PFD question

[jpollman]

Hi all !

I've just got a quick question for all of you.....

How many of you actually WEAR a PFD when you're out on the boat fishing ?

I'll admit, that I haven't in a while. I do have them on board as per regulations. But they're the "Mae West" type and a bit to big and bulky to wear around the boat while fishing. I'm SERIOUSLY considering picking up one that I can where WHILE FISHING. Do any of you have this type. If so, what kind and how do you like it ? With the number of drowning deaths lately, it's really got me thinking..... I'm a good swimmer and not afraid of the water at all. But that doesn't matter if I end up overboard and hurt somehow. My kid needs a father !

Just curious

[Defensemens dad]

I am as guilty as you. I do not wear a pfd when I am in the boat. But if we stop and anchor and swim I will put one on. My children wear them every second they are in the boat. It has become second nature to my 13yr old son that he will wear it once on shore until we are in the car to leave. I to have thought about one for myself. It will be interesting to hear from others and what they use.

[ESOX]

I alway wear a vest when the water temps are very low, usually put one on when underway alone.

[Lunker]

I dont on a fishing boat I do in my kayaks. Look for the neoprene like kayaking pfd's. They are designed for mobility and comfort while in motion.. Dicks and Sams club has them. Sams has them cheap. I like the body glove brand.

[Walligator]

I usually wear one on the way out and on the way in (from shore). If they're are alot of boats out, I'll also wear one. My son wears one all the time....I think he's the smart one here:eek:

Good thread.....and diffinately something for all of us to think about and reconsider!

Gander Mountain also has some vests that are not too expensive and don't inhibit your movement too much.

[MadCatter]

First off .. I am guilty also, I very rarely wear a pfd .. I live in ohio, and found this site last winter through Ohio Sportsman .. since I love to fish the UP when I can, I chech this site out from time to time ... Anyway, to the story. Last fall we had a catfish outing on the Ohio River .. water temp 53 degrees .. There were about 10 boats out chasing cats at this outing ... Well comming up the river is a bass boat ... he is running about 50 to 60 mph, he goes by me and about 3 miles up river he comes across a wake from a passing cabin cruiser ... the bass boat leaps out of the water .. and noses back into the water... it ejects the basser .. his motor is still running .. no pfd or lanyard attached .. a boat from out outing sees this happen .. they reel in, free the anchor and head toward the man ... when they get there he is trying to tread water, the boat is about a 100 yds away still running, but the motor is up and its just going in circles ... The guys get to the man, and try to hand him a long net to grab but the wind pushs them away ... at this point the man goes under ... the driver of the boat starts his motor and points it at the man in the water .. guns it and kills the motor ... all they can see is a very faint outline of the mans sleeve about 6 inches under the water .. just enough to grab ... they get him in the boat and his lungs are full of water and he is half frozen .... once he starts breathing ok ... another boat pulls along side is bass boat, and one of them takes it back to the dock ... buy this time everyone is there .. we get his boat loaded, get him warm ... and about 45 minutes later he feels he is good enough to drive home ... never got his name .. but I will be willing to bet he can attest to the benifits of wearing a PFD .. if we wouldn't have been having an outing he would have drowned ... .. Just because you can swim, don't assume that when you hit that water you will be in shape to swim ... Anyway it got me thinking and I hope that this story can help prevent a similar situation ....

[jpollman]

That was kind of my point MadCatter.

You never know WHY you might go into the water. Like I said, I can swim and am not afraid of the water. (I'm a certified diver too so I am comfortable in the water) But when the water's cold or maybe you've hit your head or something on the way out of the boat, you may not be able to swim or tread water. As long as you've got a PFD on, it should keep your head above water anyway.

I did some checking and Bass Pro has some good looking ones on sale in the $40 range. That's CHEAP protection in my book ! I might also check Sam's Club. I know I've seen them there before. I think it's like the seatbelt thing (see other current thread ;)), once you get used to it you kind of feel uncomfortable WITHOUT it.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY !!!

[Walligator]

Here's a few from Bass Pro Shop.....http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.SearchResults

[trout]

Walmart had some for 20

[Walligator]

Sorry about that....I don't think that Bass Pro Shop link is working for me. Just type it into your search and look under PFD's ......good luck and hope that helps you some.

Walligator

[kroppe]

I wear one while alone in cold water temps.

My son and I both wear them when we are on a river/moving water. My son wears one all the time; he's under 12 and I think it's the law.

In warm weather I don't normally wear one unless on a river/moving water.

In March of 2002 I dumped my canoe on a deep water impoundment of the Huron River, I had a 100 yard swim to shore in 43 degree water. Wasn't wearing a PFD but had one in the canoe, grabbed it and side-stroked to shore. Scares me to this day.

[TrailFndr]

I bought a Sterns PFD made for fisherman, it has a couple pockets for clippers and such. I like it, can fish with it on all day in comfort. has a padded neck area to assist in holding head out of water. I normally keep it on the boat seat and put it on when I start the outboard, Lanyard stays attached to it for safety. In really cold water, or fast current, I keep it on.

Several years ago, I got into this habit with a fishing club I was in, it was part of the regulations to fish, never outgrew it..

Great thread, good advice, Keep safe people..

[Hunt4Ever]

I'm putting an effort to wear one anytime I'm running to or from a spot. I don't always have it on when I get there. Although I can say since I've been doing it, sometimes I forget I have it on and I leave it on.

Kids, 100% on my boat all the time.

Anyone else, it is there choice and I always offer.

I bought good vests so you don't look like a rookie wearing them.

I even wear one ice fishing when I have even a question about the ice.

[Michigander]

I grew up racing sailboats and it is second nature, good insulator, protects your ribs if you get throw around and will even save your life. I hunt a lot of duck from a boat and shoot with a float coat on. If I did not shoot with the float coat I would have a vest with the open shoulders(no foam on the shoulders). I was at Cabelas last fall when they were showing off a layout boat in their pond and they were actually telling folks to take the pfd off once in the layout and to use it for a pillow. (talk about being disgusted, sounds like instant liability to me) The producer of the layouts response when questioned was "I don't want to mess up my shooting and wound a bird" My response is learn to shoot with a pfd the open shoulder ones DO NOT creat a shooting problem and the closed shoulder ones and float coats are easy to get used to.

I had a friend when I was a kid whose dad was knocked overboard during a sailboat race in Lake Erie. Water was warm but he was knocked out and drown. He was also an All-American swimmer in college. I would feel like a hypocrite telling our daughters that they must wear a pfd but it is ok for mom and dad to go without. Kids need to see parents and grandparents leading by examples and they deserve to have those folks around for there entire childhood.

Sorry about the rant Just one of my pet peeves, hope nobody is offended.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

No I don't. But they are they for whomever wants one.

[PITBULL]

WE just purchased two Stearns Challenger life vest at Gander Mountain for about $35-40 each. We tried the less expensive ones but they were not as comfortable. You are more likely to wear them if they are comfotable. After a slip and near fall overboard last year about 5 miles out in Lake Huron with only my 11 year old son on board no one on my boat leaves the dock with out a PFD.

[Ed Michrina]

I do wear on on the river in my 16 foot. but on my other boat I only wear one If alone in real cold water temps. or alone where the wind will blow the boat faster than i can swim. Real early and late in the year and ice fishing. I wear my Mustang flotation suit.