Make sure you know the facts before you buy an inflatable. They are high maintenance. Please do the manual inflation to make sure you do not have a hole in them. We have about 25 here at work and we seem to have one or two not hold air each time we test them.


Following are the legal requirements for using an inflatable:

  • The PFD must be USCG approved, as indicated by a label on the PFD. (Some early models were not approved and may still be in circulation, although most units manufactured presently are approved.)
  • The PFD must be the appropriate size for the user.
  • The PFD must have a full cylinder and the firing mechanism must have a green status indicator showing that the device is armed and ready for.
  • The PFD must be in good condition, including the inflating device, the air bladder, the oral inflation tube, and the manual inflation lanyard.
  • The PFD must actually be worn to meet the USCG carriage requirement for having one PFD onboard per person—unlike inherently buoyant lifejackets, which are not required to be worn at all times (except by children) but which must be readily accessible.
  • Inflatable PFDs do not meet the requirement for users under age 16 (because they may not be mature enough to understand how to use the manual inflation mechanism if the automatic mechanism fails).
  • Inflatable PFDs are not recommended—though this is not a legal requirement—for nonswimmers (who may not be able to keep their head above water long enough to use the manual mode or the oral tube for refilling the bladder).