Boats Collide On Tenkiller....no Pfds....when Will People Learn?

[curtis9]

I wear mine 100% of the time I'm on the water. I don't see any reason not to have it on

[wnspain]

Fair enough.

 

I will say that choosing to not wear a Like Jacket because you do not know anyone who has ever needed one is an extremely naïve perspective. 

 

After three decades of Search & Recue, I've met plenty. 

 

Some of them rode home in a big Black Bag.

 

A-Jay

I'm have no doubt that what you're saying is accurate. Cold water is a killer, but you guys live in that type of climate. Us southern dudes don't, but are by no means completely safe on the water.  Anyways, I never said that my choice for not wearing a PFD is because I've not known anybody who needed one, fact is I do wear one when going over trolling motor speeds. I never have found one that is very comfortable is the main reason I don't wear it all the time. I know plenty of parents that swear it is a mortal sin to let their child ride a bicycle without a helmet, yet we have a whole generation of baby boomers that survived that very circumstance. I'm not knocking anyone who wears a PFD, far from it. In some cases, I think it's reckless not to. I see your're a coastie, so I get it about water safety and PFDs. The philosophy is pounded into your head, and it left an deep impression. Fact is, when fishing close to the shore in shallow warm water, the risk is only slightly increased over stepping into a warm tub of water. I doubt any of you don a PFD in that situation. If you do, to each his own...

[J Francho]

I know plenty of parents that swear it is a mortal sin to let their child ride a bicycle without a helmet, yet we have a whole generation of baby boomers that survived that very circumstance.

 

 

The ones that didn't survive are probably dead. :/

[F14A-B]

It's all about having choices.. Some people will, some people won't.. Same life safety issues plague Motorcycle riders, helmet or no helmet.

To each their own, what else can one say?

[J Francho]

Do first responders have a choice?

[F14A-B]

Lol, nope..

[J Francho]

I keep waiting to get called out on my avatar pic, lol.

[wnspain]

It's all about having choices.. Some people will, some people won't.. Same life safety issues plague Motorcycle riders, helmet or no helmet.

To each their own, what else can one say?

Life time dirt rider here, will not throw my leg over one without my lid. Have never owned a street bike, way too many bumpers out there that I have no desire to kiss, helmet or not.

[wnspain]

I keep waiting to get called out on my avatar pic, lol.

Yep, that looks like risky business to me !!

[F14A-B]

Life time dirt rider here, will not throw my leg over one without my lid. Have never owned a street bike, way too many bumpers out there that I have no desire to kiss, helmet or not.

Yup, my brother was killed in 06 on the Kennedy bridge ( I-65 N ) no helmet, not illegal.. Wouldn't have mattered.. Tractor trailor got tangled.. Toys for Tots event.. Lots of danger in the world, lol

[retiredbosn]

I for one never recovered a body wearing a pfd, I don't know if Ajay did. The argument for not wearing one at trolling speeds honestly makes no sense, statistically you're at greater risk. You're typically standing; a little off balance with one foot on the motor control. How many times have you tripped because the trolling motor was pointing in the opposite direction or the motor is on high? If your beating the banks water is typically shallow, when u go over the side accidently 90% of the time you're going head first. No pfd and you're going to hit the bottom head first. Better hope its not soft and mucky; talk about a bad day, being fully conscious up to your shoulders in muck and stuck head first! Or worse hard bottom and break your neck. I'm not saying I believe that there should be laws mandating pfd's, I DON'T. BTW the vest type is one of the worse pfd's to choose, because if you're knocked unconscious it will not re-right u to keep your head above water; the auto inflates appear to me that they will. So choose the right pfd and use it, or don't and be a canidate for the Darwin Awards.

[SenkoGuru]

My uncle was shot down in the Baltic Sea and he survived with out any life vest for over a week before he was saved. It was a tough story for him to tell us. My Uncle could swim like a fish and was the best swimmer I've ever seen but even after all of that, he feel out of his boat, while trolling on high and standing up in the Blue Lake section of Toledo Bend and he Drown. Now I'm not saying a life vest would have saved him because he fell into a large moss bed but to survive a plane being shot down into the sea and then drown like that was quite....shocking.

 

 

 

  Edit.....You will never catch me out on the lake without my PFD on and I too can swim very well but it would be hard to swim if I was knocked out or hurt and I have a wife and three children to come home to and support.

[PAGreg]

I started wearing an inflatable pfd last season at all times as a promise to my wife and kids. Now, I don't even know its there. It doesn't inhibit my fishing in any way.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to wear it when you're sitting down in the lowest part of the boat while motoring and then take it off to stand on the highest point, closest to the edge.

[Matthew2000]

I started wearing an inflatable pfd last season at all times as a promise to my wife and kids. Now, I don't even know its there. It doesn't inhibit my fishing in any way.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to wear it when you're sitting down in the lowest part of the boat while motoring and then take it off to stand on the highest point, closest to the edge.

What if it's 100 degrees out and you can barely keep a shirt on ?

[curtis9]

What if it's 100 degrees out and you can barely keep a shirt on ?

I wear long sleeves year round to limit sun exposure. Inflatable pfd on top isn't a big deal.

[J Francho]

Put it on your epitaph. "He usually wore a PFD, but the day he departed was triple digits."

But seriously, I actually find that the technical SPF shirts and pants are cooler than shorts and no shirt.

[PAGreg]

I wear long sleeves year round to limit sun exposure. Inflatable pfd on top isn't a big deal.

Same here. I cover up in the sun and stay much cooler. Pfd stays on.

[Trek]

  I have fallen off the front deck of my boat more times then I want to admit. Part of fishing I guess. If I'm fishing with a friend I don't worry about it as much because I have help there. But if I put my boat up on pads we always wear a PFD. It's just a boat rule.

[Matthew2000]

Put it on your epitaph. "He usually wore a PFD, but the day he departed was triple digits."

But seriously, I actually find that the technical SPF shirts and pants are cooler than shorts and no shirt.

You don't get triple digits much do you ?

[A-Jay]

You don't get triple digits much do you ?

 

You haven't wore the proper items before have you ?

 

Todays clothing protects you from damaging UV radiation by blocking the majority of the sun's harmful rays, letting you stay out longer on sunny days. Unlike SPF (Sun Protection Factor)--which is a measure of sunburn reduction from sunblock and protects you from UVA rays-- modern products are far more versatile, combining a tight-weave construction, UV reflectors, and UV absorbing technology. These features not only prevent sunburns and long-term skin damage, but they also protect the wearer from UVB rays in addition to UVA rays. UVB rays are much more harmful than UVA, and are present even on cloudy days. Plus, this protection doesn't wear off. Instead, your safety increases as the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) increases.

 

Bare skin with sunscreen can not & does not provide any thing close to the cool comfort of  todays products designed for the job.

 

A cotton T-shirt is not in this category.

 

A-Jay

[Matthew2000]

You haven't wore the proper items before have you ?

 

Todays clothing protects you from damaging UV radiation by blocking the majority of the sun's harmful rays, letting you stay out longer on sunny days. Unlike SPF (Sun Protection Factor)--which is a measure of sunburn reduction from sunblock and protects you from UVA rays-- modern products are far more versatile, combining a tight-weave construction, UV reflectors, and UV absorbing technology. These features not only prevent sunburns and long-term skin damage, but they also protect the wearer from UVB rays in addition to UVA rays. UVB rays are much more harmful than UVA, and are present even on cloudy days. Plus, this protection doesn't wear off. Instead, your safety increases as the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) increases.

 

Bare skin with sunscreen can not & does not provide any thing close to the cool comfort of  todays products designed for the job.

 

A cotton T-shirt is not in this category.

I wore the underarmor stuff last year. It was taken off by the end of the day aswell but not as soon as the other stuff. I agree that it helps but sometimes nothing can keep you cool but taking a dunk every now and then.

 

A-Jay

[J Francho]

You don't get triple digits much do you ?

Every summer, with humidity.

[J Francho]

I think I'd rather drown than die of skin cancer.

[flyfisher]

I think I'd rather drown than die of skin cancer.

And the sad thing is decreasing the probability of either happening is basic and often forgotten or completely disregarded.

[Trek]

I think I'd rather drown than die of skin cancer.

  I had some skin cancer taken off my leg about three years ago. Trust me it will wake you up when the doctor says it's cancer. I now cover up pretty good and pile on the sun screen. This year I even got three new long sleeve shirts and face mask from HUK. They make pretty good stuff and it is amazing how cool they keep you.  As you get older you start paying for all the stupid stuff you did when you were younger. Smoking, chewing, drinking to much, sunburns and gaining weight are the big ones. Treat your body better and as you age your body will treat you better.