Wes Boyd wrote: > > At 02:33 AM 8/21/00 -0400, B00jum! wrote: > > >I think this just leaves flatwater. How many people paddle flatwater > >w/o a pfd or with a pfd 'on deck'? > > On warm, calm water, on a warm day, on a familiar and small inland lake, I > have been known to put the PFD under the bungees. As mentioned by some, this when to PFD and not to PFD question has been raised before. I hesitated to join in the postings, but since a few postings carry the no-PFD flag, I thought I should weigh in with a strong pro-PFD stance. Comfort? There is hardly any excuse for not wearing one. If a PFD is uncomfortable find one that is comfortable. More and more models have more and more points of adjustment and better designs for comfort while paddling. Hot weather? I have paddled in 90 percent humidity and 97 degree air temperature with no wind and relentless sun beating down. Whenever those conditions got unbearable, I took off my PFD...wait a second, not the way you think: I dipped it into the water to get it soaking wet and put it on again immediately. It is surprising how cooling a wet PFD that is soaking your T-shirt can be. Also I dip my hat constantly in the water for the same cooling effect. If you know how to roll, roll for rotary cooling. If others are around, do a reverse Eskimo bow rescue using their bow...tip yourself over until your entire upper body and head are soaked and then hip snap and pull yourself back up. Surf? I guess there may be a good argument for not using a PFD when playing in surf. I don't play in surf. If I am coming through surf, I am coming in once with plans to come out later, once. A PFD offers more protection and options than not wearing one. Don't the Tsunami Rangers who famously play in surf wear PFDs as a rule? Flatwater that is absolutely calm? You never know when conditions may change. The sea, and even a lake, can be fickle that way. If the PFD is comfortable (which it certainly can be) and, if you can cool off if it hot while wearing a PFD (methods outlined above), then why not wear it at all times. Anecdotal info? I know a mention of anecdotal info was referred to as likely to come in the pro-PFD position. I have one involving me. I have given it several times on this listserver and bored with re-stating it. All I can do is assure you that I am unequivocally positive I would not be here to be in a position to bore you if I had not been wearing a PFD on a calm day on water that was calm. 'Nuff said. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Aug 21 2000 - 10:10:20 PDT
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