Instructions / Assembly

11
Checking Your PFD
Check your PFD often for rips, tears, and holes, and to
see that seams, fabric straps, and hardware are okay. Give
your PFD belts and tie tapes a quick, hard pull to make sure
they are secure. There should be no signs of waterlogging,
mildew odor, or shrinkage of the buoyant materials.
If your PFD uses bags of kapok (a naturally buoyant
material), gently squeeze the bag to check for air leaks. If
it leaks, it should be thrown away. When kapok gets wet, it
can get stiff or waterlogged and can lose some of
its buoyancy.
Fading can indicate loss of strength. Store your PFD in
a dry, cool, dark place. A weathered PFD could tear easily,
resulting in loss of otation material. If faded, check strength
or throw the PFD away and buy a new one.
Don’t forget to test each PFD at the start of each
season. Remember, the law says your PFDs must be in
good shape before you use your boat. Ones that are not in
good shape should be cut up and thrown away.
KEEP
REPLACE