Boat Safety

I have noticed in this magazine and many more out door publications the lack of use of PFD's in pictures for articles or ads. I see in articles pictures of fish caught being held by the lucky fisherman no PFD, or ads with a beautiful picture of grandpa and grandson fishing in a 14 foot aluminum with a properly fitted PFD on grandson and grandpa with none. With todays PFD's there is no reason not to wear one. I wear mine 100% of the time while fishing. My grandkids have seen me without mine while pontooning but never in the fishing boat, being the 14 foot aluminum with the old Johnson 9.5 replaced last year with one that has been on the maybe next years list for a while. I just think out door publication should be more proactive in this aspect of PFD use. One rough wave while standing to land that lunker could end in tragedy no matter the size of boat you are in.

The difference is a PFD is required for children,but,not for adults. They must only be "available." I rank this right up there with legislation for bike helmets and safety seats in vehicles. Kids don't know any better,but,adults should. The best commercial I've ever seen for PFD's is the one where the kids are adrift on the lake because the adult has gone overboard. At one time,I actually saw that happen. It was heart wrenching.

Hi Thump, this subject has come up many times on here in the past. What should be common sense, isn't really so common among many within this forum. Get ready, because as sure as the sun rise's each morning, you're going to be called a liberal for suggesting people wear PFD's.

I don't normally wear a PFD when fishing - I'm a fair swimmer and fish small water bodies where you're never more than 500 yards or so from shore. 25hp on a v151 legend. Not much danger of getting thrown out - and I can get back into the boat from the water pretty easily. My girls can both swim - they've both done the swimming lessons from 3 years old up and are certified lifeguards.

There is too broad of range between who "should" wear life jackets and when it's okay not too.
Do I need to wear one when I'm swimming too then?

I do wear my lifejacket all the time in my Bayliner with 130hp on it.

I am more than a bit shocked when people who can't swim go in boats without life jackets.

A law requiring people to use the kill switch tether would be far, far more useful than a law requiring life jackets to be worn.

Next we need the boaters test to include basic swimming and ability to reboard from the water. After that, maybe we can worry about a law requiring life jacket use.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

I don't normally wear a PFD when fishing - I'm a fair swimmer and fish small water bodies where you're never more than 500 yards or so from shore. 25hp on a v151 legend. Not much danger of getting thrown out - and I can get back into the boat from the water pretty easily. My girls can both swim - they've both done the swimming lessons from 3 years old up and are certified lifeguards.

There is too broad of range between who "should" wear life jackets and when it's okay not too.
Do I need to wear one when I'm swimming too then?

I do wear my lifejacket all the time in my Bayliner with 130hp on it.

I am more than a bit shocked when people who can't swim go in boats without life jackets.

A law requiring people to use the kill switch tether would be far, far more useful than a law requiring life jackets to be worn.

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I'll play devils advocate... How do you plan to swim or get yourself back in the boat if you've hit your head on the the side of the boat or landed on a rock when you fall out? Chances are, you're not going to fall out if you haven't slipped or hit something.

FishFrenzy

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Next we need the boaters test to include basic swimming and ability to reboard from the water. After that, maybe we can worry about a law requiring life jacket use.

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Now you're on to something! The current PCOC is ridiculous and should be changed. More stringent testing for actual competence, as opposed to handing them out at outdoor shows and the like.

Frig don't be calling me one of those lol. I am not suggesting legislature on this because I really can not see myself in the pontoon with one as they leave terrible tan lines. What I am saying is maybe this magazine says to its fishing contributors is "try to get as many pics with your PFD's on while in the boat". Nothing hard hitting just slyly saying we wear ours you should wear yours. The old saying a picture is worth a thousand words.

The shore of the lake I fish most often is less then 100 yards from the center the lake at it's deepest point is 8 feet. Statistically speaking I would be more likely to get killed crossing the road downtown because I wasn't wearing a life jacket.

Do you wear a life jacket in your pool?

Now when I am on larger lakes I do wear a life jacket.

Beat me to it.

I wear an auto inflator PFD for just that reason. If i fall out and knock myself out - the rapport of the PFD opening is supposed to awaken me - plus having tested it out - it pulls my head above water - with or without waders on.

Life jackets this time of the year are pretty important. The water temps are still ridiculously cold and hypothermia can set in fairly quickly if you can’t get back in the boat in time.

Be safe out there guys.

Eventually it will be law, like seatbelts.

A few years ago a small sail boater flipped his boat in Lake O. he was pulled from the water within 20 mins and said the water was so cold he was close to hypothermia, he could not pull himself onto the boat. He was wearing a PFD and I suspect that was what saved him. Even a strong swimmer will not last too long in cold water with no PFD, it sucks the wind out of you and your arms get so cold you cant feel them.

If I am not wearing my PFD my ditch bag is out ready to go at all times.