Proper safety gear.

[BuzzStPoint]

My cousin was fishing the river this weekend. Not too far from boat launch or shore. (I know it's not an excuse).

DNR did a spot check. They found one life vest to short in the boat. He pleaded with him about letting him go to shore and get the vest (it was in his truck) but he wouldn't be budged.

The DNR did make him go back to the launch (were talking about 500-600 yards) to get the vest but still issued his ticket.

162 bucks for not having enough life vests..... Ouch.

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Generating revenue.....

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Proper safety gear.

I had the jackets out in my boat about 2 weeks ago. BUT, I miscounted by one, EVEN THOUGH it was on board. Ticket: $143.50. WHILE I was getting wrote up, 3 jet fleas went through the NO WAKR ZONE at probably 50 m.p.h. and I made the comment that they were sure going fast through the zone. Response: "Oh well".

I don't like that I got a ticket, that isn't the point of the reply.

BUT, there were " 3 " jet fleas speeding through a NO WAKE ZONE with no reprimand !!!!!!

I just have to learn to count !!!!!!!!

 

[JB]

Re: Proper safety gear.

YABUT, YABUT, YABUT.

The reason he didn't bust them is because he was busy busting you. If you had been in compliance he might have busted all three.

 

[JB]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Generating revenue.....

Would you believe SAVING LIVES?? That is his job, bleep.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Would you believe SAVING LIVES?? That is his job, bleep.

I agree, a PFD in the truck aint worth 2 dead flies when your boat is flipped or sinking!

I've found over the years that admitting your guilt and showing a willingness to take the consequences for your actions and showing the proper amount of respect beats pleading any day of the week.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Proper safety gear.

His was a miscount type of thing as well.. normally he takes himself and his girlfriends daughter. This time he brought his friend along and grabbed another vest. But forgot it in the truck when he launched.

I can take 4 people on my boat? Might be rated for more but I only have 4 seats, and I have 6 vests. Our normal ones along side the seats along with cushions and the cheapy orange ones in the bow of the boat.

He also told me that he questioned him on the weight limit of the boat, let him go on that one but hassled him a bit.. I suppose the DNR was out and about, 4th of july weekend and probably put up with a lot of guff this past weekend.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Proper safety gear.

I keep 2 PFD's bungeed under the deck all the time, then carry 2 or 3 for folks on board, so I've always got 2 more than I need to get past the DNR guys. Our biggest problem is we really need to get in the habit of wearing them, which we almost never do. But you know, we had 2 folks drown just this weekend in area lakes that would have still been here if they had worn their PFD's, so the DNR guys are right! Still no fun gettin' a ticket!

 

[JB]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Sorry if I sound harsh, friends, but absent mindedness or miscounts can KILL people. There is no acceptable reason, no matter how innocent seeming, for breaking that law.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Two wrongs do not make a right and the DNR can not chase two offenders at the same time. Safty first in a vessel. Everybody knows you need enough vest. Best to always check the boat two or three times. I always carry six and never take more then four people.

Here where I live everybody knows the river which is three miles long, is no more then 5 knots, people belly ache about getting a hundred dollar ticket and they also say, "what about that guy." One boat can only detain one boat.

Some boaters just have a bad day on the water.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Proper safety gear.

I didn't say that I was innocent, and I wasn't b******g, I admitted to making a counting error, and getting caught! I made a MISTAKE !!!

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Don't know if the same rule applies everywhere, but in Canada, self inflating PFDs do NOT count unless they are being worn. If they are stored on the boat, they are not considered a flotation device.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Proper safety gear.

If everyone in the boat will put on their PFD before getting underway (like you're supposed to do) there won't be any miscounts or mistakes like this.

The inflatable PFD's are so light, cool, and comfortable you'll forget you have it on.

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Proper safety gear.

If everyone in the boat will put on their PFD before getting underway (like you're supposed to do) there won't be any miscounts or mistakes like this.

The inflatable PFD's are so light, cool, and comfortable you'll forget you have it on.

Twice this year after wearing mine for an eight or ten hour shift I have got in my truck and left for home with it still on. The first time I was only about two miles from the marina when I stopped at the local quick shop and realized I had it on, the second I drove eleven miles home and got out in the driveway with it still on. Glad my wife wasn't sitting on the porch waiting for me to witness it because she thinks I am going senile without proving it to her.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Twice this year after wearing mine for an eight or ten hour shift I have got in my truck and left for home with it still on. The first time I was only about two miles from the marina when I stopped at the local quick shop and realized I had it on, the second I drove eleven miles home and got out in the driveway with it still on. Glad my wife wasn't sitting on the porch waiting for me to witness it because she thinks I am going senile without proving it to her.

HA!!! Glad I'm not the only one! I have come into the house and started getting undressed only to realize I still had mine on!

 

[bigdee]

Re: Proper safety gear.

I found out that it pays to count the PFDs every time you get on the boat. If the boat is unattended there is always the chance of theft. Gas cans and PFDs are sometimes borrowed!

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Proper safety gear.

If everyone in the boat will put on their PFD before getting underway (like you're supposed to do) there won't be any miscounts or mistakes like this.

The inflatable PFD's are so light, cool, and comfortable you'll forget you have it on.

'Before getting under way' being, leaving shore, or while motoring? To be honest, I have no clue what the law is regarding that, but I live on my boat. Im sorry, but a PFD is NOT going to be part of my evening leisure attire.
Actually, in 3 years of ownership, I havent put one on yet. I can understand wearing one on a smaller boat (20ft or less?), but where's the cutoff?

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Proper safety gear.

'Before getting under way' being, leaving shore, or while motoring? To be honest, I have no clue what the law is regarding that, but I live on my boat. Im sorry, but a PFD is NOT going to be part of my evening leisure attire.
Actually, in 3 years of ownership, I havent put one on yet. I can understand wearing one on a smaller boat (20ft or less?), but where's the cutoff?

I have seen a 36 footer come in at night in rough waters on one occasion in early spring with cold water temperatures with the mates balanced like acrobats over the rails getting ready to lasso a bollard without wearing a PFD. Does the boat length make any difference in this situation?

We had a drowning on our local lake last month when an elderly gentleman who was not in good health tried to hold back a pontoon boat that was being pushed away from the dock by the wind while he was boarding. The boat owner was on the boat (also elderly) and was not able to provide the help that was needed. Had he had his type IV accessible at the helm as required more than likely it would have just been an embarrassing incident to talk about at family reunions rather than a tragedy. The cutoff is up to you and should be dictated by common sense.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Proper safety gear.

The cutoff is up to you and should be dictated by common sense.

Good statement.

According to the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/Pages/Home.aspx):

Your lifetime odds of a boating related drowning are 1 in 7,683.

Drowning in a swimming pool is 1 in 6,314.

Drowning in natural water (non-boating related) is 1 in 3,154.

Do you wear your PFD in the pool or at the beach? You're more likely to drown at either of those places than on your boat.

Drowning in a bathtub is 1 in 10,449. Not much safer than boating. Good chance to save some more lives here with PFD's for everyone in the tub.

Intentional death by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation is 1 in 629.

You should be more than 10 times as worried about killing yourself by hanging as you are about wearing your life jacket. Stay away from ropes, neck ties, and in general any object taller than about 6 feet just in case.

A few more things more dangerous than drowning while boating for you to worry about:

Being killed in a car is 1 in 242. You're about 30 times more likely to die in the truck on the way to the ramp as you are on your boat. Maybe a crash helmet and a good suit of armor could help here.

Being killed as a pedestrian by a car is 1 in 610. More than 10 times more likely than boating drowning. Maybe that suit of armor again here?

Being killed in a fall is 1 in 269. Maybe you'd better lay in bed all day?

Unfortunately, death from a fall involving bed, chair, other furniture is 1 in 5,508, about 50% more likely than your boat drowning. Maybe lay on the ground instead?

Death from exposure to smoke, fire or flames is 1 in 1,060. Maybe wear nomex underware and carry a portable oxygen mask with you everywhere?

Intentional self-poisoning is 1 in 737. Probably be a good idea to sew your mouth shut.

Death from assault by a sharp object is 1 in 1,983. Carry a gun, that tends to repel the sharp object assaults. You're 3 times more likely to need your gun than you are your PFD.

Death from exposure to excessive natural cold is 1 in 4,825. Carry a portable heater all the time, or move to Hawaii.

The fact is that boating is a very safe activity. As dwco5051 says, PFD usuage should be dictated by common sense. Unfortunately common sense is not very common. Most people are unduly influenced by media and false assumptions rather than examining the facts and making their own rational decisions based on those facts.

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Proper safety gear.

In Massachusetts there is no law that a PFD has to be worn if over 12 years old, Under 12 you must wear one at all times while on the vessel.

If in a canoe from Sept. 15th to May 15th you must wear a PFD while canoeing. This is a cold water rule, apparently the state does not realize that the water is just as cold in any vessel.

And just recently passed a rule that if you are in a boat 18 feet or less you need a PFD.