This example is not as simple as it seems. Board surfers use the ability to duck under waves to deal with the surf more safely. By their estimation the ability to dive underwater provides more safety than the ability to stay afloat. Boat surfers do not have this option. Since they are locked into a high buoyancy boat, they can not dive underwater with or without a pfd. When a boat surfer does become separated from their boat, it is often after being harshly worked by the waves. Because they are locked into the boat, boat surfers are more likely to get heavily trashed by the waves than board surfers. After being worked over, they are much more likely to need the assistance of a PFD than a board surfer. In their estimation, the buoyancy of the PFD provides more safety than the ability to dive underwater after being forcibly removed from their boat. On Mar 23, 2007, at 11:45 AM, John Winters wrote: > Chuck wrote: > >> I am not interested in the warm water debate! It is worth noting that >> the dissenters always jump back to the warm water environment. In >> the cold water environment, safe? The boater with or without the pfd >> doesn't matter. The swimmer will soon be missing! Where could >> John be? > > Good point so it is worth consideringt the cold water environment. > I live in Nova Scotia and when the surf is up the area in front of > our house is consdered a fine surf break. Then there are a bunch of > surfers paddling their surf boards, standing up on their surf > boards and swimming (They seem to fall off occasioanlly). They > don't wear life jackets. Meanwhile we get a few kayakers in what > look like whitewater boats to me also surfing. They wear > lifejackets. So that brings me back to my question that Chuck did > not answer. Maybe there is some other set of conditions worth > investigating to get it answered. > > Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 824 Thompson St Glastonbury, CT 06033 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** 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 Fri Mar 23 2007 - 09:52:55 PDT
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