Does anyone have any info on using a float tube in Pa? I have read the regs, and even asked a GW about, do you HAVE to wear or HAVE accessible a pfd when using a float tube in Pa. Neither gave a law statine that a pfd must be worn or even accessible. Can anyone shed some lite on this? Thanks
this says you must wear one
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/recreation/fishing.aspx
this one too
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishpub/summary/pfbcproperty.html
for the sake of safety, why wouldn’t[/b] you wear one?
Back in the summer when my head was in the water and my feet in my float tube I thought about pulling the yellow tab on my pfd. I escaped drowning without it but the thought crossed my mind and I was glad I had it on.
In GA you have to have one with you, but why lug one around instead of wearing it?
Here in CT I got stopped by a CO one time before I even made it into the water
It hadn’t even occured to me that I was required to have a PFD in a float tube.
Here, just as it is with any other watercraft, having one but not wearing it would be perfectly legal, but that in in my mind is not very logical
thanks for the info. in ohio a float tube is not even considered a watercraft, so no pfd is required. thanks again
So much can go so wrong so fast that you really should have a policy of wearing your PFD from water’s edge to water’s edge. I’ve reached to age where I think I am also going to start wearing mine even on a pure wade outing. I never have mine off in the kayak, regardless of water depth or speed.
tealswatr,
You may want to visit you Ohio Regulations and read them. They do state that a PFD is required on “Mannually Propelled Watercraft” and they list canoes, kayaks, rubber rafts, etc. No, they do not list a “Floattube”, but, it is Mannually Propelled and an agent may write you up. There is just too many “loop holes” which would allow them to write you up and if that happened, it would just ruin your day on the water.
Just providing this so that maybe you will not get written up and nothing more…
warrenp; ohio requires a pfd to be on board. not to be worn , unless on certain size boats and ages. i use to work for the enforcing agency.
Bob, … I changed over to a Mustang inflatable so I use it while wading all the time. I’m not sure if it’s Coast Guard approuver as a PFD in US or Canada. I believe so.
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=172&mc=5
Edit:
Ooops … From the Mustang web site:
“The MD1165 (Deluxe Inflatable Fisherman Vest) and the MIV-10 (Inflatable Fisherman Vest) do not carry approvals from either Transport Canada or Canadian Coast Guard.”
As a kid, I remember being stopped by game guys from time to time in my inflatable boat. Never had a PFD and my folks long since stopped trying to regulale my time on the water. It was more like trying to control when the sun rose in the morning
not only did I never get in trouble but often got invited to go netting with them on fish sample days. or at the least half hour of where the fish should be that time of year.
Not to say that it is ok not to have a floation device, I just never wear one and never have. I guess being surprised that you are required to wear one is a matter of how you were raised. Or in my case left to my own.
some great stories about getting that boat back and forth on my bike but those should go somewhere else I imagine.
I’m a little late on this but I tube regularly in PA.
You need a TWO bladder float tube with a backrest counting as a second air bladder. You MUST wear a PFD with CO2 types like SOS Suspenders or an SOS waist belt PFD being fine. NO mechanical propulsion is permitted so it’s ALL flippers or paddles. (I actually had a Waterways Conservation Officer once ask me why I didn’t have a motor on mine and then insist I was wrong when I told him it was against the law. :shock:)
No permit or registration is required on PFBC lakes or DCNR lakes in PA State Parks although those rules are don’t apply to county or township parks with lakes. In those situations a county or township can prohibit float tube use on their property so it’s always best to identify ownership of a lake or pond before assuming it’s OK to tube there.
Have fun!