One more reason
 

One more reason to wear that PFD...
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I agree with the bot ;) but srsly tho, pretty cool stuff. Surprised the difference a pfd made for those people. Wild, the idea of drowning because you're too cold to swim even when you're not hypothermic.

Sorry, doubled up.

Yes, very interesting to see how those that thought they could swim well did, too. I used the same arguement for a long time. I feel naked without one now though. I eventually had a hobie pfd which i hated, but wore anyways. Now i have an NRS Chinook and love it.

Definitely an interesting video! I also feel naked without one... My Passport doesn't have tons of storage space, so my PFD is where I keep things like pliers, line cutter, a dry cloth, phone, etc. All that extra stuff flopping around in the hatch box would kind of suck. Basically it's more convenient for me to wear one than not, so I'll never go without one anyway. Also had a few near-misses with sailboats recently at DP so there's that too...

Obviously, our water is warm enough this time of year that it's safe for swimming in...people are crossing the cove and back on a daily basis wearing nothing but their weasel squeezers; but I could see the cold having an effect for midwinter fishing when you;re out in deeper water and the sst is into the 50s. thats a long swim.

I mostly wear my pfd because I'm afraid of being hit by a kook from arizona on a rented jetski.

+1

I can hear the Nor Cal kayakers now, faintly in the distance...

"you will die if you wear waders.... only wear a farmer john... dress for immersion......."

Kid just passed away up there a couple months back I believe. RIP Nick!

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/in...?topic=92224.0

I got this from either NorCal Kayak Fishing or NW kayak Fishing. Yeah, they aren't too hot on waders up there, but it seems to be more about the fact that people don't wear a wading belt when they wear them.

Jetskiers and boaters are definitely a good reason to wear a pfd. Lord knows I've almost been hit way too many times.

There's crazy threads on there arguing about it. Dudes straight up calling Jim Sammons a kook for doing the "waders of death" video. A dude tragically dies and half the board is like all high and mighty assuming he had waders on before they even found his body, which he didn't. Didn't have PFD on either by the way. I was thinking about doing a reboot of Jim's video, but after seeing how aggro people are about it I'm having second thoughts hahaha.

all the more reason to reboot the video -- this time open water version!

OORAH
 

Gunny.
:sifone:
Thank you to all those who serve.
:cheers1:

Sad
 

Im too old to not be wearing a life jacket. if I have a heart attack on the water I hope I am not wearing my vest too loose so it does not slip over my shoulders and head. at least they will recover my cold dead body so my family will have closure. besides my vest houses my personal beacon locator, vhf radio, compass, whistle, and some extra pills in case I get weary. carry a pump on your kayak people. your cell phone is the least reliable unit in the conditions we encounter. be safe everyone.

Buddy up is the best solution for fast help, whether it be a mayday call or in-water rescue.

The ocean doesn't care about your future or safety, so you better plan accordingly.

Stay safe everyone.

PFD is a must. I wear mine from the time of launch to the time of landing. 20 years ago, when I first started kayak fishing, I wouldn't usually wear my vest and would just keep it on the deck or inside the kayak. Young, stupid and fearless.

I have had many close calls over the years. From boats, surf, sharks, swell, fish, etc. Things can happen very quickly and a PFD can be a crucial factor to the safety and final outcome. On that note, having your radio/phone, etc. mounted to your vest with a rescue knife is best practice. Also, practice rescues on your kayak!

Some good advice that I share with others: Wear a seatbelt, wear a helmet, wear a PFD, wear a condom and now... wear a mask!

With regards to the waders, I think there is a personal preference. I get cold and need waders and prefer them over pants or bib. When I used to live up north in Humboldt, I would wear waders, but others would prefer a farmer john and dry suit, depending on time of year, conditions, launch site, etc.

The biggest thing I have personally seen with waders, is fast moving water. IE rivers. It was too common to hear about a guy that drowned from wading in a river with waders. But usually no PFD and often alcohol or other factors played a role.

Be prepared, know your gear and your limits and be safe, so you can keep fishing for years to come.