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.

 

[Birdbrain]

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….

You are half correct, Sharphooks. If the adult isn't ALSO wearing a PFD, and gulps water into his lungs and drowns when the boat flips, who will help the child, especially in heavy rapids?

Even when no incidents occur, when the child wearing a PFD looks at the adult not wearing one, what does that teach the child?
"When I grow up, I don't need to wear a PFD."

 

[tinboatrobb]

Sorry, but that is just stupidity. PFDs save lives.

 

[SpringFever2359]

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?

Sad , especially for the 7 yr old and his family left behind...A very tragic lesson for all to learn from

Growing up and raising kids is a blessing, and we should as parents try to instill safety in everything we do with them.
1 pics of me and my son and daughter many moons ago coming back from a morning on the lake (they are now 35 and 33) and I didnt have grey hair , and a few recent pics, even my sons dog would have his on(not that that one needed it , we thought he was part fish!! )

 

[Bill 310]

This is a great post

The PFD wearing habit is like clicking your seatbelt as soon as you get into the car. At first it felt wierd but over time it becomes second nature.

I grew up with my parents having cottage on a warm freshwater lake in the Kawarthas. We had war surplus Kapok life jackets in the boat and only non swimmers wore them. Later when I was at summer camp life jackets in Canoes were mandatory if you couldn't swim 100 years and tread water immediately afterwards for 10 minutes. Later when I was a conoe trip guide life jackets were in the canoes and the keyhole ones were great for wearing while portaging . No one wore them on canoe trip becasue they were hot and smelly , but I insisted everyone wear them when we were doing long night paddles to avoid the headwindsand rough water in the big northern lakes .

When we got our boat we bought the regulation ones and the early Mustangs . Two years ago we bought a pair of the self inflating Mustangs.
When I am alone doing stuff on the boat while it is tied up I started to wear my Mustang because the chance of boinking one's head if you fall off the boat between your boat and the dock seems to be pretty high.

I know a lot more folks who have fallen/slipped off docks than have fallen overboard.

The local Power Squadron does safety inspections at Reed Point every year and they are climbing on and off unfamiliar boats all day from docks without wearing a PFD.

We are in Indian Arm a lot in the summer and the Marine authorities could certainly do a lot more to educate people, We see the high performance boats running on plane with the bow covered in young women none wearing PFD's. One big wave and people will be in the water.

Along with wearing a PFD the installtion of a Man Overboard Switch increases your odd of having your boat nearby to swim back to if you fall overboard.

https://www.fellmarine.com/