09-02-2009, 11:20 AM
[quote solomonthered]yeah, I'm glad I survived as well, I can't really explain why I didn't have a pfd, just didn't think about it, though I now realize that it is required for both legality and safety. I felt about as smart as a bag of hammers when it happened. My brother bought the tube new about a month ago and gave it to me as a birthday gift, it is a White River Fly Shop, Lost Lake, open front. I imagine it was inexpensive. It was actually a cool, rainy day when it happened, I inflated the tube with a hand pump, I don't have any sort of gauge to tell you an exact pressure, I just inflated it until it felt firm, but still gave under slight pressure. Should I find a pump with a gauge?[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]My guess is manufacturing defect. Doesn't sound like you abused the tube in any way. You did nothing wrong on your end. It just failed during use. Bad deal. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Go for the warranty replacement and suggest LAWSUIT if they do not go for it. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]For what it's worth, spontaneous seam failure is very rare, even on lower end tube models with vinyl bladders. Don't let that mishap scare you away from tubing. Lightning is not liable to strike again like that. But, I'll bet you never go afloat again without a PFD.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]My guess is manufacturing defect. Doesn't sound like you abused the tube in any way. You did nothing wrong on your end. It just failed during use. Bad deal. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Go for the warranty replacement and suggest LAWSUIT if they do not go for it. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]For what it's worth, spontaneous seam failure is very rare, even on lower end tube models with vinyl bladders. Don't let that mishap scare you away from tubing. Lightning is not liable to strike again like that. But, I'll bet you never go afloat again without a PFD.[/#0000ff]
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