No, PFD and no kill switch attached.

[Darth-Baiter]

31 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Because its not required by law.  Until its required by law, there is a certain portion of the population that will not do it.  Like wearing a seat belt.  Make it law, and there will eventually be full compliance.

recent pandemic showed us if we dont want to "wear something" we will absolutely not and maybe even MOB about it.  haha..

 

PFD.  if i see a guy about to drown without one, i am taking a long hard pause about rescueing them.  i will evaluate my own safety first.  will they jam me up?  flip me?  let me think about it.  a panicked person is scary. 

[MN Fisher]

20 minutes ago, gimruis said:

BTW just for transparency I wear my PFD while on plane and a lanyard is attached with the kill switch.

As I said - my PDF is on while I'm on the water - lanyard stays attached to that, so the kill switch is tripped anytime I leave the 'cockpit' area.

[gim]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

recent pandemic showed us if we dont want to "wear something" we will absolutely not

Haha.  I was thinking the exact same thing.  Glad you brought it up, not me.

[Captain Phil]

No one ever thinks they need a kill switch until this happens.   You think you are strong enough and quick enough to stay in the boat.  NEWS FLASH, you aren't.   This can happen to you!  This guy is fortunate that the big motor didn't cut him to pieces.   Imagine what it would feel like to have a 200 HP meat clever chop you in the head or take your arm off.   In my many years of fishing, I have seen dead bodies on the boat ramp too many times.  It's a PIA I know, but nothing like the hurt you may feel. 

[Woody B]

5 hours ago, gimruis said:

Because its not required by law.  Until its required by law, there is a certain portion of the population that will not do it.  Like wearing a seat belt.  Make it law, and there will eventually be full compliance.

 

 

Unlike a kill switch why is it anyones business if I wear a PFD or not?   If you want new laws speed limits on lakes would make more sense than forcing someone else to wear a PFD.  My not wearing a PFD is not a threat to anyone except me.   A bass boat flying across the water a 70 mph IS a threat to other, not just the "I've got to get there first" person or persons in the boat.   

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, Woody B said:

If you want new laws speed limits on lakes

Minnetonka has a 40mph limit.

 

1 hour ago, Woody B said:

My not wearing a PFD is not a threat to anyone except me.

I'm sure your family/friends might disagree with that - think of their pain and loss.

 

That's why I wear mine 100% of the time I'm on the water...never know what can happen.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Woody B said:

 

 

Unlike a kill switch why is it anyones business if I wear a PFD or not?   If you want new laws speed limits on lakes would make more sense than forcing someone else to wear a PFD.  My not wearing a PFD is not a threat to anyone except me.   A bass boat flying across the water a 70 mph IS a threat to other, not just the "I've got to get there first" person or persons in the boat.   

There is an after the fact aspect of the big picture you might not be seeing.

ALL the lives of the thousands & thousands of local, state and federal agencies,

committed & dedicated to rescuing or recovering accident victims

are most certainly endangered in just about every occurrence. 

BTW - this is the single most restrained response I've ever made here.

A-Jay

 

[gim]

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

 

 

Unlike a kill switch why is it anyones business if I wear a PFD or not?   If you want new laws speed limits on lakes would make more sense than forcing someone else to wear a PFD.  My not wearing a PFD is not a threat to anyone except me.   A bass boat flying across the water a 70 mph IS a threat to other, not just the "I've got to get there first" person or persons in the boat.   

I actually do agree with you on this Woody. Although I do think you should at least wear one while running on plane, as long as you are following the law, so be it.

 

I enforce federal law for a living and it’s very black and white when it comes to these sort of things. You are either following it or you aren’t. That’s just how I see it every day.

 

[thediscochef]

21 hours ago, CrashVector said:

I don't even fish in my kayak without a PFD on.

 

Why some people refuse to wear one is beyond me.

 

You see a body that has to be hooked and dragged up, you'll start wearing one.

I've been on this man's boat, he takes his PFDs and safety systems very seriously. Moreso than some guides I have been out with. I had great appreciation for that and it made me feel very safe about maybe making a return, captain willing. I don't own a boat, but if I did, I would follow that example.

I'm a little more lax with unpowered vessels but there's times of the year I wouldn't be caught without one period, even on what should be an easy outing. That water gets cold, even down here. Ray Roberts got to 47f this year and that's cold enough to rob your mobility as soon as you hit the water. PFD can be the difference in those conditions. I don't understand why people hate on them so hard.

[Cbump]

22 hours ago, CrashVector said:

I don't even fish in my kayak without a PFD on.

 

Why some people refuse to wear one is beyond me.

 

You see a body that has to be hooked and dragged up, you'll start wearing one.

I’ve seen that. I don’t wear one. Is what It is. 

10 hours ago, gimruis said:

Because its not required by law.  Until its required by law, there is a certain portion of the population that will not do it.  Like wearing a seat belt.  Make it law, and there will eventually be full compliance.

There will definitely never, ever be full compliance with any law. 

[Captain Phil]

The answer to everything in this world is not more laws and regulations.  If you choose not to wear a PDF, the only one who is at risk is you and the people who count on you.  Back in the 50s, a 25 HP motor was the biggest you could get.  Now, the sky is the limit. A 50 MPH bass boat is far from the fastest boat on my lake.  My Gambler ran 80 mph and I have been passed numerous times.  Things happen so fast, you do not have time to react.   Use your kill switch....   

[gim]

9 hours ago, Cbump said:

There will definitely never, ever be full compliance with any law. 

Ya, you're right.  But if it becomes a law, there will be MORE compliance because the threat of getting caught in violation makes people think twice about it.  I mis-worded that earlier.

[J Francho]

All you guys saying, "meh, I don't wear one" should imagine a first responder saying, "meh, too much work to save you."

[Dwight Hottle]

I was fishing in the far north of Canada wearing a coast guard float suit. The guide running the boat made the comment that life jackets are only good for one thing in the cold water of northern Canada and that " is to keep your body afloat so the seagulls can poke out your eyeballs easier". Shocking observation from a young guide I have never forgot. Fishing cold waters after ice out doesn't leave much time for a rescue. 

[GaryH]

20 minutes ago, J Francho said:

All you guys saying, "meh, I don't wear one" should imagine a first responder saying, "meh, too much work to save you."

You hit the nail right on the head. For 14 yrs. I thought many of times this is just great, I now have to risk my life for someone who didn’t care enough about his one her life. Not that it ever stopped me but the thought and anger was still there. There are a lot more lives affected than just the person causing the issue.

[Darth-Baiter]

I will cast into the shade of a floating corpse looking for a bite.  hahah

 

just kidding.  you all do you.  I'll do what I do.

 

for the record, I might be too vigilant with sunshirts.  if something kills me, its might be skin cancer.  I cover up like I live in the sand dunes.  I might be the only fisherman that fishes as often as do and still remain pasty-white..hahah.  I dont bag on the the guys fishing shirtless, like I dont comment on the PFD-less.  it is what it is.  you all do you.  no judgements from me. 

[gim]

There seems to be a bit of a misconception in this thread about what is required here and what is not.  A kill switch is now required.  Wearing a PFD is not.  Let's not get the two confused.

 

Don't get me wrong here.  I do think you should be at least wearing a PFD while the boat is on plane.  I do.  But in terms of a law-abiding boater, you do not have to wear one.  It only has to be "accessible."  Clearly the raw data indicates that your chances of survival go up exponentially if you are tossed overboard and wearing one.

[TnRiver46]

57 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I will cast into the shade of a floating corpse looking for a bite.  hahah

 

just kidding.  you all do you.  I'll do what I do.

 

for the record, I might be too vigilant with sunshirts.  if something kills me, its might be skin cancer.  I cover up like I live in the sand dunes.  I might be the only fisherman that fishes as often as do and still remain pasty-white..hahah.  I dont bag on the the guys fishing shirtless, like I dont comment on the PFD-less.  it is what it is.  you all do you.  no judgements from me. 

It can be bad for blood vessels to keep your skin hidden from the sun 100% of the time, hypertension is far more dangerous than melanoma. Also there’s never been melanoma in Ethiopia, it mainly shows up in pale skinned people. A little sun is good for the skin 

[Darth-Baiter]

35 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

It can be bad for blood vessels to keep your skin hidden from the sun 100% of the time, hypertension is far more dangerous than melanoma. Also there’s never been melanoma in Ethiopia, it mainly shows up in pale skinned people. A little sun is good for the skin 

Yea. My regular life I’m in the sun.  I was exaggerating about being pasty.  I just don’t do 8-10 hour sun stint sessions. 

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Yea. My regular life I’m in the sun.  I was exaggerating about being pasty.  I just don’t do 8-10 hour sun stint sessions. 

I was thinking more like 20 minutes here and there haha

[Chris Catignani]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

There seems to be a bit of a misconception in this thread about what is required here and what is not.  A kill switch is now required.  Wearing a PFD is not.  Let's not get the two confused.

 

Don't get me wrong here.  I do think you should be at least wearing a PFD while the boat is on plane.  I do.  But in terms of a law-abiding boater, you do not have to wear one.  It only has to be "accessible."  Clearly the raw data indicates that your chances of survival go up exponentially if you are tossed overboard and wearing one.

The things I really worry about are other boaters...or other drivers of the boat I'm in.

I do have a hot-foot installed. If I get tossed, the motor will cut back to low throttle.

I was once thrown out of my "suicide boat" (stick steering) when the back end hit the dock.

[Darth-Baiter]

20 minutes ago, Chris Catignani said:

The things I really worry about are other boaters...or other drivers of the boat I'm in.

I do have a hot-foot installed. If I get tossed, the motor will cut back to low throttle.

I was once thrown out of my "suicide boat" (stick steering) when the back end hit the dock.

As a kayaker I too also worry about boaters. It would suck to get clipped and tossed hard. 

[Dwight Hottle]

There was a collision between two boats last Saturday during a tournament on Lake Chesdin. A bass boat and a jon boat hit head on approaching a curve in the lake. All four occupants were ejected. Two were rescued by a good samaritan but the other two never surfaced. No life jackets were worn according to the report.  

[reb67]

16 hours ago, Dwight Hottle said:

There was a collision between two boats last Saturday during a tournament on Lake Chesdin. A bass boat and a jon boat hit head on approaching a curve in the lake. All four occupants were ejected. Two were rescued by a good samaritan but the other two never surfaced. No life jackets were worn according to the report.  

Yeah,  the two in the bass boat were fishing a local tournament. The operator of the boat who is in his 70's and has been fishing this lake for decades. They should have been wearing their PFD but there is conflicting reports about that. However the young men in the jon

boat which were brothers age 33 and 25 did not have on their PFD. The way this accident happened the result may have been the same but by those two young men by not wear them they took the most important life saving device in boating out of the equation. 

This single incident has made my argument that have with my fishing buddy (age 59) about him wearing  his PFD and kill switch every time he is under way on the big motor. The only reason I mention ages is because when it comes to (accidents or carelessness) it could have to anyone. We hear about these stories EVERY YEAR why is that man kind has this ridiculous mentality of (This would never happen to me) and go about their day like my buddy does. We have to do better. 

 

 

[Glenn]

Not only do I wear a PFD and kill switch, I take it to another level: