Your thoughts in PFD enforcement.

[Big Cliff]

On the surface it sure sounds like someone was having a bad day (or two).

 

There may be other factors in both cases that we are not aware of but if it is as it sounds and I was the lodge owner, I would be filing a complaint against the officer on behalf of my customers. I might even consider trying to plead their case in court for them although I'm not sure what would be involved in doing that.

 

As far as wearing your PFD. I have two inflatables, one is an auto inflate, the other one is manual only. It is my understanding that the auto inflate does not have to be worn to be legal but the manual one does have to be. Any comments?

[lew]

It is my understanding that the auto inflate does not have to be worn to be legal but the manual one does have to be. Any comments?

 

I thought any inflatable had to be worn to be legal Cliff but I may very well be wrong. I have an automatic one and always wear it anyways if I'm alone in the boat.

[misfish]

This was discussed on another board..

 

In simplified, condensed form virtually all forms of watercraft require that every passenger have readily available a certified PFD which is in good repair and of an appropriate size. Exceptions are made for official racing and training events and exercises. It is NOT necessary (but recommended) that these PFDs are being worn by boaters.
Inflatable PFDs MUST be worn (not just easily accessible) to count as a requisite PFD. "Note that for inflatable life jackets - with CO2 bottle and pull cord - must be worn to be one of the available PFDs. When they are in the kit with the other PFDs they do not count."
Here is a site that outlines the safety regs for various types and sizes of watercraft:

 

www.waterwaysontario.com/safe-boating/safety-equipment/

[lew]

Found this on Google Cliff.

 

Interesting to read that auto inflators are not legal for sailboats.

 

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.safeboater.com%2Flearn-the-rules%2Finflatables.aspx&ei=0lz8U_qJJMSBygTou4AQ&usg=AFQjCNGEnoIeuMEyLdsQSejdKxJt909BEA

[Roy]

Lew, I think they are not legal for use on "sailboards". They are legal for sailboats.

[singingdog]

If I see them coming, I jump out of my yak and start swimming. If I am swimming in the middle of a lake, I don't need a PFD

[lew]

Lew, I think they are not legal for use on "sailboards". They are legal for sailboats.

 

Your absolutely correct Roy, my mistake, perhaps it's time to upgrade my reading skills

Edited August 26, 2014 by lew

[Roy]

I normally would have taken what you say for cash Lew, but almost everyone at the club uses auto inflate so I was puzzled.

[Salmonidstalker]

What possible reason could you have for GUESSING that

It's just a guess. Nobody really knows what really took place. I know it's common though for tickets regarding improper life jackets.

[lew]

Nobody really knows what really took place.

I know what really took place and what I originally posted is true.

[Salmonidstalker]

I know what really took place and what I originally posted is true.

Were you there when the tickets were given? Just curious to know if this is what you saw or heard. No offence intended.

 

Regardless, I think any situation can be handled differently than what it was but I still think the officer had just cause to charge them. I also know how people who get charged leave out information to make their side of the story come off like they are innocent.

[lew]

Were you there when the tickets were given? Just curious to know if this is what you saw or heard. No offence intended.

 

 

I saw the equipment and no offence taken.

[BillM]

That cop sounds like an idiot..

[mattybculp]

I cant believe that ! I'm all for wearing life jackets, they save lives! That being said I never wear a life jacket, unless crossing big water, and the moment I start fishing it comes off. But to fine a guy for having a tear in his jacket, when he has other jackets in the boat ? That's dirty! At least the guy took the initiative to put one on ( maybe he didn't notice a small tear in the back, I know some jackets can tear quite easily, and it easy to miss a tear that's not the length of the entire jacket) and then fine the guy? I have one question, you go into the water and are in bad shape, would you rather have A) No life jacket or A life jacket with a tear in it. I think I may choose option B. So if the guy wasn't wearing a jacket at all he wouldn't have gotten a fine? It just doesn't make sense. If that's the case then they should fine everyone driving around with no life jacket on, cause I'm not sure, but I think it maybe safer driving around with a jacket with a small tear vs not wearing a jacket at all. I would have taken the fine but a piece of my mind would have been given, clearly a money grab. That cop should feel shame, a good warning a telling him to switch to one of the other jackets would have been the right thing to do imo.

[bigbuck]

Lew, I have always been pro cop as well. But when you have guys with badges out their that abuse their power like this it really burns my biscuit. I think even a call to his detachment supervisor should be in order. Calls to them from the resort operators as well because their businesses will be the ones to suffer. Keep kicking things up the chain. There may or may not be a positive result but it has to be dealt with somehow. Even a complaint to the local mpp. Squeaky wheel gegs the grease.

[Headhunter]

It might not be that far in the future before it will be mandatory to be wearing a PFD whenever you are on the water. Listening to the Fish n Canada boys on the radio on the weekend, they were saying that Uncle Katy and her crew at Queens Park are talking about making life jackets mandatory... they must be worn, not just at hand.

Hmmm... nanny state or cash grab?

HH

[doubleheader]

Hi Lew, and I was right there with you while these folks were ticketed. It just seems ridiculous to me. The only people they may have been endangering were themselves, and it wasn't like they were flaunting the law, after all they were wearing jackets and had two spares. $240.00 is a huge some for some folks. I think that maybe a better outcome would have been a warning with an opportunity to get a compliant jacket. What I thought was really condescending was how the senior OPP kept call the offender "buddy" as he was lecturing him. I heard him say it multiple times, and they were too intimidated to tell him where to stick his "buddy". On another note, however, long after the OPP had gone home for dinner, another boatload of people left the dock for a camping trip. They were extremely overloaded, even if all the gear were removed thety were overloaded with people, and it was obviously an unsafe situation. That father who intentionally put his family at risk so as to avoid an extra trip should have been caught and a heavy fine levied.

[lew]

On another note, however, long after the OPP had gone home for dinner, another boatload of people left the dock for a camping trip. They were extremely overloaded, even if all the gear were removed thety were overloaded with people, and it was obviously an unsafe situation. That father who intentionally put his family at risk so as to avoid an extra trip should have been caught and a heavy fine levied.

 

Agree with you 100% Fred and am glad your here to verify my story.

 

As for the over-loaded boat, I saw them leave the dock too and thought the same as you, that was very dangerous and the guy in charge put everyone else at risk. It was either 6 or 7 people in that 14' tinny including a couple small children with nobody wearing a life jacket, a large Golden Retriever and all their camping gear and there was only about 6" of freeboard when they went out.

 

That's the boat the police should be looking for rather than harassing tourists who are doing their best to obey the laws.

Edited August 26, 2014 by lew

[Old Ironmaker]

We were pulled over by an OPP boat at Port Bruce last Friday. We got nothing but politeness and respect from the 2 constables. I had my inflatable on as I always do and asked my fellow fisherman why he doesn't have one. Personally I have to agree with them that especially out on Erie in 5 foot chop everyone should have a PFD on, always. Don't let a few idiot Barney Fifes spoil the rep that many of our young Cops have earned.

[Roe Bag]

That cop sounds like an idiot..

In virtually every walk of life you'll find people that enjoy power tripping!

Give them some authority and it goes right to their head.

They simply get off on pushing people around.

Give these types a badge and a gun.

LOOKOUT!

[mistyriver1]

Interesting thread.

 

Yeah kinda sounds like the cop had some attitude and I agree with you Lew that a warning woud have sufficed. I was actually stopped a couple of weeks ago by the OPP on the kawarthas and not only did they check my safety equipment but also checked my fishing licence? Thought that was strictly for MNR. They were both good guys though.

[Salmonidstalker]

The law isn't always cut and dry. Some subjective decisions made obviously that others may not see the same way. It's unfortunate that they were tagged but I sometimes its wrong place, wrong time, wrong officer.

[fish_fishburn]

Look at it this way. Your a cop and you spend your day driving up and down the hiway handing out tickets day after day. That's gotta be a boring job after awhile. Then you finally get the opportunity to get trained and join the marine unit and get to go boating for your shift instead of doing the cruiser thing that sucks cause its so boring. At the end of your marine shift your sgt says what did you do today and you tell him you emptied a couple of ticket books and a big smile appears on his face and he says we gotta put you on marine duty more often. If I was a cop and had the choice of hiway patrol or marine duty I know what one I would want to do. Our province is so broke and the easiest way to generate cash is by handing out tickets.

[SirCranksalot]

If the cops are going to nitpick with the letter of the law, then it sounds like the first guys were actually compliant(assuming that the spare life jackets were properly fitting ones). All is req'd to fulfill the proverbial letter of the law is to have properly fitting PFDs in good repair on the boat. The fact that 1 guy was wearing one that was not in good repair is irrelevant!!! Yes, it would be relevant for any common sense application of the law, a quality that these a'holes seem to be sorely lacking!

 

It's a real shame that this garbage happens. The proper functioning of our society depends on most people having a respect for the law and its officers. This crap erodes that respect.

[GRINGO LOCO]

I think they should shoot him with xxxx and then shoot him for stinking!