To Boat Or Not Boat?

[ReggieT]

Hey guys,

 

I'm leaning real heavy toward buying a boat...an 18-21 ft John Boat w/40-50hp motor & trolling motor...the problem is; I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM!

My wife is headed into "nuclear melt-down mode"...and can't stop squalling about me taking swimming lessons, wearing 3 life preservers , or fishing in 8 inches of water! lol

 

I have been out on boats many times, I can safely operate them and I am not afraid of the water....and I ALWAYS wear a life jacket.

  I fish swallow water 1-6 ft 95% of the time...should I heed her warnings or is knowing how to swim a prerequisite to being a safe boat owner? 

 

I just can't stomach all my old bank fishing spots all grown up, locked up or having to drive ungodly miles just to be able to cast into decent water....

 

How many guy do you know that have & operate boats that can't swim?

 

Thanks

Reggie.....p.s....I think she just upped the insurance on me by a $100K...YIKES!!!!!!

[BradH]

Wear a life jacket and tie the kill switch dummy cord to yourself.  If that does not make her happy go see an attorney .

[Sam]

You really need to know how to swim.

 

The YMAC has classes.

 

If you are on the water and can't swim you are putting yourself and others in danger should an unfortunate event happen which is not fair to the others.

 

You can learn to swim in one or two classes and then progress to water ballet.

[Catt]

I've had friends who were expert swimmers who drown! Learn how!!!

An 17-21' boat with a 50 hp will not cut it!

[flyfisher]

Wear your life jacket and you wil be ok.  It never hurts to know how to swim though and i would highly recommend learning.

 

Being I fish fomr a kayak i pretty much always wear my life jacket unless i am in a shallower river and paddling upstream in a paddle up float down scenario.  I actually feel strange not wearing one and even wear it when i am in my dad's jet boat.  Kind of like wearing a set belt, once you get used to wearing it something feels off if you aren't.

[BrianinMD]

Wear a life jacket, learn to swim, and be careful. I can't swim either but will learn next year once my degree is finished.

 

Shallow water doesn't mean it is safe, a week or so ago in my hometown and smallmouth fisherman died in water barely over his ankle. He slipped, fell and hit his head. No one found him until it was to late, he was only 25. You can never be to careful.

[Teal]

Im gonna take your wifes side on this one. Take the adult swimming lessons. Nothing to be embaressed about. If you can affford a boat, you can afford to learn how to swim. Wearing a PFD is a good idea no matter your skill level. A boaters training course is also my advice if you havent "run" a boat much. Riding and watching doesnt count.

As Catt said, there have been many skilled swimmers to drown...so knowing how to swim and wearing a PFD are very important.

[ClackerBuzz]

many non swimmers fish long health lives with a life vest and kill switch.  i'd feel much safer with an emergency beacon too. you also have to be extra smart b/c u can't swim ie no heading out in 20mph winds just to scratch ur fishing itch; or taking the boat into a dangerous area so you can cast at a 'perfect looking spot' etc.

 

an adult swim class would be much easier than you think. they are going to put a paddle board in front of you and teach you to kick.   remove the board and ur doing the doggie paddle.

 

i'll give you some advice from an incident where i almost drown when i was younger.  i was trying to cross a river with friends and got caught in some really bad current. i fought the current to exhaustion b/c i was 'only' 100 ft from shore (100ft is like 4 miles in current).  i fully cramped up and was one breath from going under. i instinctually rolled over on my back to keep my mouth above water.  the light bulb went off to just float as far as life would take me. luckily there was no dam, debris, bluffs etc. i floated over a mile down river and just washed up on shore.

 

if you take the swim class, get comfortable floating on ur back (w/o a life vest). it's better to float on ur back for day's waiting for the calvary to come than to swim/fight till exhaustion and drown, which is what many people do

[Fishes in trees]

I don't swim very well.  I fish by myself in all kinds of weather throughout the year.  Just don't be dumb.  I wear an HIT inflatable life jacket most of the time.  The only time I don't wear it is when I forget it.

 

Be aware that falling out of a boat is easy, it is the getting back in that is difficult.  Once you get your boat, you might want to pick a shallow spot during warm weather and practice getting into your boat.  That is what I did the first year I got my boat.

 

I have only inadvertently fallen out of my boat once.  Early spring - 40 something water temp. & it was pretty windy.  Wind blew me into a stump sideways and I wasn't expecting the impact.  Over the side I went.  You will be surprised what you can do when adrenaline kicks in.  Anyway, when I finally got home from that trip I pulled out my Mastercard and ordered an inflatable life jacket from BPS - before I took a shower.

 

Bottom line is don't let a simple thing like not knowing how to swim keep you from fishing.  Improvise - adapt -don't be dumb.   A comforting thought is that if you are dumb, your actions will solve your problems.

[slonezp]

.  Just don't be dumb. .

 

Be aware that falling out of a boat is easy, it is the getting back in that is difficult.  Once you get your boat, you might want to pick a shallow spot during warm weather and practice getting into your boat.  That is what I did the first year I got my boat.

 

 

You can use the trim on the motor to help you back in. 

You NEED a pfd for everyone in the boat and a throwable. Everyone in the boat NEEDS to know where these items are, if they are in a storage compartment. You can use anchor rope to tie to the throwable, just make sure you throw the correct end to the person in the water. I'd imagine getting hit in the head with an anchor might hurt. I would recommend learning how to swim. If for nothing more than jumping into the drink after fishing all day in 100* weather.

 

No one is allowed in my boat if they can't swim. Period

[slonezp]

You really need to know how to swim.

 

The YMAC has classes.

 

If you are on the water and can't swim you are putting yourself and others in danger should an unfortunate event happen which is not fair to the others.

 

You can learn to swim in one or two classes and then progress to water ballet.

Sam, Where's the YMAC?

[basshead1]

I had a buddy who could not swim but owned a row boat and he wore his jacket all the time. He was always hesitant in everything on the boat and missed lots of action. 

 

I recommend at least learning the back stroke and how to tread. You can do the back stroke for hours without getting tired.

 

It is lots easier learning in a pool with a lifeguard than in the middle of a lake alone.

[J Francho]

Learn how to swim.  It's pretty easy.  In the meantime, wear a good auto inflate life jacket.  You get so used to it, you'l forget it's on.  Can't tell you how many times I've driven off in my truck after fishing, and left the thing on, lol.

[tnriverluver]

I've had friends who were expert swimmers who drown! Learn how!!!

An 17-21' boat with a 50 hp will not cut it!

He is talking aluminum jon boat not glass.  As far as the OP wear your life jacket and have fun.  Most should wear their jacket even knowing how to swim (I am very guilty of this myself).  Learning how to swim would be a good idea but definitely not a must.

[MichBassMan]

Buy a boat. Wear a life jacket, go fishing. Does she let you go fishing off shore without learning to swim? A non-swimming boater wearing a life jacket is safer than a non swimmer fishing on a river bank without a life jacket. At least in the area I live, I can think of more shore fisherman drowning after slipping into river currents than guys who fall out of their boats.

[Catt]

A 50 hp on any 17-21' boat aint enough, I have 70 hp on 15' Stratos my brother has a 40 hp on 15' Alweld.

[martintheduck]

This is the most ridiculous advice thread I have seen on here yet. YES YES YES YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO ******* SWIM! 

 

Even if you know how to swim, you should still wear you PFD. 

 

This makes me so ******* angry. Go spend ******* 2 hours of your ******* time at a ymca and learn to ******* swim. I mean seriously?!?!?!?! You're considering buying a boat!?!?!?! You've got to be kidding me man! Don't be ashamed that you can't swim.... you just never learned.... that's okay. Be ashamed that you want to spend a significant amount of time on the water and refuse to concede that your wife IS CORRECT.

 

 

[tomustang]

Swimming is easy, floating is easier.

Go learn

[ReggieT]

You really need to know how to swim.

 

The YMAC has classes.

 

If you are on the water and can't swim you are putting yourself and others in danger should an unfortunate event happen which is not fair to the others.

 

You can learn to swim in one or two classes and then progress to water ballet.

I might take the swimming lessons..;but I'll leave the water ballet for the fairy's!

[ROCbass]

This is the most ridiculous advice thread I have seen on here yet. YES YES YES YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO ******* SWIM! 

 

Even if you know how to swim, you should still wear you PFD. 

 

This makes me so ******* angry. Go spend ******* 2 hours of your ******* time at a ymca and learn to ******* swim. I mean seriously?!?!?!?! You're considering buying a boat!?!?!?! You've got to be kidding me man! Don't be ashamed that you can't swim.... you just never learned.... that's okay. Be ashamed that you want to spend a significant amount of time on the water and refuse to concede that your wife IS CORRECT.

 

 

Uh oh Reggie. Looks like your wife found this thread.

[martintheduck]

[JD96]

Learn to swim. It's easy. Probably the easiest thing to learn that a lot of people can't do.

 

It's honestly easier than learning how to skip a jig with a baitcaster, and if you're buying a boat that's something you need to learn too.

[Bankbeater]

Go to the Y and learn how to swim.  A life jacket is not a fail safe catch all.

[K_Mac]

The problem with those of us who have been swimming nearly as long as we can remember (a very long time for some of us) is that we just take for granted that we will be able to swim to safety if we need to. I lost a good friend not long ago because he was fishing alone in less than perfect conditions without wearing a life jacket. He was in the prime of life, fit as he could be, and could swim well; it did not matter. 

 

With that said, unless there is some handicap that prevents you from learning to swim, there is no excuse for not doing so. Spending time on and around the water is a great life style choice. Doing so without being able to swim is just silly, and dangerous in my opinion.