Safety Safety Safety

I was just setting here thinking about the possiblilty of a problem will float tubing my favorite waters. It is so possible for something to go wrong, and the more we get out there the more our chances grow. We will be covering this in the Wrokshop for all FTFF Members, because safety should always be first.

*So my first question is who on the board here actually wears there PFD will tubing there water?

*Next does anyone wear a wader belt out in the water?

*Last why or why not do you wear what you wear?

I personnaly have not been wearing my PFD for mobility reasons (so I can move more). Now I am thinking I like going home after my fishing trips so why don't I wear it. I have never had a wader belt and so would that be a good alternitive. There are a lot of members here now and a lot of them are new to the forum, so please be safe. This should always be our top priority, ok not above catching fish
Your turn what are you answers to the questions or what is your 2 cents.

No PFD or Wader belt when i fish the bays...but places like White Island or soon to fish PV i might take a PFD. but what you said it.... it's about mobility, the PFD slows me down,..

I tried wearing my PFD but was too uncomfortable and hurt my back since it's bulky and pushed me forward. Now I just clip it to my tube. My waders came with a belt so I always wear it.

I've seen a couple of close calls that made me want to pick up a blow horn.

Another concern is keeping your gear safe in case it accidentally goes into the drink. A lanyard or something tying your gear to your tube.

.:LOLLY:. wrote:

I've seen a couple of close calls that made me want to pick up a blow horn.

Haha I remember I would carry a blow horn with me, only to sneak up on my buddies tubing and blow it behind them lol

Don't wear my pfd, never have. No wader belt either. After surfing for some 35 yrs. and getting hammered by 10' waves on occasion, getting caught in wicked rip currents and surviving, I can't see that I'll be in a panic if I fall off my tube or something..what I hate most is Cold water..lol

OTH, if your not a great swimmer, or don't have a lot of experience in the ocean, then I would suggest doing everything you can to ensure your safety in case of a mishap.

BTW, has anyone worn one of the orange cheapie pfd's..? lol

When I'm in my tube, my wear my PFD. When I'm on the pontoon, no. I rather be uncomfortable and be safe than be sunken. when one bladder fails, you're pretty much screwed since the remaining bladder will not hold you up until you put on your PFD.

I dont have PFD so there for I do not wear one. I do wear my wading belt as if I do end up in the water I dont want my waders to fill up with water. I have read too meny different options on this subject so I just wear it.

Like Hammer said, if your not very good swimmer or dont feel comfortable in the ocean then you should take every means to be safe.
Its not cool when your face down and floating on the water.

I don't wear my PFD but have it on the backrest as the extra padding supports me while fishing. I have a belt for my breathable waders and do wear it.

OK so it looks like most don't wear there PFD for good reason, but I see some were a belt. I need to get me a wader belt before my next trip and I agree with TheAsianGuy better to be uncomfortable and safe then confortable and unsafe.
Well I still don't like wearing my PFD and more than likely wont the next time out. But a story I read on another site got me thinking about this. I think I will be looking into a better fitting PDF and give it a try when I have it. I am not the greatest swimmer, I mean I can save my own ass, but if my ass is in wader, not sure I can do much in that situation.
I have not (knock on wood) had a problem as of yet, but like I said the more we get out them more likely something is going to happen. Thanks for your comments keep them comming, and stay safe.

I don't wear my cheap orange PFD but clip it to my tube. Mainly to avoid some authority figure giving me problems but also as a safety thing.

I ALWAYS wear my wader belt (except all of last week cause I lost it hehe).

Even in the surf you should wear a wader belt..seriously. All it takes is for you to trip or get knocked over by a wave. Next thing you know you weigh an extra 50 pounds and you are screwed. I guess in the surf it's not a huge deal but I wear mine just in case.

For other safety things:

I wear a headlamp at night.

I always carry a knife with me..never know when you might need it. I never have yet (on my tube at least) but it's better to have one and not need it than to need it and not have one. I guess a knife isn't really a "safety" item but it sort of is.

No I think a knife is important and should be with you, if you going down might not be the most important this but it has other safety uses. Let me think about it I will come up with a few. Boy Scout book must have something in it about that.

Yea, to actually let you guys know...i think this is the DFG rules about float tubing cause once an agent told me i needed a whistle, PFD, net and some sort of LED light on the tube,.. I carry only one of those things lol

I carry my PFD on the back of my tube. I am an excellent swimmer. I insist on a wader belt for myself.

However, I will sight another personnel example as I have sighted others on this topic in the past. On the yak I got rammed and pommeled by rowers and paddles. I thinks most of you read this tale previously. Never saw it coming. IF I had been knocked out and off my yak, I doubt seriously doubt those two women would have been able to help me. If I had gone in the water face down I might not be here now. I like to think Doc could have saved me but I just don't know.
I'm not going to argue PFD pro and cons so much anymore. But I do offer this particular event and remind you all that it could happen to anyone. Danger seldom comes at you with any warning. This is the concept behind a PFD. It is for when you have no control and this is the area always ignored.
As with many sports there is a degree of macho attached. Float tubing is no exception. I am willing to take the chance. But I have thought it through and I have real life experiences as reference points. You (the collective you) should ask yourselves the same...and be honest about it...to yourselves..

A PFD my be the law and how will the ticket feel?

If you don't care about your own life please have a PFD with you in case someone else is in dire need on the water. I see it as a responsibility.

FFF post reads:

RIP to ____________________ man I never thought such an experienced tuber and excellent swimmer would drown like that? I was just fishing with him and then _____________________ and next thing I knew he was off his tube and floating face down unconscious. I tried to help but when I got in the water I had such a hard time turning his body over and administering aid. I tried to kick over to the dock/beach but I had no idea how heavy he would be. Neither one of us had a PFD on or with us. It took awhile to get anyone's attention and by the time the harbor patrol showed up he was gone.

I don't think this has ever happened. Probably never will.

I heard you should never...say never.

It was Easter morning about 7am. I got hit pretty good by those rowers. No authority saw it or ever responded.

Sorry about being all serious on this topic fellas. I don't mean any personal attacks on any one for the choices they make.

But no one should ever float tube in the that river called denial.

I have a thing about drowning, I don't think it would be fun.
I wear my PFD vest. It's a class 3, so not the best, but it should do fine, and I don't look too geeky wearing it on the lake. And I wear an "improvised" wader belt. I say improvised, cuz I never looked into whether or not there is an "official" wader belt, I just got one that I had that's a bit big, and synch it down tight after I get all dressed up for a day on the water.
I do also plan on getting a PFD boat cushion. Mostly because I want more back support on my Togiak, LoL

Good point re: a knife mass, and I should have mentioned my pfd is Always clipped to my tube. From my experience float tubes don't really do well in the surf, I've been flipped over twice, and those were small waves. Sucks having your sweatshirt soaking wet on a cold day..lol

Actually, I think in the bays, as per C.G. rules, you need a pfd, and some sort of noise maker, i.e. a whistle or the like. I don't see why a net would be required, but then who knows what some of those guys think of when writing up rules..I think a light is required, but only if it's dark out..?

Nice post Waxon...I agree with you. Even if your name is Michael Phelps and you can swim like a fish....you can never predict how things will go down on the water.


ALSO, my buddy got a $55 ticket (I believe in SD bay) for not having a PFD. I don't wanna drown but I also DO NOT EVER want to pay extra money to "the man".....so I try to remember mine all the time.


Also I carry a 10 foot length of chord on my tube which is tied to one of the D-rings and hasn't ever been removed. Why? Usually when I catch a legal hali that I decide to keep I'll run it through it's mouth and out the gill. BUT, the reason I started bringing it with me in the first place was in case I ever had to tie off to something. I would hate to be brought out to sea by 50MPH winds lol

I should have a PFD with me at all times but since my kick boat is hard shell I don't worry too much about it, on the rare occasions I do feel like wearing one I have a self inflating Mustang vest I wear that is great because you hardly notice it and doesn't affect mobility at all. A bit pricy worth the extra bucks in safety and comfort level.

On a side note I actually had someone ask me while tubing why I wasn't wearing a helmet... odd question but in a odd way also kind of makes sense if you think about boat and rowing traffic hitting you. Or with the way some of you guys cast a 2oz lead head.

HEY GUYS!
just went to the Seretta st. sale in kernville ( 1 1/2 miles of yards full of stuff)
one of the first stops i made was at a raft guides sale,
he had boxes of auot-inflate pfd s for $10.00 each (adult lg)
i know alot of guys that HAVE to have the pricey ones but,
cheap air floats just as good!
be safe out there!
and oh yeah...
follow them rules!

smith's handpoured baits wrote:HEY GUYS!
just went to the Seretta st. sale in kernville ( 1 1/2 miles of yards full of stuff)
one of the first stops i made was at a raft guides sale,
he had boxes of auot-inflate pfd s for $10.00 each (adult lg)
i know alot of guys that HAVE to have the pricey ones but,
cheap air floats just as good!
be safe out there!
and oh yeah...
follow them rules!

No Freakin' Way!!! Only 10 bucks for a PFD? That's a steal.

they have the street long sale every year on the 1st sat. of may.
3 years now we have gotten pfd s there.

Today I almost have a terrible story to tell!!!!
Wax and I planed to hit the LAB about 5-6pm but he couldn`t make it So I dacided to go solo. I brought my "U shape" Caddis wich I patch a pinhole the last 2 times I used it. I was able to add air every 5 mnts. and keep fishing. Well today it would`ve been a diferent story! I inflated my tube and when 80% inflated, PUP!! the blater ripped a hole about one inch long!! it deflated my tube in 10 seconds!! WOW! and I was about to launch with no PFD! I wear my belt and the tube has a little blater for back rest, but at night, alone; So I fished mothers bch shore and got skunk.
So Im not fixing this blader any more, Are all the U shape the same quality? It rips where the uper half is glue (more like vulcanized) to the lower part.
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I started out with a regular PFD, it was bulky uncomfortable and made me sweat. I ended up with an inflatable one and it was a very good choice. I wear my PFD everytime I go out on the water.
I also wear a fanny pack which is moved around to my belly. I keep scents, hooks, and small terminal tackle in it.

Aquaholic here is a good place to get the replacement bladders.

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smith's handpoured baits wrote:HEY GUYS!
just went to the Seretta st. sale in kernville ( 1 1/2 miles of yards full of stuff)
one of the first stops i made was at a raft guides sale,
he had boxes of auot-inflate pfd s for $10.00 each (adult lg)
i know alot of guys that HAVE to have the pricey ones but,
cheap air floats just as good!
be safe out there!
and oh yeah...
follow them rules!

Man I would have bought everyone that guy had...could have resold them and made a nice chucnk of change!

Aquaholic38 wrote:Today I almost have a terrible story to tell!!!!
Wax and I planed to hit the LAB about 5-6pm but he couldn`t make it So I dacided to go solo. I brought my "U shape" Caddis wich I patch a pinhole the last 2 times I used it. I was able to add air every 5 mnts. and keep fishing. Well today it would`ve been a diferent story! I inflated my tube and when 80% inflated, PUP!! the blater ripped a hole about one inch long!! it deflated my tube in 10 seconds!! WOW! and I was about to launch with no PFD! I wear my belt and the tube has a little blater for back rest, but at night, alone; So I fished mothers bch shore and got skunk.
So Im not fixing this blader any more, Are all the U shape the same quality? It rips where the uper half is glue (more like vulcanized) to the lower part.
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I'm glad your ok man. Jeez I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I got home after jury duty and just crashed.