt it wouldn’t fail me if needed. The number of days I’ve worn it could exceed 500.

My newest pfd is an NRS Ninja (red) and I really hate that it will too soon be less red.

There are marine canvas treatments that would prevent fading of your ninja. Some water based some not. I have used both on boats. I would probably use water based on PFD I was wearing. I use 303 also. My boat is 10 years old canvas still has great color hardly any fade exposed - May-November

If it’s faded from the sun the strength of the fibers have probably also been degraded by UV exposure. I have two well faded PFDs … one seems fine and the other (Astral) ripped open last year when I caught it on a tie down, while getting worked in a huge winter wave. I would check the fabric often if you dye it sticking it with a piece of metal and making sure the fabric is still strong.

Yes sometimes things look great until tested.

If there is a spray on fabric UV fade protectant, wouldn’t it be something that pfd manufacturers would do at the factory?

Sale is made. Another chemical people may not want. Cost and it doesn’t last year’s. Wax helps your car finish but they don’t come waxed.

@PaddleDog52 said:
… Wax helps your car finish but they don’t come waxed.

Perhaps it is dealer prep. My Subaru came waxed.

I know from doing work for Mercedes that they used to wax them at the processing center before they went to the dealers. They’d send them through the washer to get the protectant shipping coating off and waxed them afterwards. Of course those were 25 years ago and $75k cars.

Dealers wax them.

I don’t care what kind of car it is. If I’m buying a brand spanking new car, they should make sure it’s washed, waxed, and leave a friggin’ mint on the seat!

Can you tell I’ve never purchased a new car? :wink:

Some people I know do not want dealer to wah or wax the new car. Corvette nuts especially. They are afraid dealer will leave swirling when they wax or wash it.