Howdy Risky Ralph, <<1. You certainly have a right to choose not to wear a PFD under certain cirmcumstances or that a person can choose to not wear a PFD under all circumstances. An exception would be for commercial or club trips where the company and club insist that you comply with a wear-PFD mandate.>> Yes, I totally agree that PFDs should be worn by commercial operators and clubs if that is the law. <<2. Sometimes in these kinds of arguments about what a person should do, it is often worthwhile turning around the question. So instead of someone like me coming up to a person and asking them or telling them to put on their PFD or to zip it up fully, would you or anyone go up to a person who is already wearing a PFD on the water and tell them or ask them to take it off?>> Of course I wouldn't ask someone to take a PFD off! What in the world is going through your head, man? If someone wants to wear one, great. What I'm saying is that it should be up to the individual. That individual hopefully is using sound judgement when considering the consequences. I'm not some kind of 'anti-PFD' psycho. <<Your point was that water at 88 or whatever it is out your way does not have an immediate cooling effect. But even it would if it makes you wet and the water evaporating off your wet shirt or body would feel cooling.>> Yep, it might have a bit of an "immediate cooling effect", but that doesn't mean much in the long term. I can't be bothered dipping buckets of water over my head every other stroke... I usually prefer to paddle when I go paddling. <<Good luck in putting it on if you suddenly capsize and you are in the water trying to hang on to your paddle and boat when weather has turned suddenly nasty and the sea is beginning to rage. Oh, I know it can be done and have practiced drills for hanging on to that all while putting on a PFD. But let me tell you something...it is a lot easier to deal with all that if you have the PFD already nailed on to you, i.e. one lest thing to worry about in a self-rescue.>> First of all, I don't "suddenly" capsize. If I do, I roll... case dismissed. Second of all... Oooooo, yuk, now I really don't want to wear one. When did they start "nailing" them on you! Plus, I've never seen the state of the sea change faster than I could put a PFD on. I also tend to look around while I'm paddling. Every paddler should strive to be competent at understanding weather signs. I said: > Don't the Tsunami Rangers <yawn> play in COLD water and around rocks? Sure they do. They should wear PFD while in those conditions. You said: <<I get the feeling that the Tsunami Rangers would still wear PFDs if they were in similar surf conditions in hotter weather. But I don't know that for a fact. I doubt though that they wear the PFDs to ward off the effects of cold water. While the PFD may help in that department, they have their wet suits for that.>> Perhaps you misunderstood me. "Those conditions" I referred to were BOTH cold water and ROCKS. They should wear a PFD around rocks. They just happen to be in cold water too, which is another very important time to wear one. I would. You said: > <<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.>> I retorted smartly: > Do you wear a PFD while snorkeling? Do you have one nearby while > snorkeling? Gee, what if the weather changes? You came back lamely with: <<You are comparing apples and oranges. There is a difference between paddling and swimming.>> Nope, I'm not comparing fruit. We are talking about paddlers swimming. <<You wear helmet and elbow guards when roller blading but not when walking or running; why? because one has greater risk than the other of injury. Back to paddling and swimming. Generally in swimming it is a situation you control; you try to stay within your swimming capacity and range. and, in snorkeling, you increase your swimming ability with fins and a mask.>> How can you say that you have control while swimming? Can you control the possibility of one of those sudden weather changes occurring? You can also increase your swimming ability by practicing. Not relying on 'gadgets' is almost always better. <<You snorkel off a beach or boat.>> Yes, and I would be much farther away from either of those than I ever would be from my kayak. << blah, blah, blah... The PFD gives you an added measure of bouyancy that helps you remount.>> Yep, and it catches everything on the deck. <<I am sorry you are bored and you find this monotonous. But thanks for your questions since it helps illuminate the choices regarding wearing a PFD and why it is generally a good idea to wear one.>> Are you throwing your hands up like you 'won' or something? Good one dude! Judgement is the issue. My point is that it IS safe not to wear a PFD under certain conditions. Experienced kayakers should be free to access the situation or conditions and decide whether to wear a PFD or to merely have it easily accessible. What I'm NOT saying is that they don't have their value. Of course they do. There are plenty of times when it would be foolish not to put one on. For example, you should always have one on in cold water or cold weather. Cheers, Dave (12 time zones away from that wonderful police state) Phuket, Thailand *************************************************************************** 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 Tue Aug 22 2000 - 07:41:21 PDT
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