carpeweekend
Crew Member
Powerful and compelling video from Worksafe BC as to why you should wear a PFD on the water, even if you are a strong swimmer.
Why You Should Wear a PFD
- Thread starter carpeweekend
- Start date
bMcN
Active Member
Thanks for sharing.
Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
Compelling-- while I always wear my PFD when alone in the boat. I seldom wear it when others are with me. Time to rethink.............
Original
Well-Known Member
I seem to learn the hard way as last year I launched my boat only to see both PDF 's had gone off because of moisture. If ya take em in the house don't forget to put them back in in the boat before ya go. That was 2 days I didn't get on the water. My buddy was a cousin of the young guy that didn't make it.
Rotten Ronnie
Member
Just so you know, if your inflatable PFD is not being worn when the Coast Guard, RCMP, DFO, or any other authority boards you it is not considered a legitimate flotation device. So make sure you have enough old school ( non-inflating, foam-filled, or even kapok life jackets to go around. Or better still put on the inflatable, they really aren't uncomfortable...
tinboatrobb
Well-Known Member
At the very least your body can be recovered giving your family some closure. You do not get on my boat without having your off on...period.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
Very powerful vid---thanks for sharing.
I do 99.9% of my boating alone ---I do quite a bit of boat camping --- I set and haul an anchor multiple times a day up on the bow of my boat so I'm hyper-sensitive to the risk of going over-board. I wear a manually-inflatable type PFD vest, or a closed-cell foam water-skiing PFD (mostly for warmth)
There is lots of debate about the wisdom or lack of wisdom of wearing an auto hydrostatic PFD vest---- I steer clear because of the dangers of having them inflate while you're still in the wheelhouse of your boat in a roll-over
There's a harrowing story of a Defiance boat pitch-poling when trying to get back into a harbor on the California coast---they had braided line wrapped on the prop of one of their twins . Not enough power to stay on the back side of a wave,went over the top and down into the trough and flipped the boat. The captain was wearing a hydro static vest and the only way he got out of the wheelhouse was by puncturing his vest with a knife.... everyone got off OK but that image stuck in my mind, especially with the narrow doorway entrance into my wheelhouse
I do 99.9% of my boating alone ---I do quite a bit of boat camping --- I set and haul an anchor multiple times a day up on the bow of my boat so I'm hyper-sensitive to the risk of going over-board. I wear a manually-inflatable type PFD vest, or a closed-cell foam water-skiing PFD (mostly for warmth)
There is lots of debate about the wisdom or lack of wisdom of wearing an auto hydrostatic PFD vest---- I steer clear because of the dangers of having them inflate while you're still in the wheelhouse of your boat in a roll-over
There's a harrowing story of a Defiance boat pitch-poling when trying to get back into a harbor on the California coast---they had braided line wrapped on the prop of one of their twins . Not enough power to stay on the back side of a wave,went over the top and down into the trough and flipped the boat. The captain was wearing a hydro static vest and the only way he got out of the wheelhouse was by puncturing his vest with a knife.... everyone got off OK but that image stuck in my mind, especially with the narrow doorway entrance into my wheelhouse
What brand are you using?
casper5280
Crew Member
Some food for thought
https://player.vimeo.com/video/132245870
https://player.vimeo.com/video/132245870
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
I have two Mustangs---one is hydro-static, one is manual, but after watching casper's vimeo, it makes me think I should ditch both of them and stick with the closed-cell foam vest
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Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
I was 16 years old. Just got my drivers license and my mom co signed me to buy a Toyota 4x4 truck. Fished all my life since I was old enough to hold a rod so couldn't wait to go fishing with a friend when I finally got my truck. My best friends dad lent us his canoe to take to a lake up the mountain to go fly fishing. The ice had just come off the lake. Still ice along the shore in some areas. We were out in the middle of the lake. My friend stood up to take a ****. The canoe went over. No life jackets on. Dressed in two layers of clothes with winter boots on. A mack jacket and jean jacket over top of that. If there hadn't been float cushions in the canoe and if there wasn't another fisherman out on the lake that saw what happened we both would have died that day. My friend went numb before I did. He stopped moving and swimming. I screamed at him to not stop kicking towards shore. My screams weren't loud and my words were broken up because of how cold the water was. I couldn't fill my lungs full cause I was freezing and my muscles were constricting. The other fisherman was in a row boat. No motor. He rowed over to us and helped row my friend to shore by giving him a rope to hold on to. This took a long time. I never stopped kicking my way to shore but as the time went on I was hardly moving cause hypothermia and muscle movement was getting worse and worse. The other fisherman got my friend to shore and chucked his fire making stuff onto the shore for my friend as he came back for me. But my friend couldn't move to even try to make a fire. He was in shock and wouldn't talk or move for a long time. When the other fisherman got me to shore he made a fire and we got our clothes off. He had to help my friend get his clothes off. One of the vivid memories I'll never get out of my head is the fright in my friends face and the color of his lips. They were purple. Completely dark purple almost black. We were as close to death as I have ever been that day.
I have been involved over the years witnessing and being involved with 6 other near drownings and one death. From a child till very recent years. Two near drownings on rivers of very close friends who were saved by other friends, 3 ocean rescues of two kite surfers and a family in a boat that hit a sand bar and were taking on water, and one death I witnessed on the Fraser River of a fisherman who waded in too far and got swept away. The whole bar of fisherman saw this man go under and lose his life. A bunch of fishermen with boats searched all day for his body. His body wasn't found till days later way down the river. He had just gotten engaged to be married days before. In none of those situations was anyone wearing a life jacket. Not even the children on the boat.
I have been involved over the years witnessing and being involved with 6 other near drownings and one death. From a child till very recent years. Two near drownings on rivers of very close friends who were saved by other friends, 3 ocean rescues of two kite surfers and a family in a boat that hit a sand bar and were taking on water, and one death I witnessed on the Fraser River of a fisherman who waded in too far and got swept away. The whole bar of fisherman saw this man go under and lose his life. A bunch of fishermen with boats searched all day for his body. His body wasn't found till days later way down the river. He had just gotten engaged to be married days before. In none of those situations was anyone wearing a life jacket. Not even the children on the boat.
casper5280
Crew Member
Glad you made it out alive Chasin'Dreams. When I took my SVOP and MED3 course we watched a movie that has always stuck with me.
Really made me think after watching.
I've got the same model PFD on my boat. Never checked if there's an expiry date on the CO2 cartridge. Are you supposed to replace the cartridge every couple of years or so?
There is an indicator on them. Green is good, Red is replace. I do mine each year as a rule of thumb. I inflate the old one and then repack and replace.
fish brain
Crew Member
some just have an expiry date on the cylinder. Open up the vest and have a look, It's just a Velcro flap and easy to do.
