Life Jackets: I can see needing to have them in the boat, but why do we have to were them when we paddle.

Can anyone give me the reason?

Insurance!!!!

because the powers that be say so.

because people in PFDs look hot!

Because it just wouldn't be right to paddle without that special aroma we love to call Eau d'Old Lifejacket. What kind of existence would that be?

Kinda like having a flack jacket in a tank in Iran.
If you don't wear it. it don't do much good!

Like a tank...

Except we are paddling in six foot deep water...

It's there for a reason....and using it as a butt pad is not the it's intended purpose.

When something happens...you won't have the time to put it on.

You get hit by a couple of big waves...need to paddle your way through it ...you won't be able to put on your jacket ...boat flips... you go under...something hits you on the head....it happens.

And if you think that Dragon Boats don't flip....they do.

"And if you think that Dragon Boats don't flip....they do."

Name ONE time that a dragon boat has flipped in a practice or race environment. And you're not allowed to count the "safety" exercises where boats are intentionally flipped.

Dragonboats are VERY hard to flip. I've raced/practiced in a dragonboat in Asia and New York's Hudson and I have NEVER seen a boat flip. Sink? Yes. Flip? Nope.

If you get hit on the head while wearing a life jacket like the ones pushed on us you will drown as the life jacket will not flip you over.
Oh, and don't you think, M2, that it would be prudent to wear a helmet and as well? If you wore a helmet nothing could knock you out, right? So why take a risk and go without it?
I'm really getting sick of safety nannies on this forum and in this sport.
It's a water sport. People drown. Don't like the risk? Don't do the sport. Sit in your bath tub, wearing your life jacket, and masturbate freely.
A guy fell of Queen's Quay dock last weekend and drowned in Lake Ontario. Let's make all people in Toronto wear life jackets, just in case they come near Queen's Quay...

I raced there a couple of years ago and there was a flipped boat in almost every heat.

"People drown. Don't like the risk? Don't do the sport."

This is an organized sport, there are people that are involved with running the regattas & practice locations ...they're not goint to take the risk of being sued for negligence by having "people drown".

Don't like the rules, don't do the sport!!

Reality is that while they don't flip you over, PFDs are required by the insurers of events, just accept it. Don't like it, don't enter events.

"I'm really getting sick of safety nannies on this forum and in this sport. It's a water sport. People drown. Don't like the risk? Don't do the sport. Sit in your bath tub, wearing your life jacket, and masturbate freely."

If this world was perfect, then there won't be any relatives of monkeys who drown during an event that sue the organizers. PFDs along with safety boats are there to meet reasonable measures to ensure safety of participants. This is what staves off lawsuits, not the waivers. You can say all you want that you won't sue, but someone will do it on your behalf, especially if you're dead.

"Name ONE time that a dragon boat has flipped in a practice or race environment. And you're not allowed to count the "safety" exercises where boats are intentionally flipped."

I was in a race at GWN where the boat in the next lane rammed us midship (midboat?) shortly after the start and the boat DID flip. There were several members of my crew that got trapped under the boat. The crew was unanimous in expressing how they were very glad to have had PFDs on, even the strong swimmers. It happened to another boat near the finish that same day. I have also seen it happen at the island.

Bottomline: Don't like it, don't paddle.

If they really gave a **** about people drowning we'd be forced to wear stuff like this
As it stands, the current setup is all for show. Oh, and I'll bet you that you don't have your jacket on correctly when you wear it, making it useless.

That's the point, they may or may not give a **** about people drowning, but they are covering their butts.

Hmmmm... lessee now, I've seen three tippings.
Two were at the finish line of a 500m race. Helped pull some of them out. After a full-out 500m sprint, they were floundering, and flopping about like, er.....

....ehhh...

...flounders...

Last tipping I saw was at the Quebec cup last year. Super 40 week pregnant lady reassured all of the "panicky" men that she was just fine, and that nothing would happen if she sat in the caller's seat.

Her whole team went in the water at the turn.

I think if you check the rules now, there'll be something in there about pregnant ladies not being allowed in the boat.

You see? Rules exist so that dumbasses like you don't hurt themselves, or at least, f**k everything up for everybody else.

Now be a good boy, shaddap, and put on your life vest like you're supposerd to. Or else just throw it on the goddamned deck of the boat if they gracious enough to allow you to, as they do at MIDBRF.

"As it stands, the current setup is all for show. Oh, and I'll bet you that you don't have your jacket on correctly when you wear it, making it useless."

FMG is the only one that cares enough to make sure that everyone's life jackets are on securely.

Define "Flip" Morons. So far I have seen only 1 post that might be an actual flip. "Flipping" means the bottom is in the air. Not a violent rock that shoots people out. If the boat ends up sitting in the water like it usually does (perhaps with more water in it), then its called tipping not flipping.

^^^ I can assure you that our boat "flipped" when we got rammed at GWN. The boat was upside down in the water on top of 4 of my crew. The other one that I saw the same day was also most definitely a FLIP, as was the one that I saw at the island. That makes 3 flippings that I saw or was a part of. Not all of us are challenged when it come to figuring which side of the boat faces up.

QED.