Flipped by a whale Tues

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

Ok lets look at this as a worst case scenario. You get dumped into the water and bonked on the head. As you now know first hand crazy things happen fast. I have had free jumping Threshers launch over the bow of my kayak. Inflatable PFDs won't save you if you can't inflate it. You are much safer in a normal PFD.
IF you are going to be thrashing around in the water for an extended period not having a belt could also be an issue.
Just my thoughts but I would at least reconsider your choice of PFD. I know those inflatables are comfortable but I think comfort will take a back seat to floating when it really counts.

[erinoo]

Even though it doesn't appear that Jim is wearing any PDF in his Avatar picture, he is correct about the inflatable PFD V the Standard.

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

You are totally correct about me not having one on in my Avatar. That is the exception not the rule with me though. Kind of like when I was in Panama. We shipped the kayaks down but the PFDs never arrived, I certainly was not going to just not fish because I didn't have a PFD. Kind of the same thing happened the day I got that Dorado. I do though wear a PFD 99% of the time.

[Dean Machine]

Don't they also make water activated pfd's that inflate after being submerged in the water? Of course there would be some trade-offs, but it could solve the comfort vs safety problem. Either way, a pfd is a must 100% of the time. I know, sometimes stuff happens that prevent you from wearing it, either way, Jim is right, we are not all perfect. I used to be a 99% of the time seat-belt wearer until I was thrown from the passenger seat of a pickup truck. I swear to god I will never ride in any vehicle again that I can't get a seatbelt on EVER but that's another story.

Any way........anybody ever heardof the water activated self inflating pfd?

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

Yes they do have water activated inflating PFD's the problem here is getting splashed particularly when going out through surf, they can and will inflate.

[Electronics Squid]

Originally Posted by Jim Sammons LJKF

Yes they do have water activated inflating PFD's the problem here is getting splashed particularly when going out through surf, they can and will inflate.

We had these on the patrol boats I was on in Kuwait...and they would go off from spray coming over the bow...had to keep them in the cabin on nasty days...

Also had an outdrive rip off and the boat went down...we got it to the pier, tied it off and started getting gear off. When the the boat went down and I had to jump off...I started swimming to the pier and the vest inflated. I have never been so scared in my life...tons of noise, made me think it was that vacuum you hear about when a ship goes down...The guys on the pier got a kick out of that...

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by Dean Machine

Don't they also make water activated pfd's that inflate after being submerged in the water? Of course there would be some trade-offs, but it could solve the comfort vs safety problem. Either way, a pfd is a must 100% of the time. I know, sometimes stuff happens that prevent you from wearing it, either way, Jim is right, we are not all perfect. I used to be a 99% of the time seat-belt wearer until I was thrown from the passenger seat of a pickup truck. I swear to god I will never ride in any vehicle again that I can't get a seatbelt on EVER but that's another story.

Any way........anybody ever heardof the water activated self inflating pfd?

I currently have a auto inflate or water activated PFD it has the Auto inflate and the pull string in the event I go over and it does not auto inflate. I'm planning on getting a new one here soon though because, like Jim stated, I don't want to leave anything to chance. Like he said if I'm knocked out and can't pull the string, and something goes wrong with the auto inflate I don't want to risk it. For what I have been doing lately it works and I'm wearing a PFD, but I want to have a normal PFD before I go out in the ocean.

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

I once had a client wearing an auto inflate down in Baja that got splashed by a big Roosterfish and inflated. Startled the hell out of him but was Funny as hell to us.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by Jim Sammons LJKF

I once had a client wearing an auto inflate down in Baja that got splashed by a big Roosterfish and inflated. Startled the hell out of him but was Funny as hell to us.

Isn't that video on YouTube? After I watched that I started looking for a different PFD. That's what I don't want to happen while I'm fishing. Early Inflation is not good. I hear they have medications for that.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Jim Sammons LJKF

Inflatable PFDs won't save you if you can't inflate it. You are much safer in a normal PFD.

I agree with Jim. The thing people forget is if they end up in the water and they do not have a PFD on they then end up have to save themselves, rather then save their gear.

I'm not talking about rods here I'm talking about the things you need to get back in. I had a friend who lost his paddle and radio when he rolled with his PFD sitting on the bow. By the time he got to it and got it on most of his gear including his paddle had drifted away.

I almost always wear a PFD saltwater kayak fishing, usually just a standard foam extrasport, because honestly you never know what could happen out there.

Freshwater I do sometimes use a inflatable but only in my sit inside which is almost impossible to roll, and I wear it mainly to save space and be compliant with lake rules.

Jim

[driftwood]

I also agree with Jim and i should wear my PFD more often. and not so much because of whales..... its the Crazy PBR's that i'm more afraid of. most common cause of casualties and fatalities while boating remains plain old ignorance. Though the Feds are quietly working toward mandatory boater education, regulations currently exist on a state-by-state basis.

Virtually every state has some sort of boating-education requirement except for Alaska, Arizona, California (yeah, can you believe that?), Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, South Dakota, Wyoming, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can see exactly what each state's requirements are by visiting americasboatingcourse.com/abc_website/state_boating_law.htm.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Virtually every state has some sort of boating-education requirement except for Alaska, Arizona, California (yeah, can you believe that?), Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, South Dakota, Wyoming, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can see exactly what each state's requirements are by visiting americasboatingcourse.com/abc_website/state_boating_law.htm.

Now look at the money making they could be doing with that class? If you required each boater to take a class it would generate money for the state that they could use to really do some good.

[sandydiego]

Glad you are ok. I saw a small whale out in the reserve on Sunday at noon. Took my time coming in and a sharp eye out. I had a wicked experience 3 weeks ago canoeing on the Colorado River. We went with the Boy Scouts on a river/camp trip and started at the base of the Hoover dam. To make a really long story short, the pfd's provided by the canoe company were old, useless and saturated upon water entry. When our leaky canoe sank, the pfd failed and I sank. I swam the canoe and my buddy to shore and we lived to tell about it.

It made me realize that all pfd's have a limited life and check your's before you use it. I bought a new high floater pfd from Sierra Trading Post when I got back home.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/3...and-Women.html

Steve

[old_rookie]

Originally Posted by driftwood

I also agree with Jim and i should wear my PFD more often. and not so much because of whales..... its the Crazy PBR's that i'm more afraid of. most common cause of casualties and fatalities while boating remains plain old ignorance. Though the Feds are quietly working toward mandatory boater education, regulations currently exist on a state-by-state basis.

Virtually every state has some sort of boating-education requirement except for Alaska, Arizona, California (yeah, can you believe that?), Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, South Dakota, Wyoming, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. You can see exactly what each state's requirements are by visiting americasboatingcourse.com/abc_website/state_boating_law.htm.

That is really eye-opening. I think I'll go out and buy a 45' Bayliner and cruise around the bay and open waters. What's the big deal, just get in it and start it up. There are no lanes in the water so why do I need a class? What is that white thing in the water with the 5mph on it? Funny, last time out I made it bounce up and down like crazy.

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

Originally Posted by driftwood

I also agree with Jim and i should wear my PFD more often. and not so much because of whales..... its the Crazy PBR's that i'm more afraid of. most common cause of casualties and fatalities while boating remains plain old ignorance.

And it will only get worse when the MLPA comes into affect, because we are all going to be crammed into a much smaller area. Tensions will be high and there will be issues I believe.

[driftwood]

Thats a good point Jim, especially up north.

Your right OLD ROOKIE!
Believe it or not, the U.S. Coast Guard does not require a boat operator to learn anything at all about boating prior to getting behind the wheel and advancing the throttle. In fact, you can drive any size vessel that you can afford to purchase (or be invited aboard) and go to town! Imagine if the same rules applied to civilian aircraft.

No wonder everyone is pissed off at each other on BLOODY DECKS.

[T Bone]

Glad you are OK Chris.

[Aaron&Julie]

First, Wade's having a seal trying to board his yak. Now, you get flipped by a whale. Let's hope there's no "what's next?"

Glad you're okay, sorry to hear about the rods.

[Ohana]

Originally Posted by driftwood

Thats a good point Jim, especially up north.

Your right OLD ROOKIE!
Believe it or not, the U.S. Coast Guard does not require a boat operator to learn anything at all about boating prior to getting behind the wheel and advancing the throttle. In fact, you can drive any size vessel that you can afford to purchase (or be invited aboard) and go to town! Imagine if the same rules applied to civilian aircraft.

No wonder everyone is pissed off at each other on BLOODY DECKS.

Having owned a couple of boats, the only group that seems to care about a persons boating experience is the insurance companies. When I went from a 22 foot pb to a 35 foot pb, they told me that the fact I had prior boat ownership and driving experience lowered my insurance rates.

Kevin

[jimbo]

glad you're ok! getting the gear paid for is really awesome too.
i almost collided w/ a whale 2 yrs ago while cruising on my skiff on the INSIDE of the kelp near Windansea at grey light. couldn't believe it - i was in only about 35 ft of water. saw it at last minute and able to avert by it by about 5-10 feet. looked like a juvenile, but really rattled me nonetheless. figured it must of got a little confused at the point heading south.
later in same season, i collided w/ an adult grey whale on outside ridge of Coronado canyon. was cruising at 22 knts in over 2,000 ft water. no warning at all - no spouts on horizon before-hand, just a big crunch, starboard side of boat came out water, and the ob kicked. we watched the whale for about 30 sec on the surface and then it took off. i think we just glanced it. luckily, we were all seated and there were no injuries. amazingly there was NO damage to boat - not even a scratch.
if you're out there enough hours, you will probably encounter something at some point. Jim S is giving good advice - always wear a pfd and don't mess around w/ an inflatable.
one more point about crowding and boat traffic. i really encourage everyone to use some sort of a navigation light when kayak fishing in dark. it's easy for boats to lose you in the swell. man - it's going to be a mess in that little area when MLPA is enforced.