BigBendFishing.Net

The PFD saves kayakers lives!!
In Vest
U.S. Coast Guard | PA2 Luke Pinneo | October 11, 2006
Besides being a sure-fire adrenaline generator, kayaking is a great way to stay fit – physically and mentally. But good health starts with staying alive and in simple terms, this means sporting a life jacket when kayaking.

The alternative could be the grave.

Few know this so well as Coast Guard Recreational Boating Specialist, Al Johnson. Johnson, whose Boston-based office is practically wall papered with boating death statistics, has ventured throughout New England for more than 10 years teaching and preaching the value of recreational boating safety.

Along the way, he’s made some startling discoveries. Referring to an eye-level spread sheet on his wall, he affirmed “32 people have died since 2000 while kayaking.â€

[quote]32 people have died since 2000 while kayaking.â€

Staggering as they may be, these numbers illustrate only a fraction of the big picture. Johnson is quick to emphasize that these deaths occurred within the Coast Guard’s First District, the coastal and inland waterways from Maine to New Jersey .

I personally know of a near death fatality when two guys were fishing in Virginia. One ran out of crabs and the other, Kevin slung one at him like a flying star. It went through his waders and into his leg. He looked at it, passed out, and slumped over into the water. He was wearing his PFD and Kevin pulled him to his yak until he woke up. They were in 40 feet of water 6 miles from shore but next to the first island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. When he came too, he said if Kevin had not been there he would have drown. When they told me the story, I told him that if Kevin had not of been there, you would not have been stabbed by a crab claw and would not have fell in.

I'm guessing a lot more boater have died in that same period, and many of them had on PFD's also.

Jeff,
I completely agree about the value of a PFD while yak fishing. What I want to know is where do you get the PFD that you wear on your yak and in your fishing pics, and who makes them? They look really light weight--just like my fishing shirt--I want one just like it--the PFD, that is!

Trust me Apache he didnt need one that day. His head was so big he couldnt possibly sink. Nice picture Jeff, who was the photographer?