Paddlefish
05-20-2002, 10:56 PM
We all mourn the losses of fellow fishermen. And we privately shudder a bit at the thought that a very highly respected and qualified skipper was in charge. Are we wondering "Who'll be next?" Are we worried about our own families' futures more than we were last week?
Would it have been different if . . .?
Check out my monicker: I'm not a "small boat pilot." I'm a "REALLY small boat pilot!"
As I reported in an earlier thread, I previously monitored canoeing fatalities while serving as a canoe club officer. Guess what: 95% of the deaths occurred without PFDs. I once got carried away racing another boat and spilled my 5-year-old and myself in a whitewater bend. :shocked: We got wet. We dried out, warmed up, laughed at my (lack of) skills :blush: with the rest of our companions, and enjoyed the rest of our day on the river together. And, believe it or not, that's not the only time I've screwed up! :rolleyes: But the result was always the same: I was in the water, but not in a life-threatening situation, thanks to wearing my PFD. :cool:
The point is that a PFD makes the difference, in most cases, between an embarrassing situation and a dangerous one. My personal body makeup (muscle/bone/fat/thick skull ratio) doesn't leave me very buoyant. (I can go to the bottom of a pool and mostly stay there.) With my PFD firmly in place, however, I'm not expending my precious energies just trying to stay at the surface in turbulent water. I can plan ahead, work on self rescue, avoid sweepers, make up alibis, gather my gear floating around me, or wave hello to potential rescuers.
The ocean situation is a bit different, but the PFD rides to the rescue again. First of all, your buoyancy is assured. Trust me: you've got a better chance of finding air on the surface of seas than below. Yes, you'll probably come back to the surface on your own, but it'll be a lot sooner with the additional buoyancy.
Secondly, if rescue isn't available within a few minutes, water temperature and hypothermia will soon take charge. There are recommended "tucked, arms-over-knees" body positions which maximize the retention of body heat in that situation. You can't, however, hold that position and tread water or swim at the same time. Secondly, a form-fitting, foam PFD adds a lot of torso insulation, which is vital in maintaining that core body temperature which is the real key in cold water deaths.
Once more, in reference to my previous canoe club atmosphere, the "standard" and example was to wear the PFD. There was enough peer pressure to make it a de facto rule. Similarly, have you noticed bicycle riders in recent years? In the 70s, when bicycle touring the Oregon Coast first became popular, helmets were almost non-existent. The last time I paid attention, helmets crowned probably 90%-plus of the sprocketheads.
Watching around town I see similar proportions: "serious" bicycle riders wear their helmets without a second thought. It's not the law. It's just a good, life-saving idea.
If there are "serious" fishermen around, they aren't any more concentrated than here on ifish. Perhaps it's time that we take the lead in setting a new fashion and safety standard. Rather than feeling like a wuss for wearing a PFD when in our boats, we should make those NOT wearing them feel like the embarrassed ones.
P.S. Those springers are just as exciting when you're wearing the PFD. :smile:
Would it have been different if . . .?
Check out my monicker: I'm not a "small boat pilot." I'm a "REALLY small boat pilot!"
As I reported in an earlier thread, I previously monitored canoeing fatalities while serving as a canoe club officer. Guess what: 95% of the deaths occurred without PFDs. I once got carried away racing another boat and spilled my 5-year-old and myself in a whitewater bend. :shocked: We got wet. We dried out, warmed up, laughed at my (lack of) skills :blush: with the rest of our companions, and enjoyed the rest of our day on the river together. And, believe it or not, that's not the only time I've screwed up! :rolleyes: But the result was always the same: I was in the water, but not in a life-threatening situation, thanks to wearing my PFD. :cool:
The point is that a PFD makes the difference, in most cases, between an embarrassing situation and a dangerous one. My personal body makeup (muscle/bone/fat/thick skull ratio) doesn't leave me very buoyant. (I can go to the bottom of a pool and mostly stay there.) With my PFD firmly in place, however, I'm not expending my precious energies just trying to stay at the surface in turbulent water. I can plan ahead, work on self rescue, avoid sweepers, make up alibis, gather my gear floating around me, or wave hello to potential rescuers.
The ocean situation is a bit different, but the PFD rides to the rescue again. First of all, your buoyancy is assured. Trust me: you've got a better chance of finding air on the surface of seas than below. Yes, you'll probably come back to the surface on your own, but it'll be a lot sooner with the additional buoyancy.
Secondly, if rescue isn't available within a few minutes, water temperature and hypothermia will soon take charge. There are recommended "tucked, arms-over-knees" body positions which maximize the retention of body heat in that situation. You can't, however, hold that position and tread water or swim at the same time. Secondly, a form-fitting, foam PFD adds a lot of torso insulation, which is vital in maintaining that core body temperature which is the real key in cold water deaths.
Once more, in reference to my previous canoe club atmosphere, the "standard" and example was to wear the PFD. There was enough peer pressure to make it a de facto rule. Similarly, have you noticed bicycle riders in recent years? In the 70s, when bicycle touring the Oregon Coast first became popular, helmets were almost non-existent. The last time I paid attention, helmets crowned probably 90%-plus of the sprocketheads.
Watching around town I see similar proportions: "serious" bicycle riders wear their helmets without a second thought. It's not the law. It's just a good, life-saving idea.
If there are "serious" fishermen around, they aren't any more concentrated than here on ifish. Perhaps it's time that we take the lead in setting a new fashion and safety standard. Rather than feeling like a wuss for wearing a PFD when in our boats, we should make those NOT wearing them feel like the embarrassed ones.
P.S. Those springers are just as exciting when you're wearing the PFD. :smile: