Comp. Vest or USCG Approved?

[turbonine]

I have a SWAT CGA and nonCGA. Just depends on what I am doing. If I am trying new spins, I wear the CGA.

[Domsz06]

Like Skiski said, in TX the rider is not required to have a USCGA vest on, but you must have one in the boat for the rider and all the other people in the boat. I have found through trial and error that all states have very different boating laws and you need to know your local law, which is difficult. There are a few states with nice boater regulation brochures but most, including TX, require a little more digging. For example, in TX you do not need an observer in the boat to tow a skier as long as you have a mirror, and obviously no skier down flag is required either.

i didn't know that about TX, I was always in OK unitl recenlty. I have used my comp vest the few times I have been in conroe or the gulf.

[Ewok]

One exception on the skier down flag - Lake Conroe requires them.

Good to know, see, confusing. Different laws all over the place. Too bad there isn't any one-stop-shop type of resource to get all the info you need to be a legal boater.

[skyski_tige]

Like Skiski said, in TX the rider is not required to have a USCGA vest on, but you must have one in the boat for the rider and all the other people in the boat. I have found through trial and error that all states have very different boating laws and you need to know your local law, which is difficult. There are a few states with nice boater regulation brochures but most, including TX, require a little more digging. For example, in TX you do not need an observer in the boat to tow a skier as long as you have a mirror, and obviously no skier down flag is required either.

One exception on the skier down flag - Lake Conroe requires them.

[Dave S]

Everyone in my boat uses USCGA vests. ALmost all of us have had pretty bad wrecks over the years. We even wear them while surfing. No major surfing accidents yet but my niece almost knocked herself out when the board hit her in the head on one of her spills.

[Ewok]

you actually had a ticket and a cop look? I was pulled over numorus times and watched by them, guess I just got lucky. The cop never once even asked to look at it, just made sure we had enough vests per person. Odd....

I always wore a comp vest. I Had 2, the vapor and the swat. Both non approved and there wasn't another vest that woud even fit me in the boat lol. Guess I got lucky all those years.

Like Skiski said, in TX the rider is not required to have a USCGA vest on, but you must have one in the boat for the rider and all the other people in the boat. I have found through trial and error that all states have very different boating laws and you need to know your local law, which is difficult. There are a few states with nice boater regulation brochures but most, including TX, require a little more digging. For example, in TX you do not need an observer in the boat to tow a skier as long as you have a mirror, and obviously no skier down flag is required either.

[Joeprunc]

Thanks for all the input. I'm pretty sure I'll be looking into a Helium or Jet Pilot CGA vests. I've come to realize that I'm not that good at anything I do, so I'm quite sure that having a comp vest will not help me round ball 5 any better that with a CGA vest. But who knows when I go to the shop I may just fall in love with a comp vest....

[wallacmc]

This isn't too bad of a vest. Although I only surf so I likely wouldn't buy one for myself but it would be nice if I was surfing on a busy weekend with the sheriff around.
Too bad it's sold out. If I didn't already have my comp I'd buy this instead actually...

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys...0/product.html

That is nie that they are making uscga vest with the flexibility and function of comp vests now. I love my comp vest but can only ride it in Tenn. In KY and OH, they are totally illegal. In Tenn., you can ride with one, but must have a uscga on board for each rider including the skiier. I've also found that when I'm trying to learn something or do something crazy that could ring my bell or force water down the hatch, I much prefer the uscga. I'm fat and all, but that xxl comp vest barely keeps my nose out of the water when all strength is gone.

[da.bell]

I use a 2009 model vest but here the 2010 model CGA vest that I use.

http://www.hyperlite.com/product/305...Side_Entry_CGA

[Fiveflat]

This isn't too bad of a vest. Although I only surf so I likely wouldn't buy one for myself but it would be nice if I was surfing on a busy weekend with the sheriff around.
Too bad it's sold out. If I didn't already have my comp I'd buy this instead actually...

http://www.overstock.com/Sports-Toys...0/product.html

[skyski_tige]

that's crazy. I'm surprised he knew. I would have asked him back how he knew? I bet he does because he rides and wears one

Sorry to hear that. I have never had one even look at us as long as we had a vest on. Same here in Houston when I pull my brother.

The cops know more than you think about the vests. In Texas, it is not required to use a vest when you ride. With that being said, there needs to be one in the boat for the rider in case of an issue. I think the rider should have a coast guard approved vest on behind the boat. You never know when something bad will happen. Remember - DEAD IS DEAD! There is no coming back from that.

Domz tag says it well - "The entire course of a life can be changed in an instant!"


People can do what they want but to ride behind my boat you have to follow my rules...

And for the bus and lightning example - look both ways and watch the weather and you will be fine!

[Domsz06]

Yep, DNR pulled into the cove where we were riding. He followed us the whole time, I knew he was curious about something and figured I was going to get pulled so I kept riding on purpose and made him wait till I was done. When he pulled up he made me take off my vest so he could see it and explained the difference between the types of vests. I just played dumb hoping ignorance would win, it didnt help that we had 2 more wet non-CGA vests on the floor.

that's crazy. I'm surprised he knew. I would have asked him back how he knew? I bet he does because he rides and wears one

Sorry to hear that. I have never had one even look at us as long as we had a vest on. Same here in Houston when I pull my brother.

[brett22i]

you actually had a ticket and a cop look?

Yep, DNR pulled into the cove where we were riding. He followed us the whole time, I knew he was curious about something and figured I was going to get pulled so I kept riding on purpose and made him wait till I was done. When he pulled up he made me take off my vest so he could see it and explained the difference between the types of vests. I just played dumb hoping ignorance would win, it didnt help that we had 2 more wet non-CGA vests on the floor.

[Domsz06]

I think it depends on the vest and the person. both my comp vests would easily keep me afloat, but just not at "high out of the water" as a approved vest. The oneil vapor I had was awesome as it fit like a glove and I never knew it was there.

The nevin swat I had I loved, but it was a side zip and after hard falls I would typically find it wrapped around my shoulder unzipped, so it became my Surfing vest until I stopped using one when surfing too...

We all have our own preferences and know our lakes. My cops never messed with me at the local lake, heck most times they would drove right by us watching us board and surf.

The few times I got pulled over at my non local lakes when we would go out for the party weekends they would just check to make sure no Minors drinking, or we had enough vests per person. Not sure they even know what a "comp vs non comp" vest is.

Some of you will flame me and say well you never know, that one time you could knock yourself out and hurt yourself and you will wish you had a approved one on. My statement back to you is that one day you may walk down the street and get hit by a bus, or be outside and get struck by lightening. We all have things we do that may involve risk... Do what you love, love what you do!
I

[Domsz06]

I loved my $125 comp vest that I purchased a few years ago, however I did not like getting the $140 ticket for riding with a non-CGA vest. The cop was actually nice because he could have ticketed the driver another $180 for not inforcing a CGA vest while driving my boat. If you dont have a lot of law enforcement on your water it might be worth the risk.
There are a lot of really nice vests that are thinner now and not as bulky. My buddy has a Helium vest that is really nice and thin and CGA.

you actually had a ticket and a cop look? I was pulled over numorus times and watched by them, guess I just got lucky. The cop never once even asked to look at it, just made sure we had enough vests per person. Odd....

I always wore a comp vest. I Had 2, the vapor and the swat. Both non approved and there wasn't another vest that woud even fit me in the boat lol. Guess I got lucky all those years.