Paddleboarder Missing

[pdxmike]

are you referring to downwinders when you say "They almost all wear inflatable belt pfds"?

do any sus'ers wear pfd's or flotation in other than very big surf?

I was referring to people wearing inflatable pfds around here on flatwater, but they're also common for downwinding on the Columbia as PonoBill said.  Also, nobody serious around here uses the non-inflatable pfds.  I'd also say nobody on flatwater, and probably most downwinding around here, wears the inflatables for any reason other than avoiding a fine, except for maybe in the very worst conditions.  Plus as PonoBill also said, wearing the pfd makes you less likely to be caught without an invasive species permit.  In contrast, lots of people wear leashes both flatwater and downwinding, even though there's no requirement, because those really do provide safety.

[Zooport]

It's jerky of me to bring this up, but it seems like a handy way to "disappear" if you needed to.  Do we know if he had any legal or tax issues? 

[covesurfer]

I may be stating the obvious here but the inflatable, belt style PFD's, are completely useless if you are incapacitated. And, you could easily be unable to do what's necessary, by immersion in cold water, injury or unconsciousness, to have the dexterity to open the pack, inflate and then get the thing on properly. You are far better off, in my opinion anyway, in having a good, strong leash and staying with your floating board at all costs. It is the best PFD there is and is the easiest to employ - you just have to get back on it! As far as I'm concerned, as long as you're conscious, your board is your best bet. Even if you're in pain and injured, say with a broken rib or worse, you'd damn well better do everything you can to get back on that board.

I have only broken a leash, so far, in surf. That wasn't fun but the challenge was taking 4 good sized waves on the head and eventually being oxygen starved from being under water so much. It was a relatively short swim to my board. I'm much more afraid of breaking a leash while downwinding on a big day. That could result in a very long swim in very rough water. Under those conditions, having anything that floats could be a big help. Like PB mentioned, inflating your Camelbak would be probably be as effective as a life preserver. I really hope to never find myself in those circumstances, especially in the ocean. But if I ever do, the Camelbak will get a few breaths of air in it and I'm gonna start swimming. I hope.

The really scary thing is getting smacked in the head. If you're unconscious, you are screwed. The only thing that might help under those circumstances is if you were wearing a 'Mae West' type PFD that keeps your face out of the water, even if you're knocked out, and nobody is going that route. That, or a buddy that is close by and that is capable of helping you. Which didn't happen in the unfortunate case that this thread is about.

Even though we go in a group on our downwind runs, we are frequently separated and the chances of someone seeing you in trouble are not that good. There is definitely some risk there that I think most of the regulars are well aware of. You pays your moneys, you takes your chances. There is risk in just about everything that includes some adrenaline. As sports go, I think SUP, even downwinding, is pretty manageable under most but obviously not all circumstances.

[pdxmike]

Covesurfer--yes, all true.  And I can't think of any case where an inflatable pfd would save you, but a leash wouldn't.  And in fact, a beginner died a couple years ago in Lake Washington wearing a functional inflatable, but he couldn't swim well and I'm sure panicked, since he never pulled the cord.  He also might have panicked too much to pull his board towards him with a leash, but that's probably less likely, since grabbing the leash is a more natural thing to do, plus the leash often keeps your board close enough to grab the board directly.  Plus, he was with another paddler, who could have grabbed him easily if he'd had the leash.  Instead, he sunk out of site immediately, and by the time a bystander (who happened to be a lifeguard instructor!) found him in 20' of water, it was too late.  Plus a leash is much cheaper than an inflatable pfd, and about the same price as a cheap one.


You and headmount are saying similar things, too.  There's always some danger.  But one thing is sure true. When you see the headlines, you always know it could be someone experienced, out in tough conditions, but far more likely it's a beginner in calm conditions, with no leash and either no pfd, or one strapped to the board. 

[PonoBill]

Been doing this a long time, I rarely wear a PFD, I ALWAYS wear a leash, and it's always the best one I can find. I'll probably be making my own shortly, just to improve on the reliability of a leash. I've broken leases a lot. Never pleasant. I think we could use a rethink of PFDs that have nothing to do with coast guard regs but make it easier to swim and rest. The PFDs that boaters use are designed to support an unconscious person. That doesn't help us. We need to get to shore if a leash breaks and our board gets away. Impact vests and windsurfing vests come closest, but are not quite right. It's something worth working on.

[Bulky]

And within a larger tribe, all the participants on this forum do the same thing.  We're all trying to keep our sorry asses out of a sling by reducing the screw ups to a minimum.

So in a nutshell, that's as much of a safety net as we have.

Well said.  The discussions about legislation go round and round, but my main motivation for doing anything is to make it home safely.  I'm not paddling in a place where enforcement is an issue.  Don't think I've ever seen Coast Guard or lifeguards (the latter come out much later than I'm out), so I'm not all that worried about a citation.  I wear a leash all the time when I'm out by myself.  Wouldn't think of going out without it.  I haven't had any really harrowing experiences, but had a few instances which make me aware of how quickly conditions can change and a few breaks going the wrong way could make things ugly.

What protects me is that I'm aware of the danger and I read a story like this one and the first thing that comes to mind is that this couple was perhaps not.  It can look bucolic and calm.  You don't feel as far offshore as you are.  You can feel like there's no wind when it's at your back headed out and then be in for a battle when you turn around to head back.  You might have an irresponsible rental guy who sends you out without any guidance or you might just disregard any warnings a conscientious one gives.  There could have been some paddlers out there making it look so easy that the missing guy didn't realize that he lacked the skill to attempt the same thing.  Who knows, but I still don't think this couple went out there realizing they were doing something deadly.  The question would be whether that's their fault or someone else's--but not even sure how much that needs to be answered.

For me, your reminder is a good one, Headmount.  A key objective is to get back home to paddle another day--and that's not something to automatically assume.

[pdxmike]

Been doing this a long time, I rarely wear a PFD, I ALWAYS wear a leash, and it's always the best one I can find. I'll probably be making my own shortly, just to improve on the reliability of a leash. I've broken leases a lot. Never pleasant. I think we could use a rethink of PFDs that have nothing to do with coast guard regs but make it easier to swim and rest. The PFDs that boaters use are designed to support an unconscious person. That doesn't help us. We need to get to shore if a leash breaks and our board gets away. Impact vests and windsurfing vests come closest, but are not quite right. It's something worth working on.

That swimmable pfd makes a lot of sense.  It also would be a great argument for allowing leashes instead of pfds, since I'm assuming the process to get a pfd certified must be burdensome, plus what you'd want might be something that doesn't quite mesh with whatever the approval criteria are.  So you'd want to achieve your legality by wearing the leash, then it wouldn't matter that your new "pfd" wasn't compliant.  And if the new one really did work well for allowing someone to swim, of course you wouldn't want people not using it because their legal pfd was in the way.


Or, you could have the weird situation of someone wearing your new pfd, with a legal pfd over it purely for compliance's sake, then when they fell in the water, they'd ditch the legal pfd so they could swim to safety.  Then the onshore authorities could attack you for not having a legal pfd, even though taking it off is what allowed you to rescue yourself.  But then you could argue that you DID have a legal pfd while you were on your vessel, and once you fell in, there's no legal need for one, so it was fine to ditch it.


That's actually weird--you are required to have a legal pfd only up to the point that you need it.  Once you fall in and start drowning, you're a swimmer, not a vessel occupant, so it's not required then. 


You could invent the swimmable pfd, and name it the "Buoy 'Em".  Then you'd have to find a spokesman somewhere. 

[PonoBill]

The ultimate argument against stupid regulation is that it forces out reasonable alternatives.

[pdxmike]

I go up against bureaucracies against stupid regulations and decisions all the time for work, and the easiest way to win is often to stop arguing, then go down the path of insanity that comes along with agreeing with their decision until they start arguing against it themselves.  Recently I argued with the County over their decision that they had a legal right to block access to our street for up to twenty minutes, and driveways for an hour, without notice, for their construction project.  When they agreed to meet with me to discuss it, I told them fine, but I might be up to an hour and twenty minutes late.   Then they got mad at me for saying that, then they caved. 


I can see the pfd rules getting changed at some point, after the absurdities finally start sinking in, but the horrible thing is that first, lots more people will drown with pfds strapped to their boards.   

[SeaMe]

They found his body:

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/27633373/search-for-paddle-boarder-underway-off-sanibel#.VI-E12TF9dI

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I understand the disagreement with wearing a PFD or not verses a leash, but the PFD strapped to the board rule is completely stupid. I saw leash-less newbies paddling on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid with PFDs on their board. Kids! Suppose one of them fell and the board got away? It doesn't take long for a kid to drown.

Even if you don't agree with the PFD rule on principle, requiring a paddler to wear one at all times makes more sense than this. (I think those belt PFDs are a good compromise. I don't find mine cumbersome.)

Now that the weather has changed, PFDs are required to be worn in NYS. I think 11/15 was the date. That makes sense. A full PFD keeps me from getting dunked all the way, and with water in the 30s, that makes sense.

[bts]

Thinking about the death of a journeyman waterman like Iggy, as well as friends who have died in the water (2 in the last 4 years: a 51 y/o surfer and a 48 y/o rough water swimmer-both experts in their chosen sports), about all I can really come up with is this:The ocean is not forgiving.

If you have a big heart attack, a seizure, or maybe just faint, and you are in the outer surf zone or off shore, and you are not wearing a pfd that keeps you upright when unconscious, you are probably going to die.

You have a big heart attack with a pfd, you might die anyway.  Hard to do CPR on a surfboard, and not too many AEDs out in the surf zone.

That is my cheerie thought of the day. I worry about it from time to time, especially when doing solo downwinders well off shore. Does not stop me from going...just take reasonable precautions. Unfortunately bad shit happens.

[headmount]

And much more prevalent is atrial fibrillation.  Happened to me on a DW run 7 years ago and I'll never forget the terror.  Sailed all the way down the coast in a fetal position with my paddle in the air like a sail.  Worked good.  I lived.  If i'd fallen off it woulda been syanora baby.    Guy sailed by me and yelled, "thought you were supposed to stand on that thing?"  Didn't have the energy enough to manufacture the words fk you.

Turns out tons of guys in their 50's and 60's get A-fib.  When I told people they slapped me on the back and said welcome to the club..  Creeped me out but the more I checked it out I saw it was true. 

SO if a guy isn't talking to you out in the water after you say something, there might be a reason.  Check him out.  Get him in. Even if he dies he'll die thinking someone cared.  I was alone.  Very alone and scared.

[PonoBill]

It's more like nature is not forgiving, and a lot of us are sticking around, playing hard when we were supposed to be safely dead, or at least hanging out in tour buses. Whatever your chosen sport--except the really passive ones--there's people kicking the bucket doing it. Besides the simple reality that on one gets out of this life alive, there's some risk in anything and everything. Even golfers kaack playing golf.

[SUPcheat]

Yup, dropping dead on the golf course is not unheard of.  I know one guy who did, massive heart attack, and he was thin.