Lifejackets

[robert]

I'm amazed at how many people get on the water in boats and tubes without a lifejacket on, scares me to no end but it angers me when they have their kids in the boat and not a lifejacket to be seen...

 

I was at Devils lake on hiway 37 this morning and I talked to a few people that were just getting set up to go out fishing. Again, small aluminum boat, no PFD's - but yet, right by the boat launch stands a cross - a deadly reminder of the 3 people that lost their lives on Devil's just over 2 years ago.

 

How many people don't use lifejackets? Let's get a show of hands... it's too late when your boat is upside down and you're in the middle of a lake without one.

 

 

 

Now for a silly question... I've floated rivers (after getting taken off my feet) and have had my waders fill up with water - not a great feeling and i'm sure we've all experienced it at some point.

 

I've often wondered something when tubing - will a standard lifejacket still keep a person afloat with sheer body weight and a wader load of water? It's not something I want to test, just wondering if I ever fall out of the tube anytime soon - i've come close a few times...

 

Has anyone experienced this?

[Conor]

Water weighs nothing in water. A life jacket will float you for sure. No difference in weight, it is just harder to swim around in full waders due to the bulk.

 

I wear an inflatable pfd when in a tube, most times. In warmer stillwater I don't often bother. I'd like to get one that activates with pressure for when in floating rivers.

[cuttbow]

I wear one always,boat,toon sometimes wading.guess the govt doesnt see it as a necessity for people under 18.Then again go to the castle in the summer and watch the little 5 and 6 year old kids ridding quads and motorcycles down the road without helmets,while the folks are sittin by the fire havin brews.We dam near hit one last year on the castle.Driving along and turn the corner here comes a little mini bike kid coudnt have been 6.WTF nearest camp was a mile away.No protective gear and he actually forced us off the road.Not sure about kalgree are they enforcing the bike helmet law.or looking the other way?

[Heimdallr]

I don't often wear one, but I also only really boat on small lakes and I'm within very swimable distance to shore 90% of the time. I should look into getting an inflatable one, though, couldn't hurt.

[MMAX]

The law states that there has to be a PFD for every person in the boat but like Robert said, they do absolutly nothing if they aren't worn. Who in their right mind thinks that a person will have the composure to retrive and put on a PFD if the boat capsises, especially if they can't swim. This so called "law" has to change.

[Tadpole]

The law states that there has to be a PFD for every person in the boat but like Robert said, they do absolutly nothing if they aren't worn. Who in their right mind thinks that a person will have the composure to retrive and put on a PFD if the boat capsises, especially if they can't swim. This so called "law" has to change.

survival of the fittest. Its population control.

[robert]

survival of the fittest. Its population control.

 

Unfortunate way to put it but it's hard to disagree... I just don't understand why adults don't make kids wear them on any body of water. I always have one on, be it boat or tube - hardly notice it after a while and I can actually put the butt of my rod into the straps to aid in fightig fish

 

It's like seatbelts - I always have one on - and had to use it once. Young fellow hit me head on, was in my lane - combined speed of maybe 160 km/hr. Not fun - lots of bruising from the belt but bruising is better than dead. Live to fish another day

[Weedy1]

I think one of the problems the gov't has in regards to making life jackets mandatory is where they draw the line on the size of vessel they would be mandatory. Do they make it all vessels under 4m? 8m? 12m?, with or without cabin? If they arbitrarily drew a line then there would be the people who would cry discrimination.

 

Don't expect it to happen soon.

[cuttbow]

So why not make it mandatory that people under the age of 18 must wear one?If the water craft needs an operators license to run it then its mandatory.Nothing pisses me off more than seeing young kids,full throttle on a lake with no life jackets.While the parents are chillen with beers.How many drownings are there a year where no life jackets are worn.I have personally witnessed 3 people drown.One in a belly boat in 3 ft of water.one in a pontoon and one in a canoe.If you think you have time to swim and find a life jacket in under 20 seconds.Thats how long it takes.Thats what it took for me to open my eyes.PFD all the time.

[flyfishfairwx]

So why not make it mandatory that people under the age of 18 must wear one?If the water craft needs an operators license to run it then its mandatory.Nothing pisses me off more than seeing young kids,full throttle on a lake with no life jackets.While the parents are chillen with beers.How many drownings are there a year where no life jackets are worn.I have personally witnessed 3 people drown.One in a belly boat in 3 ft of water.one in a pontoon and one in a canoe.If you think you have time to swim and find a life jacket in under 20 seconds.Thats how long it takes.Thats what it took for me to open my eyes.PFD all the time.

 

Agreed the line is any thing that floats.

 

There will be whining at first but so what!