I know a lot of us dont wear life jackets all that regularly during the warmer months but as it gets cold its a good idea to make sure your wearing one. That cold water will take it out of you fast. Which ones do you guys wear if you have to wear one all day?
Almost every year in the cooler months someone drowns in the Charleston area in situtations where they would have survived with a PFD. Personally I wear an auto inflating vest while underway. Manual inflating vests or the ones worn around the waist which require you to put them on don’t work if happen to get hurt or knocked unconscious on the way out of the boat. Children should only wear FPDs with passive flotation; no auto or manual inflation.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
Auto inflate if i am alone…and i have auto tether hooked up too.
I wear an auto inflating PFD all day long whether underway or not, 200’ or 6" of water. I am a very good swimmer, but I figure if I go in the water unintentionally it will be ugly. If I bump my head and get knocked out, I can’t tread water.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I wear a neoprene jacket in the colder months. It actually helps me stay much warmer.
I have been checked by DNR more than once and they told me that the inflatable type only count if you are wearing them. This was when I had my Bay Boat and had the inflatable type due to lack of storage space. They did not write me a ticket, but told me that was the law.
Anyone else heard of this?
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
quote:
Originally posted by DoubleNI have been checked by DNR more than once and they told me that the inflatable type only count if you are wearing them. This was when I had my Bay Boat and had the inflatable type due to lack of storage space. They did not write me a ticket, but told me that was the law.
Anyone else heard of this?
Yes.
Type III -inflatable- PFDs must be on you to count.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
I actually wear the one that I use when kayak fishing. I have grown comfortable with it and keep a lot of the essentials in my pockets for easy access (flouro leader, bullet weights, extra hooks, etc). It is a type III, so yes it does only count when it is being worn.
Sea Hunt BX22 Br
WS Tarpon 140
I always wear an auto-inflate when I am out solo. Not so much when with a friend, but this is good advice you have given. Cold water is no joke.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
Personal Trout Slot Limit: 16"-20" Creel: 2
i have a 24 bay boat, really stable so i dont wear one inshore in the winter but have an inflatable I wear if fishing the reefs alone. When I used to fish from a jon boat, I would wear one.Chances of falling out of that boat are much greater than the one i have now,
I wear a Mustang Floatcoat. It’s warm as can be & a pfd
21 Contender
Second on the neoprene, always works, and warm! Don’t forget the kill switch!
Have to check but I dont think the float coat qualifies as a PFD. It will save your life but you might get a ticket.
quote:
Originally posted by TugtedI wear a Mustang Floatcoat. It’s warm as can be & a pfd
21 Contender
any pix of you in the mustang bro?
quote:
Originally posted by HoofArdedquote:
Originally posted by DoubleNI have been checked by DNR more than once and they told me that the inflatable type only count if you are wearing them. This was when I had my Bay Boat and had the inflatable type due to lack of storage space. They did not write me a ticket, but told me that was the law.
Anyone else heard of this?
Yes.
Type III -inflatable- PFDs must be on you to count.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
Some inflatables are considered Type II and count when not wearing them.
Mine is Mustang and clearly states “For use on recreational vessels this is a Type II PFD.”
DNR considers these as “counting” when not worn.
New to the forum,and my intention is more “watching and learning” than posting… But,I feel led to tell you all about my youngest son Graham who drowned Jan 12,2013 while fishing from his Kayak… Whether on his Kayak or fishing a tidal creek on our Pathfinder 2200,Graham was truly a fishermen’s fisherman!
On that fateful afternoon he was fishing alone,and for reasons that haunt me till this day,he chose not to wear his his self inflating PFD… He always wore it,but not that day. We think he was standing up in his Kayak. Maybe to relieve himself or perhaps just to stretch,but we know he fell and hit his head rendering him unconscious because he drowned in 4 feet of water.I will miss him all of my days.
Every chance I get I now encourage folks to never fish alone,and ALWAYS wear that PFD… If you get a chance LIKE Grahams tribute page on Facebook… Graham Patrick Hoard
A good friend of mine’s father was out fishing by himself one weekday during the winter in the Cooper River years ago. He said “he was running about 40 mph when his steering cable broke causing his boat to spin out”. He went over the side of the boat and hit his head on the way out. He said “when he woke up he was floating next to his boat in his life jacket”. Not having the strength to just pull himself back in over the side he used his motor’s tilt unit to lift him back into his boat. He was a strong advocate after that for life jackets, kill switches, remote tilt switches, and hydraulic steering.
Every one of us should wear a PFD and use a kill switch… all the time, not just in the winter. Sadly though, those of us that have logged the most time on the water are probably the worst at not using them regularly.
KingKiller, I’m sorry to hear of your loss. Thanks for sharing and reminding us not every accident has a good ending like the story above.
><>
So sorry to hear about your loss but, thank you for sharing a story that may save someone else’s lfe.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I kayak fish so I wear mine winter, spring, summer and fall. It’s not always buckled but it’s on. I’ve heard people say they don’t wear theirs because they’re good swimmers. Well, so am I. I’ve been on swim teams etc. This isnt the 1950’s where PFD’s are big, bulky and uncomfortable. Once you start wearing one you forget you even have one on. Nobody knows when you’ll actually need one. So better safe then sorry is my opinion.
I am so sorry to hear about your son, and appreciate you posting.