PFD’s And River Fishing: Tragic Accident

[Sharphooks]

This past week a professional guide flipped a drift boat on a local river. Both he, his seven year old son, and a client drowned. One other client lived to call 911

Sequim father-son die in Forks boating accident | Sequim Gazette

Four people on boat when it overturned on Bogachiel River

www.sequimgazette.com

People will say….”It’s Too Soon !” to bring up the fact that none of the deceased were wearing PFD’s….. but I’ll bring it up…..because of the drowned child

It doubles the tragedy knowing that a professional guide decided to invite his son along for the trip and didn’t insist that he wore a PFD….

I drifted the Skeena in a small inflatable raft a few weeks ago. It was a huge pain in the neck to transfer all my fly gear into a PFD then make myself wear it while rowing…it’s bulky, uncomfortable, tight around the neck….but the Skeena is a very big river and I was in a very small raft. I also carried a spare oar because…well… ya’ never know…

I also had a 4 month old puppy with me in the raft. She was in a PFD and I had her tied to my leg so if we flipped, I could keep her close

Why is it that different humans have such completely variable approaches and reactions and cautionary preparations to risk?

 

[sly_karma]

Today's inflatable pfds are easy and comfortable to wear. I know it's effective safety equipment when I forget I'm wearing one - more than once I've found myself still wearing it in my driveway after unhitching the boat. So everyone in my boat gets to wear a pfd, every time. Like seat belts on the road, just do it. No one has time to click in or don a life jacket when bad stuff is going down.