Life Jackets

Wolf Tracker · #1 05-30-2010, 07:47 PM

Was just wondering how many people wear their lifejackets(pfd's) while boating. With all the talk about boat license's and such I thought I would ask the question. I wear mine when ever I am cruising to a new spot on the lake but take it off when I am anchored or trolling with my electric motor.Not trying to open any cans of worms but I usually see more guys not putting them on instead of wearing them.

raggmann · #2 05-30-2010, 07:56 PM

Guilty, I use mine as a seat cusion.

TYEE · #3 05-30-2010, 07:59 PM

Always in the boat, never on unless needed for warmth. Good idea to put it on when traveling at high speed, will keep that in mind for the future.

gramps73 · #4 05-30-2010, 08:16 PM

I will say that after fishing in the SAWT last year i wear mine. And at the rules meeting at Travers it was made mandatory you wear it when the boat is in motion.

mooseknuckle · #5 05-30-2010, 08:32 PM

Guilty!! Always have enough obviously for the amount and size/age of people on the boat but I don't wear it. I encourage my passengers to do so when appropriate and always younger kids. Of course I swam for the Olympian swim club for 15 years. I don't find them comfortable.

Stump thumper · #6 05-30-2010, 08:33 PM

I never used to wear mine that often, but I try to wear it all the time now since I usually have my young son with me. Have to set a good example eh.

walleyechaser · #7 05-30-2010, 08:35 PM

Don't wear it, but if the weather got real bad I would put it on

Wolf Tracker · #8 05-30-2010, 08:41 PM

I never put the on before but once I bought my new boat mine always goes on.I used to swim lots to but I realized that the cold water in the spring or even getting a knock on the head I wouldn't be able to swim very far.A work buddy of mine drowned a few years back and it bothered me that his body was not found for a few days.If anything were to happen to myself while boating I would like to be found for my families sake.Safe boating everyone

Baitcaster · #9 05-30-2010, 10:58 PM

One the inflatable types that sit like a collar around your neck are the best. you soon forget you are even wearing it and like a previous comment you are setting the example to the younger ones in the boat.

npauls · #10 05-30-2010, 11:08 PM

Once I can gather the cash I will be buying some self inflating collar style ones that I will wear all the time. I will probably get 4 of them for the boat just so everyone can have one. I can't stand the big bulky ones so I only put them on when the weather is nasty.

nate

Lambo · #11 05-30-2010, 11:32 PM

When the weather is crappy out I wear my Mustang survival jacket - warm+floatation. But when it's warm out, I'm guilty of having the life jacket strapped to my seat. I've been wearing it more lately (like the previous posts) to set an example for my kids but it is uncomfortable. I might be buying the collar type soon but still skeptical about the reliability of these PFDs. What if you get a defective inflator? Don't know til you're in the water. Might just stick to being uncomfortable.

Corro · #12 05-30-2010, 11:41 PM

My canoe is easy to dump so I ALWAYS wear my life jacket and have my kit secured.

Joe Fehr · #13 05-31-2010, 12:15 AM

Always make the kids wear them, I don't like wearing them so they sit on the back of the chair. Even when in rough waters on Slave last year headed to the boat launch from camp.
Guess the high sides give me a sense of security. (Probably hold more water)

floppychicken · #14 05-31-2010, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gramps73

I will say that after fishing in the SAWT last year i wear mine. And at the rules meeting at Travers it was made mandatory you wear it when the boat is in motion.

YEP,... X2

I've become very accustomed to wearing my 'Fishing Vest style' PFD (Cabela's) and I actually 'feel weird' without it on. Honestly, I have a hard time understanding why ANYONE would not wear a PFD in the EARLY SPRING or LATE FALL when the water is CRAZY COLD and `merely` falling out of the boat can be fatal.... JMHO.

Cheers,

big zeke · #15 05-31-2010, 06:51 AM

On the ocean I have a Mustang Floater and I wear it all the time mainly for warmth but it is great for keeping clean. Even on freshwater I generally wear on all the time, esp since I am occaisionaly alone on the boat. It's a good example for the kids and if you spend a few bucks on them you can get a pretty comfortable one.

Pretty tough to tell a kid to wear one if you're not.

Zeke

209x50 · #16 05-31-2010, 07:01 AM

never.

silvercloud · #17 05-31-2010, 07:21 AM

Mine goes on when I get in the boat and comes off when the boat docks. I can't swim a lick-so I need all the help I can get.

Jason

jusfloatin · #18 05-31-2010, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floppychicken

YEP,... X2

I've become very accustomed to wearing my 'Fishing Vest style' PFD (Cabela's) and I actually 'feel weird' without it on. Honestly, I have a hard time understanding why ANYONE would not wear a PFD in the EARLY SPRING or LATE FALL when the water is CRAZY COLD and `merely` falling out of the boat can be fatal.... JMHO.

Cheers,

I totaly agree

I have several different types of jackets on board to suit different weather conditions but I and everyone else that is with me has something on before they even set foot on the dock. Have you ever walked out onto the dock only to trip on a board and hit the ground. Haveing a cheap lifejacket on will soften the bounce enough you would be grateful to have it on.

It does not make sense to me why anyone that owns a boat would not have a good, comfortable life jacket for at least himself.

( I mean for his loving and understanding wife )

AlbertaAngler · #19 05-31-2010, 07:26 AM

I have the inflatable collar type and wear it at all times.

Drewski Canuck · #20 05-31-2010, 09:16 AM

Always, and all the passengers. usually have a full boatload of kids fishing all summer long. Typically, water is flat, and I still have them wear one. Had a wind shear on Calling turn mirror flat to 4 footers in a matter of minutes. Also have had many a big boat throw a wake that rolled the boat pretty good, both at anchor and underway. Most cases, there would have been no time to put on lifejackets after the fact.

Funny part, most drowning victims have their fly undone. when your hands are full of your other "gear", there is no time to put on a lifejacket as you are going in head first.

Drewski

Jayball · #21 05-31-2010, 09:24 AM

Used to be just a seat cushion for me until my children started coming fishing with me. Now I wear it all the time in the boat. Hard to tell them to obey the rules when I don't.

MK2750 · #22 05-31-2010, 09:30 AM

My fishing vest is CO2 inflatiable and my duck hunting coat is a Mustang Floater so I'm never without. I also carry the regular type rather than trying to argue with the powers to be when checked.

Okotokian · #23 05-31-2010, 09:35 AM

I wear mine. Only person I remotely knew (friend of a friend type of thing)that ever drowned was an excellent swimmer, but their boat was hit by another boat at high speed. It isn't always about your skill or the weather.

whitewolf · #24 05-31-2010, 10:16 AM

growing up in florida i dont ever remember anyone i knew ever wearing one...including myself...we always had one for every person in the boat as that was the law but it was never worn....i used mine as a seat cussion as to lift me higher in the boat so i could see over the bow as our bass boat you sat very low in...i guess the thought was id rather drown than be awake as a gator swam away with you in its jaws kicking and screaming and that did happen quite a few times to people when i lived down there...but i do most of my fishing with floppy chicken...so he has been a good influence on me and i where mine always when the boat is running at the very least....

albertadave · #25 05-31-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big zeke

Pretty tough to tell a kid to wear one if you're not.

Zeke

I actually don't find that it's tough at all. Quite easy in fact. Do as I say, not as I do.

javlin101 · #26 05-31-2010, 12:35 PM

I wear mine if I am alone in the boat or with just the kids.

aulrich · #27 05-31-2010, 01:54 PM

We wear them when we are moving between spots (not repositioning or restetting a drift) or in current. If kids don't swim well it is constant.

I found having ones that fit properly makes all the difference for comfort.

It's like bikes and helmets if your not concerned about smashing your head in your not riding fast enough

I rail against most of the "bubble wraping" that seems to go on these days a life lived is inherently risky. But simple thing like a lifejacket and using it when the risk is at the highest makes sense. And as a side benifit it reduces the ammo for those damn bubble wrapers who would make it 100% manditory so that even sitting still you would have to wear one.

jusfloatin · #28 05-31-2010, 02:36 PM

I forgot to mention I even wear my inflatable when I fish the Bow.

I don't think I am getting to old but rather just growning up.

cohod · #29 05-31-2010, 02:53 PM

I ware a Mustang Inflatable Life Jacket hardly know its on so I ware it all the time boating, on my pontoon boat or in my float tube.

I hardly ever wore one before I got this one though...

cohod

Lambo · #30 05-31-2010, 03:14 PM

This is a good thread. Glad to see almost all the members are safety conscious and wearing their PFD. I'll definitely be wearing mine all the time now.