PFD – Not just another acronym, it could save your life.

In the wake of FLW Tour angler Nik Kayler’s death on 5 January during the season opener of the FLW Costa series on Lake Okeechobee in Florida, issues are once again being raised around the requirements of PFD’s - Personal Floating Devices - being used during tournament conditions. Florida authorities reported that the 21’ Ranger, Kayler and tour pro Bill Kisiah encountered rough water on their return to the check-in on the first day of the event. Both anglers were ejected from the boat but Kisiah managed to swim back to the Ranger until help arrived. Nik Kayler however was unfortunately nowhere to be found. Stranded in the middle of Lake Okeechobee, during a storm, in frigid water conditions, reports suggest that he eventually succumbed to hypothermia. On the recovery of his body nearly 5 days later Nik was still wearing the dark blue foam filled PFD he departed the launch ramp with, however anglers are now questioning the regulations around specific life vests. In Canada it is mandatory that all boaters wear a fluorescent life vest in order to aid rescue efforts in big open water conditions, so why not in all tournaments world-wide? We can only speculate if wearing a bright orange life vest would have helped rescue teams reach Nik sooner, but the theory behind it is sound. Manufacturers of life vests and self-inflating PFD’s might think they are being fashion forward using dark blue, black, red and even camo designs, but when you’ve fallen overboard or have been thrown out of your boat you do not want to blend in with the monotone green, brown or in some dams blue water surroundings! Although it looks good wearing a PFD that matches your outfit, it won’t aid in anybody seeing you from a distance, let alone rough water conditions with 4ft waves. I recall doing the first on the water testing of our Crackleback 570 at Bronkhorstspruit Dam in the middle of December a few years back. Getting the boat on the plane we narrowly missed a skier who had gone down on a run. The ultra-hip guy in the path of our 5,7m boat barreling down on him was completely unaware of the danger he was in, bobbing around on the surface like a seal, kitted out in a jet-black wet suit and matching PFD. If anything can be learned from the incident as a worldwide bassing collective is that safety at any point in time should come first. I know most local tournaments require all anglers to wear a PFD when the main motor is running faster than idle speed, but with such lackadaisical laws implemented by SAMSA – the only requirement is that you must have PFD’s on board and not worn - I am very surprised more boating related deaths aren’t reported each year. Can you even imagine running across the Vaal Dam in 40km/h winds without wearing a life jacket but merely having them stored in a hatch – it is down right insanity! If legislation can’t regulate stupidity it is up to us anglers to ensure our own and our crew’s safety. But then there is the argument for wearing a self-inflating PFD all day that uses a gas cylinder to inflate a bladder in the vest on contact with water. It makes sense to be wearing a PFD at all times as in bass fishing anything can happen, but I know of cases where the cylinder failed to inflate causing anglers to sink meters under the water before resurfacing. If you were wearing a foam PFD you would be floating already, but anglers rightly point out that a foam-filled life jacket is uncomfortable to fish in and only wear them when traveling. A little discomfort however is a small price to pay to save your life; alternatively it creates an opportunity for PFD manufacturers to design one that offers the best of both worlds, all day comfort with guaranteed flotation. Until that happens I’ll be on the look out for the brightest lumo PFD I can find. Yes, when I’m out on the water I will look goofy like I just left the gym, or worse a trance party, but in the event I ever go into the drink I would rather have you see me than not! Be safe out there.