Quote:
Originally Posted by rogersmith
Just curious, why don't kayakers (my self included) wear them? Looks to be way more comfortable.
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OK think about this a minute...
Your kayaking along and a wave catches you wrong and you roll over. Now you're in the water, any gear that was out loose is in the water with you, the stuff that doesn't float is sinking, and the stuff that does is floating away from you. What are you going to do?
Another scenario:
Say your fishing yellows and you've hooked a big ole forty pound fish on your favorite setup a $150 rod with a $200 reel. You got the fish up to color and you know it's the biggest one you have ever hooked in your life. Suddenly wave catches you wrong and the kayak leans over and at the same time the fish lunges. The drag is pretty tight and you roll. Now you're in the water holding the rod as the fish takes heavy drag straight down. Everything on the yak that was not tied down is in the water with you, the stuff that doesn't float is sinking, and the stuff that does is floating away from you. What are you going to do?
A third scenario:
You're at the launch at 3:00am on a windy morning trying to get out to a wide open Seabass bite with fifty and sixty pound fish that's happening every morning right before sunup. It's rough and dark but you've stowed all your gear and have on a PFD on so you feel safe. You start out paddle a bit and hit a four foot wave just as it's breaking and it throws out of the yak. What are you going to do?
Scenario one if you have a kayak pfd on. You bob up, swim back to your yak, flip over the kayak and then immediately grab as much gear as you can and get it a back on the kayak starting with the paddle before it all drifts too far away. Then you climb on the kayak and paddle after anything that's still floating.
If you have inflatable vest you initially sink, then you swim up to the surface gasping and freaking out, then you fiddle around with your PFD trying to figure out how to inflate it, because it's not something you do all the time. Once inflated the PFD flips you over on your back because it's designed solely to keep your head out of the water face up to keep you from drowning.
You then look like this:
You then awkwardly swim back to your yak on your back, turn it over and notice everything that was not tied down including your paddle is now gone.
Say your smart enough to have your paddle on a leash, and had no loose gear on the deck. Well you now have to figure out how to get back in your yak when you essentially have a small rubber raft around your neck and once your back on it you realize that your not going to be able to paddle very well. Quickly you'll figure it out. Your day is over. You are not going to be able to fish or really paddle very well with that PFD inflated so you have two options, take it off and risk getting in real trouble if you roll again or just go home, You are already a little freaked so you leave.
Scenario two with a kayak PFD on. You hold on to the rod, and loosen the drag. Then letting the fish take some line you turn your yak back over and stick the rod in a rod holder. You then grab you paddle and throw it on the deck climb aboard and fight the fish in. Twenty minutes latter you are grinning ear to ear with the biggest Yellow you have ever caught on your game clip. Yeah you lost your sunglasses, your favorite fishing hat, your soaking wet, but who cares your on frigging cloud 9. Best Kayak trip ever!!!!
Scenario 2 with a inflatable PFD. You are in the water sinking, to make things worse the fish is pulling you under, you can't tread water and hold on to the rod, and find that little inflatable pull thingy all at the same time. Finally when you realize you could drown like this you let go of the rod, swim up to the surface gasping and freaking out, then you fiddle around with your PFD trying to figure out how to inflate it, because it's not something you do all the time. Once inflated the PFD flips you over on your back because it's designed solely to keep your head out of the water face up to keep you from drowning.
You then look like this:
You then awkwardly swim back to your yak on your back, turn it over and notice everything that was not tied down including your paddle is now gone.
Say your smart enough to have your paddle on a leash, and had no loose gear on the deck. Well you still now have to figure out how to get back in your yak when you essentially have a small rubber raft around your neck and once your back on it you realize that your not going to be able to paddle very well. Quickly you'll figure it out: your day is completely and utterly ruined. You lost the fish of a lifetime, lost your best rod and reel. You are not going to be able to fish or really paddle very well with that stupid huge inflated boat around your neck so you have two options, take it off and risk getting in real trouble if you roll again or just go home and miss out on the best bite you have ever been in. Worst Kayak trip ever!!! If only you had purchase a self inflating PFD things would of been so much better!!!
Oh really......
Scenario three: if you have a normal kayaking pfd you flip your yak back over and paddle out to the bite wet but excited to be out fishing.
Manual inflatable you almost drown in the surf but you resist the urge to inflate the thing walk back to shore, empty the water out of your waders, grab your yak and consider trying again. It's kind of a toss up kayaking sux in the dark.
If you have a fancy self inflating inflatable PFD you fall in the water then Fffffffffwwwwwwwooooooosh!!! your inflatable PFD inflates the PFD flips you over on your back because it's designed solely to keep your head out of the water face up to keep you from drowning.
You then look like this:
The next wave catches you and you get dragged in backwards through the surf back to shore. You then quickly realize you essentially have a small rubber raft around your neck and that your not going to be able to paddle or fish very well.. Quickly you decide it's not worth going out at all. Your day is over before it started. Your not going to be able to kayak with it on inflated, and you don't want to take it off and risk getting in real trouble if you roll again again in the dark so you throw the stupid thing in your truck load your kayak up and head home. You know what they say: No fish in La Jolla anyway.
So why don't people wear inflatable PFDs kayak fishing? Because whatever pluses they score comfort when kayaking, those advantages are quickly irrelevant when you actually get in trouble and have to use one in a emergency situation while kayaking.
All that said I have a inflatable PFD, but I only wear it freshwater fishing in lakes.
Jim