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How and Why to Test your PFD
Inflate your PFD and try it out in the water to:
· Make sure it floats you:
Comfortably (when worn properly)
Adequately for expected wave conditions
(Body shapes/densities affect performance)
· Make sure it works:
A flow of bubbles should not appear (see CARE AND
MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS for leak tests)
It should inflate quick and easily.
· Learn how it works by:
Activating the CO2 inflation system
Rearming the CO2 inflation system
Using the oral inflator tube
The U.S.Coast Guard recommends that you purchase two
rearming kits. One to be used immediately in testing the inflation system
(see HOW DO YOU TEST YOUR PFD USING THE MANUAL
INFLATOR?) and the other to carry on board as a spare.
The only check of the
manual inflation system
(with CO2 cylinder and
green indicator pin removed)
would be to determine that
the lever arm and piercing
pin move freely when
moving the lever (attached
to the pull tab) several times
down and up.
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