Wear your life vest

[Tom]

We've boated for 40 or so years, and have lived in a waterfront community for the last 24 years. We've always stressed the need to wear life vests, both on board and near the water. Our grandkids were not allowed to go down the ramp from our deck to the boat dock without wearing life vests, and it became second nature for them to wear 'em. (We have a locked gate at the top of the ramp).

Yesterday I was working on Chris' car in the driveway and heard/saw a USCG helicopter circling above. Chris was working on our boat dock and, in addition to seeing the helicopter, heard first responder sirens nearby. This morning I heard on Bay area TV news that a 5-year old boy was visiting his grandparents, apparently a couple of bays/streets from us, and went missing. He was reportedly found "submerged in the water", was recovered from the water and taken to hospital. Hopefully he'll recover, but I can't imagine how the boy's parents and grandparents must be feeling.

 

[Oldgator73]

A couple of years ago I was kayaking with the grandkids and some friends on the New River in Mouth of Wilson, VA. I, stupidly, was the only one not wearing a vest. We all capsized at a fast part of the river. The grandkids and one of my friends made it to shore pretty easily. But not me. I got pulled under and my knees got pulled underneath me. My knees don’t bend so there was excruciating pain. Somehow I grabbed a rock and held on. My other friend retrieved a kayak and worked his way upstream in the shallow water and managed to shove the kayak out so it would pass close enough so I could grab it. I was on that rock in the middle of the river for about 45 minutes. After that little episode I wear a life vest in the shower.

 

[Skookum]

It's drowning season here in the Northwest. The sun is out, temperatures are warm and people want to cool off! Rivers are flowing high, fast, and ICE COLD. Mountain lakes are still frigid. Every year the cold water takes a few people by surprise, and that's it for them.

Water safety advice has been all over the internet and local news. Be safe out there!!

 

[John From Detroit]

Hopefully he'll recover, but I can't imagine how the boy's parents and grandparents must be feeling.

Here in Michigan. in very nearby Flint about six weeks ago two children were playing next to a river.. one on one day the other the next. The first one, a boy, a Deputy found same day and pulled the body out of the water.
The Young girl who fell in a day later in a slightly different place.. They had dive times from all over the state and beyond and found her just a couple days ago (Six weeks in the water jammed under some debris) also, obviously dead.

Stay away from "deep" water or wear a vest or make sure others know where you are and there is a lifeguard (Pools and "Swimming holes" Once had to rescue a sister. (My swimming instructor was ex-navy so you know I was trained) Never walk or swim alone.

What's "Deep" a Bathtub much over half full for a child. (or less)

 

[Chef Duane]

That was the one thing I dreaded most about doing SAR on the SoCal coast. Finding a lost person and having to report the ultimate bad news. Only had to do it once and that is enough. Terrible for all involved.

USCG '77-'83. 11th District MSO LA/LB. USCGC Point Evans (decommissioned). Semper Paratus.

 

[Trivet]

Many YMCAs have "Swim Safe" programs, where they give free swimming lessons to kids whose families can't afford them, particularly targeting underserved communities. It's one of my favorite charities because all of the benefit goes to the kid, who might avoid drowning, or who might avoid being embarrassed when he's older and he's with some group of people doing a water activity and he's the only one who can't swim.

if you're in a giving mood, check out donating to them. Nobody should ever drown just because they didn't have an opportunity to learn how to swim.

 

[8Muddypaws]

When I was first learning to windsurf I was too macho to wear a vest. Until the day I was launched over the front of the board and cracked a rib when I hit the nose of the board. After that I always wore a vest designed for windsurfing.

10 years later someone else's mast 'conked' me on the head and nearly knocked me out. (She said 'sorry'). I bought a water sports helmet soon afterwards and always used it. Actually it was a kayaking helmet because it fit me better.

Considering that for much of my 30+ year obsession with windsurfing I only cracked one rib, chipped a tooth, and twisted an ankle I think I did pretty good.

 

[JudyJB]

I spent most of my childhood and young adult summers at my parent's cottage on Lake Huron at the tip of Michigan's Thumb. The built a state park just down the beach from us in about 1961, and that brought a lot more inexperienced boaters. People used to load up small rowboats with 4-6 people on them and stick a motor on it. (Later, young people would go out in ski boats with only 8" of freeboard on the side, even in heavy waves.) None of the Great Lakes are a good place for any sort of a rowboat or a ski boat meant for inland lakes, so the result was that I spent a lot of evenings watching the Coast Guard helicopters late at night using their search lights to find swimmers or bodies.

 

[Rene T]

That was the one thing I dreaded most about doing SAR on the SoCal coast. Finding a lost person and having to report the ultimate bad news. Only had to do it once and that is enough. Terrible for all involved.

USCG '77-'83. 11th District MSO LA/LB. USCGC Point Evans (decommissioned). Semper Paratus.

What is SAR?

 

[Chef Duane]

What is SAR?

Search and Rescue.

 

[Rene T]

Search and Rescue.

thanks

 

[Tulecreeper]

As an avid bass fisherman, and having fished scores of tournaments in my life, I always wear a PFD when the big engine is running. And if I have one of the "suspender-type" inflatables I wear it all the time. If I only have the vest-type it comes off when I'm actively fishing as wearing it in August when it's 100 F. in the shade would kill me with heat stroke.

 

[Trivet]

When I was first learning to windsurf I was too macho to wear a vest. Until the day I was launched over the front of the board and cracked a rib when I hit the nose of the board. After that I always wore a vest designed for windsurfing.

I've never found a USCG-approved life vest that works for me for windsurfing, because they're too long and conflict with my seat harness. I tried a USCG-approved kayaking vest once, because they're cut a lot shorter. But it rode up on me, just like pretty much every life vest does.

I have friends who wear impact vests, which would keep them from cracking a rib, but they have very little flotation.

I've given up, and sail only in water that I can stand up in. Plus shallow water makes it a lot easier to waterstart, which means I'm willing to bomb into jibes because if I blow it, no big deal. Just stand there and flip the sail around and get going again.

10 years later someone else's mast 'conked' me on the head and nearly knocked me out. (She said 'sorry'). I bought a water sports helmet soon afterwards and always used it. Actually it was a kayaking helmet because it fit me better.

A few years ago, a woman where I windsurf was standing around on the beach, and somebody's sail had gone flying and the mast hit her on the head. She died in the hospital a few days later.

 

[UTTransplant]

I was an American Canoe Association instructor for a number of years. Among my friends who canoe a lot there is 100% PFD use. We know what can happen and how fast it can happen. It is the amateurs who go out once every year or two for a couple of hours who don’t wear PFDs.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I wish I could tell you what vest it was. I remember that the hook was right at the bottom of the vest. It had a belt that kept it (mostly) from riding up. It may have come from West Marine but that was so many years ago even if it did there's little chance it's still made.

I gave away all my equipment a couple of years ago and kind wish I'd kept it.

I kept one board. My Hood River Rocket. It did everything except float me.

One of my windsurfing friends died in the middle of SF Bay of an apparent heart attack.

 

[Tom]

This morning I heard on Bay area TV news that a 5-year old boy was visiting his grandparents, apparently a couple of bays/streets from us, and went missing. He was reportedly found "submerged in the water", was recovered from the water and taken to hospital.

Today it was reported that the boy died in hospital. Very sad, and probably avoidable by close supervision and wearing a life vest.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I've never found a USCG-approved life vest that works for me for windsurfing, because they're too long and conflict with my seat harness. I tried a USCG-approved kayaking vest once, because they're cut a lot shorter. But it rode up on me, just like pretty much every life vest does.