PFD's Mandatory ?

[smerchly]

I heard earlier today they want to make us get a safety check (certificate) every 2 yrs. for our vehicles ...boy , that could be costly , but very nice for the gov't coffers . Thentonight , I read this about making it mandatory  to wear life jackets in smaller boats (didn't give size) & in all kayaks, canoes , etc. I have a 15.5 ft.alum.boat & I always wear my pfd when boating alone but not when there are 2 in the boat , unless dangerous conditions arise . There are hundreds of comments ....first one I read was we could save many lives by wearing a helmet in the bathroom too ......lol   .  Your 2 cents ?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/boating-lifejackets-mandatory-1.3700778

[Flyfisher]

 I bought new inflateable life jackets,and we always wear them. They are very comfortable and i hardly know Im wearing it. I make sure everyone in my boat wears one. 

[rile]

I was pulled over in my 14fter a few weeks ago. It is not manditory to wear them but they did suggest that i do.

[WalleyeChaser]

I always have them but never wear them unless it gets bad out while im fishing. Plus i never fish alone in the boat 

[Brian_b]

I saw something on the tv yesterday. They said you must have a pfd per person on board. They were saying that the bulky ones are just required on board but the inflatable ones are required to be worn in order to be legal. 

Didn't do any research to find out how true it is. 

[smerchly]

For sure,   wear your pfd when boating/fishing in big waters like the great lakes or when the chop is risky . I have been on the Bay of Quinte near Picton when she got real rough out there . When the bay is quiet we don't put on the jackets , but keep them handy . I can see  wearing them in canoes , kayaks etc. ....but where do they draw the line for larger boats ? I'm sure those bikini clad girlies sunning on the deck of a 40' yacht would like wearing a pfd .....

[floatman]

I'm sure those bikini clad girlies sunning on the deck of a 40' yacht would like wearing a pfd .....     

 

^^^I'd be more than willing to help with the buckles^^^

 

[Fonthill]

True if you only have inflatables on board you need to have them on.if your going to buy an inflatable buy an automatic one , were you to fall and hit your head on  the way in, a manual unit would be useless.

[Chrisb]

I fish alone often. I wear mine with the tether attached when running the big motor. Take it off when tolling with the small motor. If I could find a good system that wouldn't tangle me in the tether as a moved around setting lines etc. I would wear one when tolling the small motor as well. Or at least I would have the tether attached.

[Ricker]

Good topic to think about every once and while.  Thanks Smerchly for posting.  I typically do not wear one when I am in the boat even by myself but always have enough on board for number of people.  Always make the kiddies wear them though.  But I have been thinking a lot about this lately and feeling like I have a double standard by making the kids wear one but I don't.  And they are probably better swimmers than I am!   I know the new PFD's are rather expensive but I think I am going to bite the bullet and buy one and wear it from now on.  They are well designed and you hardly know they are even on.  It just makes sense and better not to take anything for granted.  Friends of mine almost lost their young son in a pool incident recently and he was rescued from the bottom just in the nick of time.  Makes me rethink my own foolishness for not wearing a PFD.   

[smerchly]

Good reply Ricker , thanks for putting in a personal touch .....

  When boating alone without a pfd (life jacket) , many things could cause one to fall overboard . ....tripping over an object , getting dizzy from dehydration ,etc., hitting the throttle to fast which happened to my buddy in a 12' tinny . He forgot the old 15 hp rude was in gear , & the front went straight up in the air and came down up-side -down missing him by inches . He was alone ....20' deep ....lost his gear but not his life .  As in the first post , it will be interesting to see where they take this and how they determine what boaters will be exempt from wearing them . I was fishing alone at Quite when the lake was flat , & the mnr pulled up to ask a few questions , and noted I was wearing a life jacket  .  If you fall overboard without a pfd & the boat gets away from you ......you need to be a good swimmer.......

[yakfish]

I am personally very much opposed to the government making pretty much anything mandatory. Especially when they try to protect me from me. I kayak alone most of the time. I spent good money on a quality PFD. The choice to wear it or not should be mine and no one else's. There is so much unnessasary regulation the has been put in place in the name of "safety" and in my opinion too much of it is nothing more than a money grab. 

I have nothing against encouraging folks to wear the PFD's. Especially when alone or in rough, cold or otherwise unfavourable  conditions. But let people choose for themselves when to wear them. 

[dave524]

I believe wearing them has been mandatory  in NY State during the colder months of the years when aboard smaller craft, maybe some one could post the the exact times and size.

[Lund-SS]

12 minutes ago, dave524 said:

I believe wearing them has been mandatory  in NY State during the colder months of the years when aboard smaller craft, maybe some one could post the the exact times and size.

You are correct.  

 

For New York State ;

 

Starting Nov. 1, anyone out on the water in a craft less than 21 feet long must be wearing a Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device.

The rule, in effect through May 1, applies to kayaks, canoes and motorboats on lakes, waterways and the ocean.

If you are foolish enough to break the new law, you could be in for a fine of $100 to $250.

[smerchly]

On 2016-08-03 at 1:08 PM, yakfish said:

I am personally very much opposed to the government making pretty much anything mandatory. Especially when they try to protect me from me. I kayak alone most of the time. I spent good money on a quality PFD. The choice to wear it or not should be mine and no one else's. There is so much unnessasary regulation the has been put in place in the name of "safety" and in my opinion too much of it is nothing more than a money grab. 

I have nothing against encouraging folks to wear the PFD's. Especially when alone or in rough, cold or otherwise unfavourable  conditions. But let people choose for themselves when to wear them. 

I know how you feel about mandatory laws .....some help us and some just infringe .  The law books are getting thicker every year . Over the years we have lost a lot of fishing spots because of "liability' or trash issues ( good guys lose out  to the carefree bad guys) . More new laws are added to driving with stiff fines for not obeying (  cross walks & moving over to left lane are new ones)  . On the water it can be dangerous as we have boats of all sizes and no speed limits in most waters . I have come close a few times of being rammed by large boats who weren't paying attention while we anchored or trolling  . The lake traffic is increasing and sorry to say they will keep adding more laws to boaters ....because the reckless ones seem to think they own the lake . I think Ontario will follow the lead of NYS  .  Maybe we should consider  these rules on certain larger lakes .....but I don't think they need apply to Martindale  Pond .......

[kgm]

Maybe they should first enforce the rules that are already in place. 43% of boating deaths are related to alcohol, which is not legal to do in Ontario. Not to be a killjoy, but drinking and boating sounds more dangerous than not wearing a life jacket. I don't wear one most of the time. But I do when underway by myself,or if there is a good chop on the lake

[Botchegalupe]

My self-inflating life jacket saved my life 3 years ago. I lost my balance and fell into a 12-foot deep weed bed, my jacket inflated immediately. One week later a similar incident happened close by and it cost the individual his life.

[dave524]

20 hours ago, kgm said:

Maybe they should first enforce the rules that are already in place. 43% of boating deaths are related to alcohol, which is not legal to do in Ontario. Not to be a killjoy, but drinking and boating sounds more dangerous than not wearing a life jacket. I don't wear one most of the time. But I do when underway by myself,or if there is a good chop on the lake

So maybe they could legalize drinking onboard if you have a lifejacket on still come out ahead on the body count 

[kgm]

23 minutes ago, dave524 said:

So maybe they could legalize drinking onboard if you have a lifejacket on still come out ahead on the body count 

I think we have a winning compromise 

[smerchly]

31 minutes ago, kgm said:

I think we have a winning compromise 

As long as the driver doesn't drink I'm fine with that .....but we know Capt Andy couldn't resist a beer or three when it's 101*C on the water while his bud(s) are having a cold one . Driving at 100 km with the 250 HP Yammy with a gut full of suds .....no compromise .   

[Snags]

On 2016-08-03 at 1:08 PM, yakfish said:

I am personally very much opposed to the government making pretty much anything mandatory. Especially when they try to protect me from me. I kayak alone most of the time. I spent good money on a quality PFD. The choice to wear it or not should be mine and no one else's. There is so much unnessasary regulation the has been put in place in the name of "safety" and in my opinion too much of it is nothing more than a money grab. 

I have nothing against encouraging folks to wear the PFD's. Especially when alone or in rough, cold or otherwise unfavourable  conditions. But let people choose for themselves when to wear them. 

I agree with you, but as a whole people do not want to accept responsibility, so when something goes awry they pull out the "lawsuit" word.  The governments do not want to do the work, let alone proactive work, everything the government does is reactive, typically to a interest group (the biggest amount of this BS would be MADD, with the public shaming of anyone who has made a stupid choice regardless of the outcome) who represents votes in the next election.

We have lost many good spots because of people trying to sue or deny they did no wrong, so in order to stop this, they allow changes in laws.

[dave524]

19 hours ago, smerchly said:

As long as the driver doesn't drink I'm fine with that .....but we know Capt Andy couldn't resist a beer or three when it's 101*C on the water while his bud(s) are having a cold one . Driving at 100 km with the 250 HP Yammy with a gut full of suds .....no compromise .   

How is this any different from a designated driver when going to a bar ?

[smerchly]

2 hours ago, dave524 said:

How is this any different from a designated driver when going to a bar ?

Ahhh.....yes , I would say a cooler full of beer on a hot day in the boat would be more tempting for the driver to indulge . A designated driver on the way to a bar would probably abstain from drinking knowing the dire consequences of being stopped by RIDE etc . In many cases the boaters are fishing in remote spots where it's very unlikely to be checked by mnr or police .  Places like Quinte are checked out often by the OPP .....got to be good boys there .....

[bottomwatcher]

My 2 cents is that it is very risky for one person  to boat on large bodies of water such as Lake Ontario & Lake Erie , take for example the last drowning on Lake Erie, if there where was  another person aboard the boat, the death of the guy could have been avoided, as it looks like he fell overboard & had no help getting him get back onboard. I have also witnessed a situation where a older guy was fishing alone &  had a heart attack & end up dying on the floor of his boat .

[bottomwatcher]

Just a small tip- Buy yourself a white shower cap , roll it up in a sip lock bag & attach it to you lifejacket if you fall overboard place it on your head as most of your heat loss will come from there, also you will be more easily seen from another boat or plane  from the air if you are been searched for.