[[email protected]]

Yip. I did, and I don't always do that.
I tend to think of what a dork I must look like.
After all, none of the seasoned boaters wear them, right? I don't wanna look like a baby. :blush:

I decided I didn't care. I thought back to the friends I have lost in the water... and the close calls.

I thought back to the crew of the charter that recently went down, and it's captain.

I thought back to the little boy who was lost just days ago.

I didn't have my inflatable, so I grabbed one of Bill's big ugly class one life jackets out of the compartment, and tied that bulky thing around me.

You know, I kind of hunkered down at first, with a touch of embarrassment and didn't want anyone to see me.

Then it hit me all at once.

If I weren't wearing one, and the worst happened, no one would ever see me again.

So, I decided I'd rather be seen in a big orange class one life jacket.... than not at all.

:smile:

I thought, how many ifishers would vow right here in public, to wear a life jacket AT LEAST while under way, and stick to it?

I'd bet not many. The thought of losing any of you, as we get to know each other more and more, scares me to death.

Jen

 

[prospect1999]

Jen. I am going out on a boat tomorrow on the CR Sturgeon fishing and I am gona wear my vest the whole time im on the river. I also where mine on my float tube. Yes I get stairs but I cant swim very far without tiring so they can laugh and stair all they want.

Mike

 

[Thumper]

Good for you Jennie. With the new inflatable vests (Stormy Seas, Stearns and others) there are just no reasons not to wear a PFD. People don't have to die anymore!!!

[ 08-01-2003, 08:59 PM: Message edited by: Thumper ]

 

[STGRule]

I have to wear mine all the time in the boat for work anyway so it feels weird not to have one on. I usually take it off at anchor. But it's always on when pulling the anchor or underway in the big creek.

 

[Maddie'sDaddy]

I'm With you Jennie ! I wear the same kind and i make everyone in my boat wear one. Big orange and ugly , Just the way i like it. I might even buy another sticker from you and put it right in the middle of the back , so that everyone knows who i am . I think they look better than some of the so called fashionable clothes people wear these days.Plus my daughter needs me to be around for a while. :grin:

 

[Mojo]

I've been watching people laugh at me for years. I don't let narrow minds bother me. I have good friends that work local law enforcement. Being on the local search and rescue unit, they've never had to recover someone wearing a life jacket. A few rescues, but no recoveries. Good enough for me. Everyone wears them while under way in my boat. When the boat is on anchor, I still wear my inflatable. In big water, I put on a standard life jacket.

 

[Tempered Steel]

Jennie -

I solumnly swear, under penalty of banishment (or worse) that I will wear my PFD at all times while I am in/on a watercraft that is underway. No matter what. -Tempered Steel :smile:


At least if someone makes fun of you, it will be a living you.

 

[tramp]

gotzem and I wore ours today.

 

[Small Fry]

It's now a rule on our boat. Any time were underway, And the anchor puller wears one always.

Go ahead and laugh. :laugh:

I don't care!!!!!!! :grin:

 

[pearl]

I'll be on big blue on Sunday and will have my Mustang unit on.

Glad to see you wore yours Jennie. Sets a great example.

Check macho at the door boys and put it on!!!!

 

[BrionLutz]

Jennie,

What I do with the kids (dead or cool are the only two choices for teens) is the have them wear their wakeboard life vests.

That works.

Brion

 

[gotZem]

Yep! Wore the "vest" today and caught more fish! May be a new "good luck" charm- in more ways than one! The only reason we look "different" is because others aren't wearing them. Hope that changes someday. I just can't swim in 70 feet of water at the mouth of the mighty Columbia river very well! You have a nice day!
GotZem!

 

[Thumper]

Mojo --- I enjoyed your web site. It is especially cool to see all those photos of fishers wearing PFDs. Neat.

 

[[email protected]]

"We like to fly fish, but that doesn't work for sturgeon, so we just use big hunks of bait."

LOL!

:smile:

Nice web site, Mojo! I love it!

Jen

 

[ampersat]

a weekend or two ago, i was about to join the wife in the inflatable pool (costco special, 3.5' deep). normally i just get on my floatie lounger but it was hot so i decided to put on my stearns vest and float around in the water. in the pool, i pulled my legs up to begin my floating and was flipped quite quickly over onto my belly. if i were unconcious it would have drowned me. i really had to maintain a some effort to stay face up. i'm seriously rethinking my stearns and may do some shopping for better vests in the future. they're ok for now, but the chance to become unconcious is always there (did anyone else see the Fox show with the guy with an anchor stuck in his head?).

anyway, yes to the vest when underway and especially when pulling anchor.

 

[Thumper]

Originally posted by ampersat:
yes to the vest when underway and especially when pulling anchor.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">The only two times I have fallen into the crick I was neither underway nor pulling anchor. Once when sitting in a canoe (evil things --- never again!) and once while washing my boat down.

So I wear my PFD all the time. That way the odds are pretty good that I will be wearing it when I next fall in.

 

[hawgcatcher]

One of the TV stations had a clip on a new Life Jackets that a college group came out with. A company has been formed and they are making them as fast as possible.

The idea is similar to the self inflating, but appears to have a better look to it. It was made in Yellow and black. It looks like a jacket until it inflates in the water. It is expensive, $400 but then what is a life worth. They will be out in a few months.

Maybe those that do not like the looks of a PFD will try these. I know that the demonstrations that they showed, were very impressive.

:tongue:

 

[Straydog]

I now wear mine while in motoring, primarily from what I have learned reading Ifish!

I never used to unless I was running particularily rough water. (Like Clay Hill in February!! whoo hoo!!)


Thumper,

About those canoes....
They work fine if one stays in the middle, it is those that lean too far left or right that have trouble. :shrug: :grin: :laugh:

[ 08-02-2003, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

 

[Captain and Marie]

Jennie,

No one has ever bothered me when I wear my life jacket. For every boating experience I EVER went on I was wearing my life jacket. PERIOD!

Life Jackets saves lives!

Never go out without one! PERIOD!

It should be the LAW! especially when you are on the water!

Marie

 

[salmurai]

SOSPENDERS!!! You never know you have it on. I was wondering if I'm going to remember to pull the tab when I fall in. I can only hope. Try them, you'll like them.....sal