Perhaps it hasn't been emphasied enough in this thread but if you're going over to inflatable PFDs a vital safety issue is MAINTENANCE. Compared with a standard PFD they are high maintenance. The Australian maker of my inflatable recommends an ANNUAL factory check and I am happy to follow their advice. This costs money. I trade off the financial penalty against the undoubted comfort and portability of my yoke-type PFD. Swimming/rolling with the yoke [uninflated] is no big deal either, which is a safety plus, but then I paddle in waters which are consistently of tepid bath temperature... As for whether you have the option to wear a PFD, we basically do not have the freedom to make a choice. In my part of Australia at least you wear a PFD to the correct standard or you stand a good chance of being booked. It is also a mandatory safety requirement to wear one at all times at our club events. Cheers, PeterR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Apr 28 2005 - 17:06:16 PDT
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