Re: [Paddlewise] swim for it?

Tord writes;

 >>I sincerely think that emergency gear as important as skills, While
either can fail, the former is easier to maintain in top trim!

Duane writes;
                    
 >>I think too much emphasis  is put on immersion gear at the expense of
skills and judgment.

   I would tend to agree with Duane, except that I would include all 
safety equipment, immersion and otherwise. I know that we have been 
through this all before, but since it's back on the front burner again I 
am going to include my two cents. While I realize that it is so much 
easier to plunk down the money for a new piece of equipment then it is 
to learn and polish a new skill, the odds are that your equipment will 
not save you. To paddle into a situation with the belief that your 
equipment will bail you out if you get into trouble is sheer folly, and 
those who approach this sport with this assumption deserve what they 
get. One should only paddle into a situation if they believe that they 
have the skills to handle it - and that they have the equipment to back 
them up if they make a mistake. Please note that what I am saying is 
that if you have to resort to your equipment then you screwed up! The 
equipment should be considered a weak substitute for the skills.

   On another note, James Farrelly seems to think that my posts are just 
so much "hubris" (like we don't get an overabundance of that on this 
list). Well I agree, I tend to slant some of them in that direction. 
Regardless, I think a lot more people have died with your equipment then 
they have with my skills.

Scott
So.Cal.
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