Three Common PFD Mistakes and How to Fix Them
If you follow us on Instagram then you probably saw our cheeky reel today about life jackets or PFDs. But this is an important topic and we think it deserves more than just 15 seconds of air time. It’s easy for new paddlers to overlook how critical this piece of gear is and for seasoned paddlers to get a little complacent. Hey, we’ve all been there. Here are the top three most common PFD mistakes we see on the water and how to fix them.
Stowing an inherently buoyant PFD on your board.
While this one is *technically* legal by U.S. Coast Guard regulations, have you ever seen a SUP need to be rescued? We personally think it’s a mistake *not* to keep a PFD on your body at all times. Too many things can go sideways too quickly and when we least expect. What happens if you fall off and hit your head? What happens if you’re injured and can’t get to your PFD? What about shock if the water’s cold? While these may seem like extreme examples, why risk it? To be safe and self sufficient on the water, just wear the darn PFD.
Not wearing the PFD properly.
It’s not uncommon to see people paddling with their inherently buoyant PFD unzippered or not buckled properly. While they took an important step in actually wearing the PFD instead of stowing it on their board, it’s not going to work properly, or at all, if they need it in an emergency. Always make sure your PFD fits properly and is properly secured to you. This also goes for inflatable PFDs. More on those next.
Not actually wearing an inflatable PFD.
Inflatable PFDs are a great option for proficient paddlers who are also comfortable in the water. But way too often we see people not wearing them at all and instead, stowing them on their boards. Unlike #1, which is definitely just our opinion, albeit an experienced one, this one is Coast Guard regulation. There are a slew of classifications for inflatable PFDs that differ from inherently buoyant ones and determine whether the PFD needs to be worn to be counted towards a vessel’s life jacket inventory. But, chances are, the inflatable PFD you’re using is only legal if you’re wearing it, not stowing it. Beyond it being the law, it also just make sense. Otherwise, in an emergency, you have to find it, put it on, then deploy it - those three steps in that specific order. Why risk that?
We should also add that before you ever use it on the water, it’s important to actually know how your inflatable PFD operates since most require you to take action when you need the the device. To practice, get in the water, deploy it, and use the inflated PFD. Bonus move: buy a few extra CO2 cartridges so you always have one available in case of emergency (or in the case of accidental deployment - not that we’re at all speaking from experience here).
Trust us, we’ve heard every excuse in the book about why people don’t want to or shouldn’t have to wear a PFD. “I know how to swim,” “It’s too hot to wear one,” “I’m not paddling far from shore,” “It’s so restrictive,” “It’s right there on the board if I actually need it,” “I’ve never needed it before,” being some of the most common. But please, it’s not only the law to wear your PFD, it also keeps you and other paddlers safe on the water.
Sound off below on the PFD mistakes you see on the water and ways to fix them!
