Stearns 1339, Owner'S Manual

Page 1: ...EN WORN It is not approved for water skiing or other high impact high speed activities This inflatable PFD was designed to be more comfortable and less restrictive to wear than inherently buoyant PFD s When worn used and serviced according to this owner s manual this PFD can greatly increase your chances of survival in the water Not recommended for non swimmers or weak swimmers Users of inflatable...

Page 2: ...ing order and cannot be counted as a PFD to meet the carriage requirements on your boat This manual automatic inflatable PFD requires more frequent checks than ones that are inherently buoyant or have manual inflation Wearing this PFD will 1 Provide it the extra attention associated with use 2 Help you address its disadvantages and 3 Increase safety enormously because you have it when needed Read ...

Page 3: ...oduct may go unnoticed since the CO2 gas will permeate the chamber fabric within a few days leaving a deflated chamber Why U S Coast Guard studies have shown high percentages of unserviceable inflatable PFDs with used cylinders in them when used by recreational boaters In addition to inspecting the mechanism and cylinder before each outing you must periodically check the other components of the PF...

Page 4: ...ice must be properly armed unless worn inflated Please read the entire owner s manual for more details about the use and care of this Inflatable PFD II MANDATORY CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS Federal regulations in 33 CFR 175 1993 require you to carry Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices PFDs legibly marked with the Coast Guard approval number which are in good and serviceable condition and are...

Page 5: ...NCTURE HOLE IF PUNCTURED OR DEFORMED REPLACE THE CYLINDER READ BELOW FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION 1 Inspecting Your PFD For Damage Make sure that the PFD is free from rips tears or punctures This type of damage on the outside covering indicates that the Inflatable Chamber may have been exposed to potentially damaging elements If these defects expose the yellow inflatable chamber material disconti...

Page 6: ... book The presence of a water sensing pill can be checked by looking at Indicator B The pill itself should be checked regularly To examine water sensing pill lift cocking lever to expose pill and remove If pill is cracked or otherwise damaged replace with fresh pill 3 Examine Your CO2 Cylinder The CO2 cylinder contains the gas charge that will inflate your PFD when the inflation mechanism is fired...

Page 7: ...s worn of f t he CO2 Cy linder may s t art t o s how s ome s igns of rust ing I f t his oc curs replac e t he CO2 Cy linder I f a gram s c ale s uc h as a post al s c ale is av ailable it is recommended t o weigh t he c y linder t o v erif y t hat it meet s t he minimum weight imprint ed on t he c y linder DONNING INSTRUCTIONS STEP1 Wear like a jacket inserting arms between straps and fabric STEP2...

Page 8: ...grasp the Jerk to Inflate tab and pull sharply downwards 2 Automatic Inflation The automatic Inflation Mechanism will activate when the device is totally immersed in water Depending upon temperature the device will obtain full buoyancy within 5 to 10 seconds It is recommended that the user regard the automatic system as a backup and always be prepared to pull the Jerk to Inflate tab upon immersion...

Page 9: ...fore be necessary REARMING AND INDICATOR CHECK INSTRUCTIONS The back cover of this manual provides the REARMING and INDICA TOR CHECK INSTRUCTIONS f or the mechanism on your PFD DEFLATION INSTRUCTIONS Depress Oral Valve located inside end of Oral Tube using either the protective cap or tab provided by inserting into the end of Oral Tube see drawing Gently compress air out of the inflatable chamber ...

Page 10: ...always fold arms over your chest to keep the PFD in place when entering the water 3 Avoid all unnecessary activities that will be abrasive to the device 4 Use extreme caution around sharp objects 5 Avoid unnecessary exposure to the sunlight See GENERAL PRODUCT LIFE EXPECTANCY on page 11 6 CO2 gas from the cylinder will permeate through the chamber fabric over time If you are in the water for a lon...

Page 11: ...reason that you must follow the care and cleaning instructions and perform the maintenance and service checks This will assure that the PFD remains functional and will maximize the useful life of this PFD Failure to follow these instructions rigorously could result in a non functioning PFD causing injury or death INSPECTION User s Inspection The users should perform the following checks before eac...

Page 12: ...sily and when released it should automatically return to the closed position and reseal REARMING OF INFLATOR MECHANISM Use Replacement Kit No 0920 and 0923 See Rearming Instructions on back cover for details CARE AND CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS Drying If the device is wet place on a coat hanger to allow thorough drying Do not place in direct sunlight to dry Do not use any heat source or place on radiato...

Page 13: ...epair Facility REARMING COMPONENTS Unused components for the inflation mechanism should be inspected and or replaced annually VI WHY ARE PFDS REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT Drownings are the leading cause of fatalities involving recreational boating A PFD provides flotation to help keep your head above water help you to stay face up in the water and increase your chances for survival and rescue Most ad...

Page 14: ...ill water sensing element each year the U S Coast Guard recommends you test the automatic inflation system in the water at the beginning of each boating season By doing this you demonstrate that the automatic inflation system is still working properly and reduce the likelihood of premature inflation and its associated dangers The only check of the manual inflation system with CO2 cylinder and gree...

Page 15: ...D inflator Deflate the PFD using the oral inflator 6 Let the PFD dry thoroughly REARM and REPACK the PFD in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions HOW DO YOU TEST YOUR PFD USING THE MANUAL INFLATOR 1 To test your inflatable PFD you will need Your fully armed PFD and Rearming kit approved for your PFD This kit contains a water sensing pill that you will need to use following this test 2 Pu...

Page 16: ...d pill to prevent inadvertent activation of the manual inflation system which could potentially damage the PFD Inspect the threaded end to confirm it is un used 3 Put on the PFD 4 Get into shallow water just deep enough that you can stand with your head above the surface 5 If you are a weak swimmer or non swimmer inflate the PFD partially so that you are supported well enough to be able to complet...

Page 17: ...and unconsciousness Most drowning victims first suffer from hypothermia The following chart shows the effects of hypothermia HOW HYPOTHERMI A AFFECTS MOST ADULTS Water Temperature C F Exhaustion or Unconsciousness Expected Time of Survival 0 3 0 3 TO 4 4 TO 10 10 TO 16 16 TO 21 21 TO 27 Over 27 32 5 32 5 to 40 40 to 50 50 to 60 60 to 70 70 to 80 Over 80 UNDER 15 MIN 15 TO 30 MIN 30 TO 60 MIN 1 TO ...

Page 18: ...hods that require putting your head in the water are not recommended Keep your head out of the water This will greatly lessen heat loss and increase your survival time 3 Use the standard H E L P position when wearing an inflatable PFD Wrap your arms around your torso under the PFD and draw your legs up to a seated position Doing so will help you conserve body heat 4 Keep a positive attitude about ...

Page 19: ...rming with a new cylinder pill and indicators after each inflation Always have rearming kits to service your inflatable PFDs 5 Try your wearable PFD on and adjust it until it fits comfortably in and out of the water 6 Mark your PFD with your name if you are the only wearer 7 Do not alter your PFD If it doesn t fit properly get one that does An altered device is no longer Coast Guard approved 8 You...

Page 20: ...buckles or other means for securing the device in place on the wearer Some PFDs also incorporate decorative dee rings or tabs Such items are not to be used to attach the device to the boat Attaching the device to the boat will not permit it to perform as intended CO2 PERMEATION LOSS CO2 gas will permeate the chamber fabric over time Oral Inflation will be necessary to maintain full buoyancy IF YOU...

Page 21: ... velcro strips Position Jerk To Inflate Tab below bottom edge of PFD as shown Fold left inside edge over exposing velcro strip 3 Fold left outside edge over securing velcro strips Fold right top side over exposing velcro strip Fold left top side over securing velcro strips 4 Snap back strap to shell Secure velcro strap extensions Examine all straps belt keepers adjustment slides and buckles to ass...

Page 22: ...d 5 Insert Green Pin into the hole that is surrounded by red Make sure the pin passes through the Jerk Cord lever also 6 Check CO2 cylinder If the cap has a hole or is scratched throw it away and get a new one that is not damaged 7 Install the inspected cylinder twisting it in a clockwise direction Twist until the window under the cylinder indicated by C in the illustration turns green 8 Close the...