: I never go on the water without a PFD. I paddle 99.9 percent on
: open ocean where the water temps at the height of summer rarely
: go above 13 celsius. The very rare times I paddle on warm fresh
: water, I still wear PFD. The only time I don't wear a PFD is at
: the pool sessions because I don't want the chlorine to destroy
: it. Even at the pool, a number of paddlers choose to wear PFD's
: because they are practising their rolls and they want to have
: the same buoyancy levels as they do when on the water.

: There are any number of reasons to wear a PFD but I think the most
: important is to keep you afloat when you least expect the need
: for that assistance. You can suffer a medical emergency (heart
: attack, stroke, seizure) at any time but, unlike on land, if you
: have one on the water, you can very easily drown. This is
: especially true if you solo paddle. The PFD can be that helping
: hand to keep you afloat until assistance arrives or your recover
: enough to get to shore. A medical emergency can happen on any
: type of water and no matter what way you look at it, water is
: water and it can drown you - no matter if it's flat, rough, deep
: or shallow.

: In cold water conditions is has been well documented that most
: people will succumb to drowning BEFORE hypothermia. Cold water
: saps your strength very quickly and if you have to swim or tread
: water due to a lack of PFD, you will become exhausted very
: quickly and subsequently drown. Swimming, even a short distance,
: in cold water without proper thermal protection is not a very
: good idea. Also, the PFD will not only keep you afloat but it
: also helps retain heat in your core region.

: A PFD with pockets is also a great place to put your GPS, radio,
: EPIRB, snacks, keys, camera etc etc.

: If you find that your PFD is too warm, then a quick roll or static
: or sculling brace is a great way to cool down.

: Of course people should have the right to choose whether or not to
: wear a PFD. I just see it as a no-brainer for myself. My kids
: won't go near a boat without a PFD, just like they won't go near
: a bike without their helmets. I'm very glad that they I have
: instilled this in them. Of course "thinking of the
: children" is another reason why I always wear a PFD because
: I want to take all necessary precautions to make sure that I
: come back safely from every paddle.

: Below is a picture of my standard gear for spring paddling (This
: picture was taken on April 22, 2010). At the height of the
: summer I'll shed the mitts and balaclava but will stay with the
: drysuit and PFD,

: Sorry for the rant but I feel very strongly about safe paddling.

: Sean

Here here! Couldn't have said it better myself PFD is a standard equipment item, just as standard as a paddle as far as I'm concerned!

Dave g