[Paddlewise] PFDs

>From Craig,

 

"We all know that PFDs save lives... but PFDs combined with a careful choice
of clothing could save even more.

 

Thankfully these young people have an optimistic outcome. I don't think I'd
like to spend an hour or so in 2C water and having my heart stopped. I don't
think someone my age would survive."

 

All absolutely true. There is more to this however.

 

Wearing the light clothing used in boot camp and by most cold water boaters,
swimming fails in 10-15 minutes at about the same time that one's ability to
think clearly also fails. This sometimes causes those wearing pfds to do
remarkable things like take off cloths to be able to swim better, to take
off pfds to be able to swim better etc. Swimming failure means failure to
control one's limbs, which results in an inability to control one's position
in the water relative to wind and waves, which results in drowning WITH THE
PFD ON. If the waves are in your face, you WILL NOT BE SAVED BY A PFD. 

 

Some years ago, a flat water racer went out to train soon after the ice went
out. He capsized but swam to shore. He stood up to walk to his car and
dropped dead in front of his wife and two children.

 

That one out of 15 Dragon Boat paddlers was able to swim 500 yrds to shore
and even then run for help- super rare and totally remarkable. But for that
stunning rarity, there would have been 15 dead paddlers out there.

 

No safety boat?

No communications?

They have wetsuits and drysuits but didn't use them?

What are the conditions that are so extreme that they require wetsuits or
drysuits?

Won't be long before our regulators are using this as the prime example of
just wearing pfds.

They must not get away with it.

If 14 of 15 victims do in fact survive to paddle another day, their survival
is the result of superior Danish rescue and recovery skill in dealing with
cold water immersion victims. 

 

In any such US case, most such victims would die after being recovered from
the water.

Don't agree? Want to bet your life on it?

Maybe not!!

 

Chuck Sutherland
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