Guest bigfish1965 Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 A few weeks ago there was a boating accident not far from us that took the like of a fellow fisherman. One of the survivors of the story wrote of his ordeal in a letter located here. Please guys, wear your bloody lifejackets, buy some SOSpenders, a survival suit...whatever it takes. Your life is worth $200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steelheader Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 That's a terribly sobering story. Thanks for posting it. Incidentally, what kind of products are out there that are non-bulky but helpful in preventing such accidents? I think we all agree that wearing your typical PFD is pretty restrictive when you're casting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigfish1965 Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Steelheader; I have the inflating suspenders by Mustang. They are very unobtrusive & lightweight. You don't even know you are wearing them. About 200 bucks at CTC but I got them for $150 at last springs Sportsman Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GOBY Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 It's a pretty sad story. Especially the fact that the author held his friend for so long. You can only hold on for so long before you have to let go to save yourself. That part of the story really go to me, he tried so hard to save him but just couldn't do it any longer. BF1965's idea of the inflating suspenders is good. But in cold water, all it does is keep your head above water. The key to staying alive in cold water is to retain your bodies heat. If you are serious about fishing in cold weather from shore or boat and you think there's a chance you'll go for a swim, invest in a 1 piece float suit. It won't keep you alive for a whole lot longer, but 2 extra hours might be all you need to be rescued. On a side note, I read that most floatation devices loose some of there floatability after a few seasons. It's reccomended to test them every season. But if you do decide to test, don't just jump in the lake and expect to float. If your suit has lost it's bouyancy, it'll be like trying to tread water in a snowsuit. The best way to test is to wade out to about waste deep and lie on your back and see what happens. This way you can stand back up if you find that your suit has lost it's bouyancy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigfish1965 Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Hi Goby..LTNS! Goby is quite right. I think it is a five year max for life jackets. Cold waters are definitely time for a survival suit. You can pick up a buoy-o-bouy for under $300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest erie_guy Posted November 20, 2004 Report Share Posted November 20, 2004 I lost 2 friends in Georgian Bay, on a Labour Day weekend a few years back. They found one guy washed up in a pile of brush, and the other floating in his life-jacket. Life-jackets won't save you in cold water. They give you a few extra minutes...that's it! They died because they used poor judgement. They canoed out to Bougelois (sp) Island, and camped there. This is approximately 1 mile out in Georgian Bay. Obviously, this is no place for a canoe. I told theM before they went that if they were out on the water and the wind came up they would be in big trouble. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. They both paid with their lives. Plan A: Use common sense. Plan B: Use safety equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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