Re: [Paddlewise] Kids and PFDs

   This "debate" is not about commercial fishermen, or recreational
fishermen, or sailors or any other type of boating besides sea kayaking. I
don't think you will find anyone who will argue that pfd's have their place
in the boating world. The question here is, or at least should be, just what
is their actual value in the sport of sea kayaking? I love Mr. Winter's
story about how he was swimming along side the paddler who felt they needed
to be wearing their pfd. It's so true :-)
   And then the "debate" turns to pfd's on children. The implication here is
clearly that those of us who do not always wear a pfd should be relegated to
baby killers. Apparently several of you have been getting tips from that
popular book, "How to Influence People and Win the Debate," by Tim Ingram.
In California, children under the age of 18 are required to wear helmets
while bicycling. I can look out my window right now and see young kids
riding bikes without helmets on (no, they are not my kids). Down the street
is a small skateboard park that has signs all over it requiring helmets and
pads be worn at all times with the code to the corresponding city ordnance.
Every time I go by there the park is teeming with kids, none of which have
helmets on, and only a few will be wearing pads. So I say let's make pfd's
the law - you know, for the kids - I'm sure that will work.
   What I really don't understand is those of you who are so fervently
adamant that yours is the truer cause but still resist making it a law. If I
truly believed that pfd's were the magic savior of sea kayakers which should
be worn at all times, without exception, and I always wore mine at all
times, without exception, then I don't think I would have any problem at all
saying "bring it on, baby, and make it law!" I mean, what's the imposition
to me? Nobody's going to stop me, since I always wear one anyway. I would be
able to sleep better at night without having to worry about all those poor
drowning children, and the debate would be over - I win!
   My argument has never been that pfd's are useless. I do, however, believe
that their effectiveness in your typical sea kayaking scenario has been
greatly exaggerated. The pfd is just one more piece of safety equipment
available to us in our sport. I will often go paddling without a compass or
gps. I don't always carry a chart, flares, signaling mirror, etc., I only
wear a helmet for certain activities, and I do not believe that it is
necessary for me to always wear a pfd! I have actually had people tell me
that I cannot paddle with them if I do not wear my pfd because I would be
risking their lives in the event they had to rescue me! Huh? Never mind that
I am probably more skilled then any of them, and if anybody was to be
rescued it would most likely be me saving them - and I don't care if they
are wearing a pfd or not! In fact, of the literally hundreds of kayak
rescues I have performed, both as an instructor and on personal trips, I can
honestly say that I have never felt that I was "risking my life" with any of
them. I think there are a lot of people in this sport who are into to drama
:-)
   I have often heard it said that in order to prove a hypothesis one should
try to disprove it. You will find an interesting little site on "Hypotheses
and Thinking Errors Related to Them" here;

http://home.earthlink.net/~bmgei/educate/docs/aperson/thinking/hypothes.htmmember

I used to swear by pfd's as well, until I really started looking at the
accident reports and the related statistics - with an open mind. It is not
at all difficult to disprove the effectiveness of pfd's in sea kayaking -
like I've said before, just look at all the dead bodies that were found with
their pfd's on. Now let's disprove the notion that pfd's are not all they
are cracked up to be - - - I can't. I'm still trying to - but I can't. There
is no doubt that pfd's have saved lives. I will concede that I too wear mine
I when I believe the conditions warrant it. But is it really necessary that
the paddler be wearing one when John Winters is swimming along beside them
for support?

Scott
So.Cal.
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