Re: [Paddlewise] What's in the PFD?

Steve writes;

>>Somebody else made the accurate comment that people die with PFDs and
without PFDs. It's clear that many have died because they were not
wearing a PFD. I have not heard of a paddler dying because they were
wearing one.


   I think Len Goodman may be an example of someone dying because he was
wearing a pfd. Please allow me to explain. Len was an experienced paddler.
He was experienced enough to know that if he was to go paddling alone on the
ocean then he should be wearing his pfd and carrying a paddlefloat, no doubt
convinced that these items held significant safety benefits for such an
excursion. Now let's imagine for a second that he was not wearing his pfd
and did not have a paddlefloat - let's say that he forgot them. Do you still
think he would have been comfortable paddling solo offshore? I'd be willing
to bet that in that case he would have probably stayed in the harbor, or not
gone paddling at all.
   This is the problem I see with putting so much emphasis on the value of
safety equipment - it can instill overconfidence, or should I call it "false
confidence." I am not suggesting anybody should go paddling without their
safety equipment. What I am suggesting is that everyone should paddle AS IF
they are without their safety equipment. If one does not have the skill to
handle a situation, then that person should not be going into it on the
belief that they posses the equipment to manage it. Safety equipment should
be considered a backup, not a primary system. Skills, physical and
cognitive, should be the primary recourse. But of course these are much more
difficult to come by then simply plunking your money down in your friendly
boat shop.

Scott
So.Cal.
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