Life Jackets and Boat Fishing

[Ell]

What is the accepted wisdom? As I understand it, anyone on a small boat / dinghy should be wearing one at all times. I have also heard it said that you should be wearing a life jacket at all times regardless whilst fishing. Not so long ago a life jacket would basically be made out of the polysterene you got after unpacking your latest betamax video machine, covered in yellow rubber, with a couple of bits of string to tie it round your neck with. Now it is a bit different but a good un probably costs twice as much as a decent rod (?) and looks like a necktie. Should we be wearing them?

[willywetegg]

This is something that I know nothing about and think it would be good if some one did post \"The rules\". When I used to go boat fishing, a long time ago mind we used plastic suits to keep out the wind and rain. I am sure, although we all enjoyed those days they were not the safest.

I was of the belief that a flotation suit was the norm. I am only a beach fisherman though. Thanks Ell for bringing this up. If any one does know what should be worn I think a few people would be grateful.

[TC]

Hmmm, Ell...I dunno.

I can see the logic in saying \"YES\" to your question BUT....

Do pasengers on planes wear parachutes ?

Do you wear Hi-Viz clothing when crossing roads ?

Do you wear a hard hat every time you go up a ladder ?

etc., etc., etc., etc.

[boblydon]

Good point to bring up Ell,most of the boat anglers i know dont wear them,withe the exception of Dave Mason and Marc,but we all do carry them,it is one of those things like insurance you have but hope never to need them,i think that once you got in the habit of wearing one you would put it on all the time without thinking about it,and i cant see how they could make fishing anymore difficult wearing one

[Marc]

As Bob says I always wear one. There not as bulky as they look. They did used to be big bloody cumbersome things that really restricted you but nowadays they are small and light. I\'ve got a couple of the gas cartridge type which i think were about £50, just pull the toggle and it self inflates. I don\'t think they are a life jacket, more of a bouyancy aid which will roll you over onto your back if you are face down in the water, bit of a contradiction there as when I\'m in the water I\'m normally to get under it face down, but you know what I mean. .

Any way top and bottom of it, I allways wear one just in case and as Bob says, after a few times I don\'t even realise I\'ve got one on.

[Charlton]

What price a life, from the worst offender, i never wore one

Tony why do passengers on planes always have life jackets, after falling from 35,000 feet i would of thought a shuvel would be more appropriate

[Tat]

If you look at the fluff chuckers on boats,I think water rules say they HAVE to wear them.I dn\'t think they are full scale ones,just those little ones that look like 70\'s lapels.

[charlie]

u try saying fluff chucker after 5 pints and a bottle of red :P

[boblydon]

Many anglers who trail boats wear chest waders to launch and recover their boats , wear them all the time they are fishing, not that i used to do that all them years ago of course,am sure Mr Charlton will agree with that one....NOT !!!

[Charlton]

If you wore then all the time Bob, everytime you where over the side being sick they would have come off when we tried to pull you back in.

[boblydon]

pull me back in??? you used to leave me there and tell me to swim back to cullercoats ha ha ha

[alan]

I\'ve been on a few charter boats and i have never been offered or asked if i needed a life jacket,you would think it was in the best interest of the skipper to ask you.It makes no difference if you are a non swimmer or a great swimmer if you are 20 miles out and god for bid your boat goes down you won\'t be able to swim back to shore,i\'am a \"ok\" swimmer maybe i could swim 1/2 a mile at a push in a swimming pool but try it out at sea,whats the closest you would fish to the shore ? I must admit it has crossed my mind before when i was out from Seahouses a couple of years ago there was a massive sea/swell on (it was safe and just fishable) and i wondered what if !

I wonder if there is any Skippers looking in to hear there opinion (charter)

[braine]

Reading the Sea Angler this month you need a 20 footer just to carry the safety gear! As a minimum nowadays you should wear a lifejacket. The gas canister type are quite cheap. £35 at Whitby boat jumble brand new. Light and easy to wear, what is your life worth? We all wear safety belts in the car don\'t we?

[braine]

I remember in the 70\'s when the coble \"Our Boy\" was run down in Hartlepool Bay while fishing. There was only one survivor and the only thing that saved him was an air pocket at the back of his \"Pakamac\" that kept him afloat. No lifejackets then. 4 lives lost.

[DaveMason]

The guidelines are pretty simple . One LIFEjacket ( Not flotation aid ) for every person on board - in open waters this should be 150 newtons . The bewildering aray of types is academical as the actual cartridges are made by a few manufactures so they are all basically the same .

There are some excellent ( and free ) leaflets from the RNLI , just e-mail them and they will send you the lot . Don\'t just pick out the bits of info that suits you , there is a very good reason for every recommendation in there .

The secret is don\'t fall in in the first place :P