Stand Up Paddle > SUP Advocacy
Whats so bad about PFDs?
Kaihoe:
OK so I'm not the most safety conscious paddler, I only take one on long solo training runs or on races that require them. And my leash tends to only go on the race board when I'm out by myself..... personally I find the things uncomfortable and annoying, but that is an excuse
A few things like recent conversations here and our bad summer for water safety have got me thinking.
Whats the big deal with having to wear a PFD? And I do mean wear, not stick it on your board.
Sure leashes attach us to a much better form of floation and should also be legally required. But the do break/slip off (DJ had a scarey post a couple of years back involving a broken leash, flying board and a channel bouy).
How many of us end up in situations where a broken leash could mean some serious trouble. And anyone on this forum is likely to be pretty competent on the water.
I'm not talking about the surf zone here. Just general use.
PonoBill:
Oh dear, one more time around the bush. Seriously you could read the old posts and see everyone's opinion.
Nothing is wrong with it other than you can't swim well with the things on. Its also harder to get back on the board with a life jacket on. That's NEVER been the issue for me--or for most people. The issue is that the regulation is stupid, dangerous, and typically bureaucratic. The regulation says you need to have one on your board or person. So people paddle out into the middle of frigid rivers with a life jacket tied to the nose of their board, and no leash.
That's what the regulation says is fine. and that's what happens. I see it every day, all summer long in Hood River.
On the other hand, I always wear a leash, I wear a camelback that I can blow air into in the unlikely event my leash breaks, and I can swim from one bank to the other in boardshorts and a T-shirt (albeit slowly), and I've been fined three times for non-compliance.
I, and many other people that like big waves here on Maui--are starting to wear impact vests that have substantial float but don't restrict your movement and permit you to get back on your board relatively easily. We do that in the surf zone, where there is no requirement for a lifejacket. Which is a good thing because if I wore that same impact vest with float in a place subject to the regulation it would be illegal. I'd have to wear a PFD on top of it.
To sum up: PFD, good, regulation, bad.
Kaihoe:
Thanks for the clear reply Bill.
Yeah I could have searched the forum and found some stuff, but the purpose of my post was to test the current temperature of opinion.
There seems to be a general attitude towards PDFs + SUP is a bad idea (in the wider community not just here). Rather than specific issues with specific regulations.
BTW down here there is a move to require PFDs to be worn on all small vessels rather than carried.. driven more by stupid fishing accidents. Right now we are in a probably worse situation where the law requires PFDs but it is blatantly ignored by everyone.
SeaMe:
I'd say the problem with PFD's in a nutshell is that the government takes a OSFA approach. The common sense PFD/leash requirements for SUS / SUP / Whitewater / Yoga / Whatever-type-I've-forgotten are different from on another and from other craft (kayaks, canoes, etc), but current regulations really don't take that into consideration.
I don't mind wearing a belt PFD, but I'm of the opinion that in an emergency it would be of limited help. The leash is far more important IMHO.
hbsteve:
Some of this is probably an age factor. I grew up in Newport Beach a long time ago. Before we could take sailing lessons, we had to prove we could swim. We also had to jump into the water with a t-shirt on, get it off and get out of the water. I wasn't allowed to go on my Dad's best friend's boat to Catalina Island until I could swim a certain distance and tread water for a period of time.
Now all the kids under a certain age, 12?, have to wear pfd. sailing small boats in the harbor.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version