re: False River Closed til Further Notice Due to Boat Wreck/Body Recovery

The manual has the pull cord that has to be pulled to puncture the CO2 cylinder, whereas the auto has a "salt" pill that dissolves when it makes contact with water, releasing the pin to puncture the CO2. One of the laws for inflatables is they have to be in Green condition, which shows it is armed correctly and is ready to inflate. Under 16 years old is unable to wear them.

The problem with the manual is if you get tossed and are unconscious, you are just wearing another article of clothing at that point. The problem with the auto is if you don't check/service it frequently, the unit may not be armed properly.

I think the autos are great and wore them for many years in the Coast Guard in all conditions, but like everything else they need to be maintained properly. Plus, people are much more likely to wear the inflatables rather than the standard bulky vest.