cuda
Banned
Yes!
Headlines
At what speed do you wear lifevests?
- Thread starter GRADS
- Start date
Yes!
cuda
Banned
I'd much rather wear one and not need it, than visa versa.
I had a good friend drown a few years back. He was tossed from his boat at about 35, and people saw him treading water until he just slipped under the water. He'd still be with us today if he had put on a life jacket.
If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the one's who care about you. I can guarantee they won't mention at your eulogy how fast you were going when you drownd.
I had a good friend drown a few years back. He was tossed from his boat at about 35, and people saw him treading water until he just slipped under the water. He'd still be with us today if he had put on a life jacket.
If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the one's who care about you. I can guarantee they won't mention at your eulogy how fast you were going when you drownd.
cuda
Banned
thanks for your concern , i boat mostly in lake havasu and I never saw anyone wearing life vests [fast or slow] , i know its dangerous,but i only run the boat hard when i know its safe , be honest running the skater at 120 to 140 it feels like a Cadillac, i have full control of the boat, again thank you all for your comments, im glad to see all you guys are much safer then us
I didn't know Caddilacs were immuned to wrecks. Why bother putting a steering wheel in them, much less seat belts?
(note to self: Never boat on Havasu)
VetteLT193
New member
I haven't ever worn one except for in sea-doos... but am going to make an effort this year to do so.
Tank
Charter Member
Totality of the circumstances dictates when I wear one.
Been well over 100 in calm lake water with out a vest.
Been doing 10 mph in 8 foot seas and 40mph winds in the ocean and had a vest on.
I've seen people die at 30 mph with vests on and die at 110+ with vests on. Sh!t happens, a vest doesn't mean you're going to survive a catostraphic event. If it's your time to go, you-are-outtahere!
Just my .02
Been well over 100 in calm lake water with out a vest.
Been doing 10 mph in 8 foot seas and 40mph winds in the ocean and had a vest on.
I've seen people die at 30 mph with vests on and die at 110+ with vests on. Sh!t happens, a vest doesn't mean you're going to survive a catostraphic event. If it's your time to go, you-are-outtahere!
Just my .02
cuda
Banned
It means you are 80% less likely to drown. You say when it your time, you're outta here. I'm not sure, but I bet it increases your odds at least tenfold of NOT shooting yourself, if you DON'T play Russian Roulette. You're playing Russian Roulette with your lifejackets, and your life.
cuda
Banned
cuda
Banned
Yep, good luck on it staying on you at anything over 20 mph.
T2x
Icon/Charter Member
That's the point exactly. Somebody(s) dies and safety comes back around. Time passes and then somebody else (who missed the funeral) buys a boat, thinks it rides like a limousine and doesn't realize how fast things can go wrong if a prop comes off, or a drive seizes, or he thinks it handles so well he can turn it just a little tighter....in calm water...at 100 much less 130. Bottom line, before you have time to react or even blink, bodies are flying around ballistically, your windshield is slicing your arm off, and your wife is doing a face plant into your cute little billet speaker cover. Believe me having life jackets on provides flotation and rib/upper body protection (especially with the ballistic inserts). Having gone right through the cockpit wall of a race boat and been upside down more times than I care to remember, I know first hand that good lifejackets are worth their weight in platinum times 10.
By the way the logic behind rough versus calm water life jacket wearing completely escapes me. High speed accidents occur more often in calm water. Rough water slows you down...but can sink more boats.
One more thing, no matter how good you think you are as a driver...if you have kids, or people who love you.....see the picture below.
T2x
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AugiePensa
The Godfather
Another good pratice is wearing kill switches along with your Lifeline jacket in open boats. Maybe even a helmet. We stuffed in NYC in 2004, the doctors in the hospital said if I hadn't had a helmet and the lifeline on I wouldn't be here. My helmet (which was a Bell and three months old) cracked in four places. The thickness of the lifeline and the colar prevented my neck from snapping. Cracked two bones in the neck but I'm still here...Kinda. Just a thought. I have a lot more respect for the water.
T2x
Icon/Charter Member
Augie:
For purposes of educating others....How fast were you going when that happened?
Rich
Ratickle
Founding Member / Super Moderator
And a hope to ride with someone else....:sifone:
T2x
Icon/Charter Member
In terms of really high speed (hydroplane) accidents
Life jackets have frequently kept people afloat wih massive injuries long enough to have been saved. Without a jacket they would have slipped unconsciously under water..and been lost. This happened most recently in Maryland, as I recall, a year or two back.
As far as helmets are concerned, they can't hurt. At speeds over 100 probably a good idea.......see "face plant" comment above. There is a higher risk of "bucketing" if you are thrown out or encounter a blast of water with a full face helmet, so either a flip up mouth guard or some form of neck brace/HANS device is also a good idea.
T2x
Ratickle
Founding Member / Super Moderator
lucky strike
Charter Member
That's the point exactly. Somebody(s) dies and safety comes back around. Time passes and then somebody else (who missed the funeral) buys a boat, thinks it rides like a limousine and doesn't realize how fast things can go wrong if a prop comes off, or a drive seizes, or he thinks it handles so well he can turn it just a little tighter....in calm water...at 100 much less 130. Bottom line, before you have time to react or even blink, bodies are flying around ballistically, your windshield is slicing your arm off, and your wife is doing a face plant into your cute little billet speaker cover. Believe me having life jackets on provides flotation and rib/upper body protection (especially with the ballistic inserts). Having gone right through the cockpit wall of a race boat and been upside down more times than I care to remember, I know first hand that good lifejackets are worth their weight in platinum times 10.
By the way the logic behind rough versus calm water life jacket wearing completely escapes me. High speed accidents occur more often in calm water. Rough water slows you down...but can sink more boats.
One more thing, no matter how good you think you are as a driver...if you have kids, or people who love you.....see the picture below.
T2x
Everything you said, says it all.
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