When I body surf the big stuff on the left coast I would certainly not wear a PFD for the reason you state: You need to dive under the waves or you will get creamed. I just started surf kayaking and I wear a PFD (and helmet) because I can't control the boat like I can my body, and I'm concerned about getting slammed and knocked dizzy or knocked out due to wave action slamming the boat. As a beginner, and being on the right coast, I would not kayak surf waves even remotely as large as I would body surf. >>Date: 19Aug 2000 KiAyker_at_aol.com wrote: I grew up body surfing the waves of Southern California. I am quite skilled and comfortable swimming in large waves. I am now an avid kayak surfer. Now please understand that I never come out of my boat. But in the event that I did end up swimming in large surf I would feel MUCH safer without a pfd on. The pfd would impede my ability to dive under said waves leaving me at the mercy of the nastiness on top. Please understand that this applies to me.<< >>Certainly someone who does not have any experience swimming in surf should probably be wearing a pfd.<< It would be ludicrous for anyone to purposely try to kayak-surf waves bigger than they could comfortably body surf in, with a PFD or without. Tom Dowling *************************************************************************** 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 Oct 10 2000 - 19:47:09 PDT
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