Wear Your PFD

big rockpile · #1 08/25/10, 11:02 AM

My DS is always making fun of me wearing my PFD when putting in or taking out my Boat and whenevere out on the water.

They just pulled a Guy out of our Local Lake about my age No PFD

big rockpile

Ack226 · #2 08/25/10, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the reminder. I usually wear mine when fishing alone, especially in the winter when the lake is almost deserted. I need to be better about it. All it takes is one slip for things to end very badly.

Oldcountryboy · #3 08/25/10, 09:25 PM

Just lost an old running around drinking buddy about 2 weeks ago. He and a friend of his was out fishing on a boat when he went in the water for some reason and drowned. He was still very much a drinker so we kind of think he might have had a few too many while it was 100 plus heat and decided to jump in to cool off. He never came up. But then the friend that was with him said he was facing the other way fishing when he heard a splash and turned to look and said that Mike was gone without saying anything about going swimming. So he might have had a heart attack and fell dead into the water. Haven't heard anything back from the autopsy report yet. He was 47.

sandc · #4 08/25/10, 10:30 PM

I almost always fish alone. When I am in the kayak on one of the rivers I wear my vest. When I go to the lake in the boat I have one of the ones designed to inflate on impact with the water. Pricey, but very comfortable and cheaper than a funeral.

CrashTestRanch · #5 08/25/10, 11:01 PM

PFD don't help when you're a drunk in your waders in a john boat in the middle of a quarry lake, ask my dead grandpa, sunk straight to the bottom ... dumb drunk ^%$#&*

Drizler · #6 08/25/10, 11:56 PM

I can't deal with the things myself though i have a pretty big boat and you just can't fall out easily. If I get a smaller boat I would consider one of those inflatable suspenders vests that they sell for around 100 bucks. They look like something that's not overly restrictive and still do the job if needed . Some of the better ones will even open automatically for you so you don't lose your beer splashing around like a flounder.

tyusclan · #7 08/26/10, 05:40 AM

Always better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

deaconjim · #8 08/26/10, 06:06 AM

The last time I had to pull a body out of the water was when two gentlemen that lived near me went fishing one morning. One had a new canoe and they wanted to try it out. They put in and within 20 feet of that spot, it capsized. They hadn't been in the canoe more than fifteen seconds. The younger man easily swam to the shore, the older man never surfaced.

sandc · #9 08/26/10, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drizler

I can't deal with the things myself though i have a pretty big boat and you just can't fall out easily. If I get a smaller boat I would consider one of those inflatable suspenders vests that they sell for around 100 bucks. They look like something that's not overly restrictive and still do the job if needed . Some of the better ones will even open automatically for you so you don't lose your beer splashing around like a flounder.

thats what mine is and you don't even notice youare wearing it.

big rockpile · #10 08/26/10, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drizler

I can't deal with the things myself though i have a pretty big boat and you just can't fall out easily. If I get a smaller boat I would consider one of those inflatable suspenders vests that they sell for around 100 bucks. They look like something that's not overly restrictive and still do the job if needed . Some of the better ones will even open automatically for you so you don't lose your beer splashing around like a flounder.

I had a Big Boat had lines out the wind came up so here I am trying to get my lines in,Boat is bouncing around come very close to throwing me out.Scared the something out of me.

Oh the lake next to me the other Big Boats are bad about swamping Big Boats I'm talking about 30+ footers.

big rockpile

**Roadking** · #11 08/27/10, 09:33 PM

When I fished the BBC, the life jackets and rings were readily available, but not worn. They were tossed in the event...but the life line was almost sacred; a 1/4 inch line attached to the chair, braided at the clasp (dog collar hookup), and cinched in around the waist belt. Replaced after each DAY due to salt water wear and UV. BTW, thank the maker we followed that rule...always attached to the ship gives an extra chance. But today, we all wear them, even in the pond for a paddle boat ride...
Matt

EDDIE BUCK · #12 08/28/10, 12:47 AM

My brothers wifes brother fished on the river everyday he was off.He would launch his boat at our place on the river two or three times per week.Sometimes he would fish, then camp on the river bank,and next day fish some more.

One evening about dark I noticed his truck and trailer still parked by the ramp,but nothing unusual,just another night camping we thought.The next morning my wife noticed his wifes van parked beside his truck.She walks over and his wife is setting there worried and crying.She said if he was camping he forgot to tell her.

Long story short,me and another fellow found his boat about four miles up river washed aganist a tree top in the middle of the river.He had a Pepsi tied to a string in the water,two rod and reels laying on the front deck beside the chair,and two or three life vests laying under front storage compartment.
When rescue dept came and started dragging,they found him directly under the boat, up aganist the tree top as well.We figured he was standing up fishing when the boat washed into the top,swinging the front end around and,throwing him off balance,and he fell off the side of the boat.He never learned to swim, and never wore a life vest.

Too many folks buy PFD's only to keep them from getting a ticket,they will do that, but there is so much more that they can do,when worst comes to worst and they are worn properly.

tyusclan · #13 08/28/10, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

My brothers wifes brother fished on the river everyday he was off.He would launch his boat at our place on the river two or three times per week.Sometimes he would fish, then camp on the river bank,and next day fish some more.

One evening about dark I noticed his truck and trailer still parked by the ramp,but nothing unusual,just another night camping we thought.The next morning my wife noticed his wifes van parked beside his truck.She walks over and his wife is setting there worried and crying.She said if he was camping he forgot to tell her.

Long story short,me and another fellow found his boat about four miles up river washed aganist a tree top in the middle of the river.He had a Pepsi tied to a string in the water,two rod and reels laying on the front deck beside the chair,and two or three life vests laying under front storage compartment.
When rescue dept came and started dragging,they found him directly under the boat, up aganist the tree top as well.We figured he was standing up fishing when the boat washed into the top,swinging the front end around and,throwing him off balance,and he fell off the side of the boat.He never learned to swim, and never wore a life vest.

Too many folks buy PFD's only to keep them from getting a ticket,they will do that, but there is so much more that they can do,when worst comes to worst and they are worn properly.

Sad story.

Most folks think it'll never happen to them.