[Paddlewise] PFD's

Dave wrote;

>John, as you well know, it depends.

Actually I don't know. Chuck Sutherland (and others on Paddlewise) has 
forgtten more about paddling and kayaks than I will ever know. So if he says 
I should wear my PFD all the time then maybe I should. Of course, Scott and 
you have forgotten mor than I will ever know and you suggest something else.

That is why I asked the question(s). The "answers" have not helped much. On 
the one hand it seems we should all be allowed to use our heads for better 
or worse. On the other hand it seems we should all do what makes other 
people comfortable.

What a bummer.

I talked with Dr Inverbon and he provided some insight into the 
PFD-on-the-deck thing. He said this originated with the Labrador Inuit who 
built boats with long overhanging bows. These long over hanging bows tended 
to ride high when they were traveling via crotch dirigible to Colombia to 
pick up cocaine and this caused directional control problems making the 
round trip so long in duration that they were cut out of the business by 
short bowed King Islanders who could make two trips in the same amount of 
time. Rather than re-design their boats they strapped seal bladders on the 
aft deck to raise the stern. This worked but the King Islanders had 
entrenhed themselves solidly and the Labrador Inuit remained small players 
in the Arctic snow trade. Of courtse, now cocaine is flown in by 
missionaries at lower cost and tehInuit have been cut out completely.

So, all of these things have their roots in Inuit culture. Tradition is a 
rigid taskmaster.

Cheers

John Winters 
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