Re: How often do you wear your life vest?
Interesting answers. I also identified with Tommys thoughts because I used to both sail and powerboat too. I always wore my PFD when sailing but didn't always do so in the powerboat. On the sailboat, especially when racing, I just felt like I was moving around on deck too much to ignore the possibility of going overboard.
I haven't sailed in years, so that aspect of my boating is no longer a factor. But, I do wear the vest almost all of the time, with the exception of times when the boat is not underway. I think I started doing this because, even though I have been a good swimmer since about the age of five, I realize that I am getting older and don't have the stamina that I once had. Louisiana gets extremely hot in the summer months so, yes, the PFD is uncomfortable at times. What I have come to learn about that, however, is that it isn't so bad when the boat is moving, so I just put it on for safety.
Another thing that has influenced my thinking about PFDs is having become a somewhat regular volunteer in SAR missions for both the USCG and our local Wildlife & Fisheries Dept. Simply put, when the people that we are looking for are found to be still alive, they almost always had a PFD on at the time of the accident or problem. When we find them dead, they almost always did not have the PFD on. That's a pretty sobering circumstance in my book. It is also enough to make me ignore any sense of discomfort involved in wearing a PFD.
