marlin55388 wrote on Mar 11^th, 2010 at 12:16pm:

I wonder if there is ever a scenario when one would not be able to pull the cord or press the button with Sally? :-?

I used to have one that required a pull but I upgraded to a hydrostatic. That is, it requires actual water pressure to automatically activate. Rain won't do it.

So far I have I have resisted the temptation to bring re-arming cartridges. I can envision a lifetime of paddling in the "Q" and being careful enough not to require a re-arming kit. Worst case scenario is I paddle with it inflated and re-arm when I get home. If I were to paddle moving water or some where other than the "Q" where a spill might be more likely (In spite of paddling my share of snotty stuff I am a cautious paddler) I would certainly gravitate to some other method.

I am not advocating this method for others. This was a purely personal query. In fact I would advocate the exact opposite for others, especially newbies. Anytime you have to depend on a mechanical device there is always the potential for failure and that should be incorporated into the risk taking.