Re: [Paddlewise] PFD's - Cheap Life Insurance!

I wear my PFD 99.9% of the time when sea kayaking and 100% of the time when
running whitewater or surfing in a kayak.  The core issure in both your examples
is not the PFD but dressing for immersion in cold water and having swimming
skills.  You don't have to be a strong swimmer to swim to shore in a PFD even in
whitewater, but if you don't swim well and are not confident in the water you
likely will panic and that will likely do you in, whether you are wearing a PFD
or not.  My question would not be why would this guy go out without a PFD, but
rather what on earth is someone without swimming skills who is likley to panic
in the water doing on an easily capsized craft like a canoe or kayak.  Learn to
swim, learn to kayak, learn self rescues and even learn to swim the nasty stuff
like big surf or big whitewater.  Wearing a PFD for a guy like that is saying I
don't need skills I just need one piece of safety gear and everything will be
OK.

CA Kayaker wrote:

> About a year ago, a group of six experienced paddlers in an out rigger
> North of Malibu, CA were swamped by an unexpected wave.  The results:  Two
> Dead.  None were wearing life jackets or dressed for immersion.  The two
> that died drowned as a result of exertion and hypothermia.   PFD's and
> dressed for the water would have prevented their deaths.
>
> A few months ago my wife and I were on a leisurely paddle in the Back Bay
> at Newport Beach, CA.  Two men and one woman were paddling along on SOT's -
> none wearing a PFD.  In the time it took me to look away and look back one
> of the men was in the water.  For those that are familiar with the area it
> is a well protected and mostly shallow area. But, it doesn't take much
> water to drown in.  The fellow panicked and was trying to grasp the bottom
> of his boat with nothing to hold on to and going underwater between each
> attempt, the water was just over his head.  Problem was, he couldn't swim.
>
> I paddled the fifty yards to reach him and offered help with some explicit
> instructions.  Out of his reach, and he was trying to reach me, I told him
> to follow my instructions carefully or two things would happen.  I would be
> forced to use my paddle on him to help curb his panic and we would both end
> up in the water and he would get back on his boat as I would have to
> concentrate on my own situation.  With some firm, but gentle persuasion he
> complied with my instructions and we got his boat righted and he was able
> to get back on.
>
> His last comment:  "I've been paddling for ten years and never fallen off
> my kayak."    I can't boast of that record nor would I want to.
> In his case:  Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want!
>
> Experienced and unexperienced:  PFD's Save Lives.  To debate rather or not
> to wear a PFD is crazy.  WEAR IT AT ALL TIMES!
>
> Fred Thomas
> CA Kayaker
> ***************************************************************************
> PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
> to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
> Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
> ***************************************************************************



***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************