Do you wear a life jacket while fishing

[Twocoda]

ya know ..i was just thinking back on the derby i just finished ....and since we are the legislation setters for our sport .....im thinking in order to get your pleasure craft license you MUST successfully pass a practical test of launching your boat ....that in its own would eliminate alot of grief

 

if you cant launch it in a timely fashion...you cant operate it ..

[charlesn]

I can just imagine an enforcement officer stopping a boat... "OK, you, you and you with no lifejacket on... jump in and I'll see if you can tread water."

 

Especially on the Lower Niagara in February...

[solopaddler]

Like many others who have already replied, I wear one some of the time - it depends on the boat and the season. In a small boat or a canoe, it's always on. In a bass boat, I wear it when underway, and usually slip it off to fish. On a big-water boat trolling for salmon, I generally don't wear one at all. Regardless of the boat, I always wear a survival suit early and late in the season.

 

Common sense, really.

 

The inflatable models are really comfortable, and totally worth the additional cost.

 

 

What I've always wondered, let's say you've got a high end inflatable model that's never been inflated.

How do you know 100% for sure that it actually will inflate when you really need it?

[Beans]

ya know ..i was just thinking back on the derby i just finished ....and since we are the legislation setters for our sport .....im thinking in order to get your pleasure craft license you MUST successfully pass a practical test of launching your boat ....that in its own would eliminate alot of grief

 

if you cant launch it in a timely fashion...you cant operate it ..

 

Sorry,...I can't agree with this...

 

What about us old guys that just recently have a boat and trailer and only launch in the spring, dock all summer and delaunch in the fall ?

 

Tournament anglers get lots of practice damn near every week launching at various different places but twice a year is hit and miss but we do manage in the long run...

 

BTW...is it not already mandatory to wear an inflateable type PFD ???

[Twocoda]

Sorry,...I can't agree with this...

 

What about us old guys that just recently have a boat and trailer and only launch in the spring, dock all summer and delaunch in the fall ?

 

Tournament anglers get lots of practice damn near every week launching at various different places but twice a year is hit and miss but we do manage in the long run...

 

 

Respectfully Beans .....i say if you can get it in and out in record time .....you may not feel like an old guy anymore !!!! Hows the old adage go ??? "why waste all day doing something i can do in a couple of minutes...lol.."

[bare foot wader]

I don't understand all the fuss about this....no different than a seatbelt and that's mandatory...

 

a PFD won't prevent carelessness, drinking on the water, sheer stupidity, etc....but the fact cannot be denied that ONCE YOU ENTER THE WATER (fully concious and strong, accidentally, injured, unconcious or otherwise) wearing a PFD greatly improves your odds of survival.....a rescue operation can potentially take hours, even a strong swimmer can struggle with that.....

 

common sense could prevent most mishaps....but common sense is never a factor in passing legislation....dont' get pissed at the gov't or call it a tax grab, it is not, a "tax grab" is too commonly used to throw at everything the gov't does....sometimes true but often not.......it's public error that causes legislation like this.......

 

it's every dumbass that did something stupid on the water and ended up a statistic.....

 

PS...when did it come law to wear a PFD...i just thought there had to be adequate PFD's on board for every passenger....and they have to fit...I've been asked twice to confirm that it's in fact an adult lifer....

 

and for the record, I always have mine on board but don't wear it as much as I should...mainly when moving spots in rough stuff....

[Headhunter]

Well, if they create a system where by you are fined for not having a PFD on, then it's a tax grab. If instead, when they create a system of enforcement where by you are told to get off the water, with no monetary repercussions, then you have an inforcement issue, not a "tax grab".

HH

[Radnine]

Sure let's legislate it. In the same bill we should outlaw sky-diving because no one with a lick of sense would jump out of a perfectly good airplane for sport.

Your analogy is an interesting one, but people don't jump out of aeroplanes without a parachute in the name of self preservation. Why would they not wear a life jacket for the same reason? The reason of course is you have a 100% chance of dying without a parachute and a considerably more favourable chance of surviving a spill without a PFD.

Jim

[Fish4Eyes]

Good logic, I suppose all that board airplanes must take mandatory flying lessons, just in case

 

FYI airplanes and boats are two totally different things. You need hundreds of hours in a plane to become a pilot, whereas you need a few hours studying a book to receive your boaters license or learn how to swim. People who canoe and don't know how to swim should be well aware that a canoe can tip as easy as somebody leaning over to fart.

[Radnine]

common sense could prevent most mishaps....but common sense is never a factor in passing legislation....dont' get pissed at the gov't or call it a tax grab, it is not, a "tax grab" is too commonly used to throw at everything the gov't does....sometimes true but often not.......it's public error that causes legislation like this.......

 

Amen to this post.

Common sense also should have dictated that people wouldn't light up in an elevator or over a salad bar or in a car or office with others, but it didn't.

The only thing common about sense is that people don't use it, so laws have to.

Jim

[Fish4Eyes]

Did you mean to say, "They should make it mandatory that people who boat need to know how to swim, or else must wear a lifejacket" ?

 

What about children?

 

Even so, I think you would want to re-think that. How would you ever enforce it?

 

It would be just one more useless, intrusive piece of regulation, IMO.

 

I can just imagine an enforcement officer stopping a boat... "OK, you, you and you with no lifejacket on... jump in and I'll see if you can tread water."

 

You set regulations saying children under the age of XXX to wear life jacket at all times. The swimming certificate/card you could get just like getting your drivers license. They would test you to see if you can swim. And like you mentioned if you don't know how to swim or your physical condition does not allow you to swim, then you are required to wear a PFD at all times. They could enforce it by doing patrols on the water like they do now for limits, licenses, safety gear. This change would create more jobs, although society would need to pay to play. They would have a may day handing out tickets, but the change could also steer people away from boating since they are being legislated to death. Theres pros and cons for anything.

[TJQ]

If you make the kids wear one... shouldn't you wear one as well?... to be a good example?

 

When have I ever been a good example....

[TJQ]

I don't understand all the fuss about this....no different than a seatbelt and that's mandatory...

 

To me the entire thing is not about whether you should wear a lifejacket.. that's pretty obvious.. the thing for me is that in 50 years there are going to be so many regulations that you'll be breaking the law all the time cause you wont know whats legal and whats not. I tell you if you get stopped by a CO and an OPP officer, if they spend enough time going through the boat and asking questions, they will soon enough find something that you are not compying with.

 

As far as Im concerned it all began with seatbelts. yes they should be worn, no they shouldnt be madatory. started out as a ticket... now its point on your licence. heres the next thing... if they ban the use of cell phones and the use of gps units, whats next.. i tell ya having a boiling hot timmies coffee in my hand is just as dangerous, so thats next no more drinking in the vehicle, and then.. next... if you get caught without both hands on the wheel.. you'll get a ticket. Im not saying these things are not common sense, im just saying that the regulators never take a break.. next is (and i dont smoke) you wont be able to smoke in your own house if there is someone under 16 in the house.. dont think it cant happen?? Think again...

 

There's a reason my camp is so far in the bush.

 

 

PS.. it was only very recently that I found out its not mandatory for the kids to wear a life jacket. Diod I make them wear them.. sure I did.

[theRJ]

Swimming test is useless. I can swim 1k across and 1k back across a lake without any problems (With a PFD towed behind me for the record). But if I have been knocked out for some reason that ability is meaningless. If you trip on a tackle box/rod/whatever and crack your head on the way out of your boat you're outta luck no matter how skilled you are in the water.

 

RJ

[Bernie]

Please! No more legislation! Enough out there now.

Time for people to be responsible for themselves instead of passing the buck to somebody else too.

 

I like your way of thinking TJ.

[Headhunter]

Amen Bernie and TJ, amen!

For the life of me, I can't understand the mentality of some folks. They act like they are not capable of making a sensible decision in their life, without the government providing "guidance".

The only thing we need more of, is less government!

HH

[dagoat_1]

Enough with the regulations.......

I never wore one (allways had one in reaching distance) until I bought a mustang this year so now i dont have an excuse not to and noticed the OPP boats pass right by me when doing their routine checks. As TJ stated earlier, with all the regs. pretty soon wew ill all have something they can get us with if they look hard enough and if that day comes will you really be enjoying yourself out there what for mamy might be a few times a season? or too busy worring that you are complying with all the newly formed laws?

[DanD]

Well I dive like a shovel and swim like a brick; do I wear my jacket all the time, no and I know I should; but for some reason its the last thing I think of as we're heading out, on a nice sunny day.

Like a lot of people have already said; be aware of what’s happening around you. If it’s rough out or I’m in a boat with a cowboy showing me his stunts; the PFD is the first thing I look for; then I rake the guy over the coals for being an idiot.

As for the analogy of being bonked on the head as you’re falling out of a boat; well with a PFD you’re still out of luck; only a true lifejacket will right you face up. Can you imagine trying to cast all day with one of those on?

I really like the idea of the inflatable vests; but like someone else here has already mentioned; how do you know for sure it will work?

Is there an expiry date or some form of pressure gauge on them?

 

Dan.

[Mattones]

Everytime I go out onto the water I ALWAYS wear a life jacket. I'm a good swimmer but I think I would have a panic attack if i had to swim half a mile to a mile to shore. Its one of my biggest fears being so far out and having to swim to shore. :|

Edited August 11, 2009 by Mattones

[Jonny]

I don't understand all the fuss about this....no different than a seatbelt and that's mandatory...

 

The chance of being involved in an auto accident is FAR greater than the chance of falling into the water from a boat, and far more life-threatening. It's a matter of managing risks. YOU CAN'T MANAGE THEM ALL. And you can't enforce an ever-growing body of intrusive regulations.

 

They could enforce it by doing patrols on the water like they do now for limits, licenses, safety gear. This change would create more jobs, although society would need to pay to play.

 

Do you really think we need more government employees running around checking up on every little thing?

 

Here's something else to consider... you're out in your boat without your jacket on, and some goody-two-shoes takes a picture of you clearly not wearing a jacket, and your boat registration, and a time-stamp on the photo, and submits it to the OPP. You think that couldn't happen? I've got an 18x telephoto on my camera and I could take your picture without you even being aware of it.

 

There are too many people around who find some pleasure in meddling in other people's business. These part-time vigilantes don't need more grist for their mill.

Edited August 11, 2009 by Jocko

[Jonny]

Everytime I go out onto the water I ALWAYS wear a life jacket. I'm a good swimmer but I think I would have a panic attack if i had to swim half a mile to a mile to shore. Its one of my biggest fears being so far out and having to swim to shore. :|

 

Don't forget --- your boat can't sink. Proper flotation for boats (canoes, kayaks, any water craft) was regulated a long time ago.

 

I'm wondering what kind of catastrope you envision? If you wear your PFD when under power, you're safe (i.e. hitting a deadhead or a shoal). If you wear your PFD in rough water, you're safe. How likely is it you would have to swim to shore from an accident if you are fishing with the motor off or you are trolling?

 

Not that I'm downplaying your anxiety. If you feel uncomfortable, by all means wear the PFD at all times. It's just that I'm aghast at the number of people here who think that it should be mandatory for everyone at all times --- not that you specifically said that, but I gather you would be OK with it.

[Jonny]

Here's the perfect PFD for those who feel the need to wear one and yet don't want the discomfort of a vest or the interference it causes when handling a fishing rod. Note that your upper torso has a perfectly free range of movement.

[Raf]

i'm a aghast by the number of people who need their hand held by the gov't in order to feel safe on the water. use common sense folks! stop the needless legislation.

[Joey]

If you trip on a tackle box/rod/whatever and crack your head on the way out of your boat you're outta luck no matter how skilled you are in the water.

 

RJ

 

 

You're also S.O.L. if you trip and crack your head on the side of the tub while taking a bath, but we can't all walk around with bubble wrap taped to our bodies!!

 

Wear one if you want to, don't if you don't want to, its a personal choice and should stay that way.

 

Joey

Edited August 11, 2009 by Joey

[Radnine]

i'm a aghast by the number of people who need their hand held by the gov't in order to feel safe on the water. use common sense folks! stop the needless legislation.

 

This is an interesting take Raf, but I don't want legislation to make me feel safe, I take care of that by wearing my PFD.

The argument has become about legislation in general. And saying that all legislation is bad is painting with a very wide brush. So is assuming that everyone has common sense, because common sense would tell you to have your life jacket on all the time.

I mentioned it earlier and will bring it up again, I don't think it is that much of a stretch to see the insurance companies being the ones to drive through some sort of ruling; Drown while wearing a PFD, Pay - Drown without one, not so much.

Jim

Edited August 11, 2009 by Radnine