'What Happens When you Hit" part 2

[Billy Tillamook]

Thank you all for your valuable input. It's very cool of you all to take the time and share your thoughts. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] This has been kind of a jet boaters forum. I believe all of our collective experiences,tips etc. will go a long ways in keeping our passengers,other river users,ourselves and our boats in a safer environment. I don't mean to get on a high horse, but I have lived on the banks of the clack for 5 years and am somewhat suprised by the few times I see people wearing vests. Of the hundreds of sleds I've seen go by I can count on one hand the sleds that passengers had vests on.
This is not counting John Oliver and his fire boys...these fellas are probably more experienced than anyone at running the clack and they always "vest-up".What should that tell us? I fully understand that it's a matter of personal preferance and I know that all of you boaters would have them on if you or your passengers were in danger, but bad things happen unbelievably fast...I know you know what I mean.
I am a very strong swimmer, but a few years back I went into 42 degree clackamas winter water without a vest... TRUST ME ON THIS PLEASE!
I don't care if you're Mark Freakin Spitz ( an ex-olympic swimmer to our younger members) you will not last long. I almost bit it that day! Long story short... a sheriff showed up at the scene with a cute little golden retriever named Sally...I asked what she was for because she had a doggie vest on. I'll never forget it as long as I live... he looked me square in the eyes and said "She's our cadaver retrieval dog, we almost needed her today" That scared the *&#@ out of me! :shocked: I read somewhere that LIFE JACKETS AREN'T DORKY... DROWNING WITHOUT ONE IS! Thank you again! "None of us knows more than all of us" Billy

[Redbull]

Amazing, very few bodies are recovered with life jackets on.

[hookumhi]

you have very good points,I'm gonna wear mine more cause you never know. :shocked: THANX

[Thumb Burner]

Very good points. I wear mine when I drift fish. Its a fishing vest with a built in CO2 for emergencies. Its a little bulkier than normal fishing vests but I know if my waders get full I am done with.

Good Post
SS

[Gun Rod Bow]

My buddy encouraged me to buy a float coat as soon as I got my open sled. I have it on in my avatar and almost always do when I run my sled. It is a dark blue Stearns and I don't think most people know it's a float coat.

My oldest daughter and wife wear float coats, my youngest is still too small for one and still in a vest.

I know quite a few good boatsmen that have had drift boats go out from under them in a flash.

Haven't had any NDE's, but I still usually wear mine.

It was funny when I fished up in Canada recently, I noticed that almost everyone wore PFD's. They would look at us funny when we pulled out of the ramp, and I think it was because not everyone was wearing one.