Mercury Through The Years...

**2us70** · 09-22-2019, 11:40 AM

You could get spit out going pretty fast and the Gentex jackets would hold up. The back panel was also pretty tough. Alan Rebell landed on his back on an exposed flywheel and that panel probably saved his kidneys. He still got cut up some but nothing life threatening.

**WaterZebra** · 09-23-2019, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by 2us70

You could get spit out going pretty fast and the Gentex jackets would hold up. The back panel was also pretty tough. Alan Rebell landed on his back on an exposed flywheel and that panel probably saved his kidneys. He still got cut up some but nothing life threatening.

I think it was sometime in the late 70's that the APBA decided to ban GenTex jackets. I know that all of the catagories were split on the issue. Stock outboard people still wanted to use them while OPC folks were ready for the transition. This, of course, happened during the period of pre-capsule days. When capsules came along, the debate resurfaced as to why be strapped into a capsule with a full blown floatation jacket?. Then "extraction" jackets entered the mix.

**2us70** · 09-23-2019, 12:40 PM

I don't know what the problem was for APBA with GenTex jackets. I ran kneel down boats most of the time and I tried on a Lifeline once. I found it hard to use in a small narrow cockpit. Never raced with a Lifeline. The profile and strap arrangements of the GenTex worked better for me.

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 01:27 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:07 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:11 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:12 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:13 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:21 PM

**FUJIMO** · 09-23-2019, 02:24 PM

**Ronster43** · 09-23-2019, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by 2us70

I don't know what the problem was for APBA with GenTex jackets. I ran kneel down boats most of the time and I tried on a Lifeline once. I found it hard to use in a small narrow cockpit. Never raced with a Lifeline. The profile and strap arrangements of the GenTex worked better for me.

I found the GenTex to be much more comfortable. The Lifeline was bulky with all of the chest floatation. But it was much more likely to float you face-up when unconcious...the preferred position.

**Ronster43** · 09-23-2019, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Ronster43

I found the GenTex to be much more comfortable. The Lifeline was bulky with all of the chest floatation. But it was much more likely to float you face-up when unconcious...the preferred position.

That is...unconscious.