PFD's, what're you using ??

[tuxdaddy]

I have a feeling this may get moved(I hope not), but I feel this is the right place to ask this...

What type of pfd's are you wearing or using in your boat or while wading ??

I'm asking this because of a number of reasons after this past weekend..

1 being that while out with my best friend in Md, we saw this kid while wading step into this hole and went from being in mid-thigh depth to being up neck, and yes he freaked, which I would've done as well.. Luckily the current was strong enough to push him back to the shallow area.. No he had no pfd on and later found out he couldn't swim..

2 is I've read quite a few articles about wading and only a handful speak about wearing a pfd of some sort for safety..

3 My best friends dart throwing partner got 100 buck fine for being out on the water without pfd's in his boat..

And my final reason being that in just about all the pics I've seen of folks on here no one is wearing a pfd...

Now I'm guilty of this as well and will be fixing that this friday, by going out and buying one newer models as peace of mind to my sweety, and myself that I get back safe.. As someone once told me, "you never know when fate might pull the trigger"..

What I'm trying to say while on this soapbox is be safe, and keep your loved ones safe, so that it's not turned into a bad day on the water.. Yea some of the old one's are hot and bulky, and some of us are great swimmers, but being a great swimmer don't mean DIDDLY if you kiss a rock or something else and get knocked out...

Let's all try and turn up the safety just a little more and make the season one of the best and safest...

Best of luck and safe outings..

Tux

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Here is one I bought my ex mother-in-law, She never got around to using it!

[The Unabasser]

This one...its very comfortable and not bulky around the shoulders

[Fish Chris]

If you don't mind wearing one of the vest types that Unnabasser posted, these are probably the safest. But for maximum comfort (like so much so, that you forget youe are wearing a PFD) I highly reccomend the auto-inflatable types like So-Spenders, or the same thing in Cabelas or BPS brands. Lots of choices for auto-inflatables. Just do a Yahoo or Google search.

I ALWAYS put mine on at the start of a trip, and take it back off at the end.

The SAFEST life jacket you can have, is the one you are wearing ! Ten of them shoved down deep in your rod lockers are probably not going to help you much.

Please think ahead ! The best way to catch more fish, is to stay alive long enough.

Peace,

Fish

PS, Each of the people who drowned each year thought, "It couldn't happen to them"......

[SPEEDBEAD.]

A defensive lineman for the Patriots died this past weekend in Lake Ponchatrain (sp?) after he fell off his jet ski and was swept away by the current.

He also was not wearing a PFD.

Wayne

[Troutfisher]

I do not boat, therefore I do not use PFDS.  Didn't LBH recently post a story about some people in his town, a dad and a son,  I believe, who drowned from their boats capsizing?  They weren't wearing PFD's either.

It does not matter if you are the greatest swimmer in the world, if the water temperature is cool, you can suffer from shock and hypothermia as soon as you hit that water.  

[tuxdaddy]

Well it shouldn't matter if you're in a boat or not, even if wading you should have one on.. As the case in point with the kid I saw this weekend who stepped into a hole..

Safety is NOT just for the folks in a boat it should also be for folks wading, because you never know when you might step into a hole or maybe be standing on a ledge of shale and it give way under your feet.. When that happens the first thing you'll want to do is gasp out of pure shock or surprise..

Atleast with the pfd on that possible deploys on its own, you have one less thing to worry about...

Even the pro's, as well as the guys on the fishing shows don't wear them except when driving their boat, and its connected to the kill switch in case of an accident and they get tossed out the boat...

There should be more promoting of this just as they do with hunter treestand safety.. Just my .02 cents worth, but I think its a valid point...

[dickenscpa]

I've noticed a few people in this thread have made note of the fact that it doesn't matter how great of a swimmer you are. That is the absolute truth. I was a life guard the last part of high school and into college and even though I live in Tennessee I even got my ocean patch. When I bought my boat 3/31/07 it was non-debatable that my wife, who is not a really strong swimmer, was to keep her PFD on at ALL times. My son, who is 4, no brainer there the PFD is to never come off. I went to a specialty shop, as opposed to a department store, and got the appropriate vest for THEIR size and weight. They could pick the colors, but a professional was picking the safest.

On the flip side, I was a moron. A ratty old vest came with my boat and I'd throw it on when the motor was fired up just to not get a ticket. I read a thread on this site and someone arbitrarily brought up falling and hitting your head and THEN going into the water. Whoa, makes ya think. I'm an awesome swimmer, but I've never tested that swimming prowess while being unconcious. I went and got fitted for my size and weight and got a good vest that I keep on. It was a tad bulky while sitting on the casting deck fishing, but within 30 minutes I forgot it was there. I've fished about 6 times since and it's automatic now and it's like another piece of clothing.

I'm at the office now and haven't got a pic of my vest but my son's has a Spiderman theme on it, my wife's is like an aqua color with some kind of gray design in it and mine is straight up navy blue. My son's vest has the three buckles across the chest and it goes thru his legs and the "seat" of it is the same flotation material as the vest which also kinda doubles as padding.

[RoLo]

Type ll PFD

Type l are uncomfortable to wear, and Type lll  limit your pivoting ability.

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I have been guilty of keeping 2 of those orange thingys in the boat not to get a ticket also. I get new ones every 2 years BUT I NEVER WEAR THEM! So I just ordered these from Cabelas. Heres the Link 12.95 each and whan they come I m wearing it all the time

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=catrtboat&id=0036407943052a&navCount=1&podId=0036407943052&parentId=cat21312&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21312&hasJS=true

[MALTESE FALCON]

I have the same one as The Unabasser. I promised my wife that when I'm out in the boat the PFD is on.

I have kept that promise. Even when I'm out with the family I will wear my PFD so the grandkids will wear theirs. If PaPa is wearing his, it must be cool.

I hope everybody will start wearing theirs, if they don't already, because the "it isn't comfortable" line doesn't work anymore.

I would hate to see one of the BR family become a statistic.

Falcon

[fishingfourfun]

I have a few of the cheap orange ones.  I don't wear them even though I should.  I plan on buying the auto inflate kind at the end of this fishing season.

[-badhabit-]

I do wear mine when the boat is moving early in the mornings and hook the kill cable to a belt loop when I'm by myself. With the water being low everywhere here sandbars are all over and it's Gator mating season (they are like hitting a semi) someone would be a nut not to wear one.

I broke down and got a Mustang Classic auto-inflatable and the post above is right about forgetting it's even on after a few minutes.

[Long Mike]

Muddy, what happened to that yellow rubber ducky ring you were wearing around your waist while we were at Lake Fork?  

[Guest avid]

I use a wal-mart type II.  Very comfortable, but I only wear it when it's hairy on the water.  I also have a bulky orange one in child size that I use as a seat cushion.  

I was going to say that I tie it to the anchor rope to keep it in place but PFD's and safety shouldn't be the subject of humour

[twors]

I fish alone for the most part and I wear a Mustang Tournament auto-inflate 100% of the time.

[Srmn8r]

I wear SoSpenders.  Very comfortable except on the hottest of days.  After wearing them for an hour, I forget I have them on.  I've loaded the boat and gotten in the truck only to realize then that I was still wearing them.  They're a bit pricey, but I'll wear them.  I can't say that for the other 8 or 10 I have hanging up in the shed.

[bassassinator]

I used to never wear a PFD until I joined a bass club. It is mandatory while the big motor is running and the kill switch must be hooked to it.

I got in the habit of throwing it on when I sit down to start the motor. A PFD is like a seat belt. I never wore that until it became law and even then I refused to wear it for a long time but now I feel strange if I dont have it (seat belt or PFD) on.

Even while fishing, sometimes we bump a log or something and if not paying attention, a guy could get thrown out pretty easy and hit his head on that log or a rock or even on the boat itself. I got to where I would wear it at all times while fishing alone but chuck it if with a partner figuring a partner could drag me out or get the throwable to me. Now I have 2 Stearnes auto inflatable PFDs (Wal Mart, $75) that I too forget I have on after a few minuts.

[bassboy1]

Call me weird, but I prefer a neoprene ski jacket.  Yes, it is heavy, but it is rather flexible, and dries off faster than a nylon one.  Much more comfortable IMHO.  

I am 14, and whenever in the boat alone, I will have mine on.  That is the dads rule, and even if it weren't I would.  I also wear the kill switch when alone, even though that is not dads rule.  Since the only running boat (We are also restoring an old Lund) is a 12 footer with 4 horse Evinrude, the pfd stays on even when fishing with dad.  When we do finish the Lund, I will probably wear it when running, and maybe not so much when fishing.  I occasionally mean to take it off in the 12 footer, but forget as it is real comfortable.  

[flyphisher #]

Unless i am fishing a tournament, my beer gut is suffiecient to keep me afloat....j/k

[Guest the_muddy_man]

I use a wal-mart type II. Very comfortable, but I only wear it when it's hairy on the water. I also have a bulky orange one in child size that I use as a seat cushion.

I was going to say that I tie it to the anchor rope to keep it in place but PFD's and safety shouldn't be the subject of humour

Where does it say that ;D

[tuxdaddy]

Well I went to cabelas today and they helped me pick out one the auto inflating types and showed me how adjust, and arm it before I left...

When I got home and showed my fiance, I got a kiss, and hug.. She was now relieved and wouldn't worry as much provided I wear it, Which I will..

To take from the treestand safety guys, "If nothing else, do it for your loved ones!!"..

Tux