PFD's and White Water

Fishing Paddling
1

I thru Canoes on the Lower Mountain Fork River at Broken Bow Oklahoma for 5 seasons and almost every Client I Shuttled would Strap everything Including their Lifejackets to the Nose Cones of their Canoes.
This is the wrong thing to do while on any Float trip of any level River.
Anyone in their right mind should realize that if your Boat gets hung up and you get washed downstream, your PFD will follow you and anything you dont strap down will come downstream with you.
BUT…if it’s tied to your Nose Cone,Yoke or Thwart your gonna get yourself in Big Trouble sooner or later.

Remember if your Canoe is hung up in the Rocks or wrapped around a tree etc,. you will at least have your stuff floating along with you …Swim over and get it.
You can’t very easily swim Upstream to get it.
Stay safe and Don’t strap Anything to the Canoe…if ya loose it OH WELL it can be replaced ,you can’t.
I suggest find a Compfortable PFD and Keep it on…if ya get too hot, keep it wet you’ll stay Cool and worry free.
They even make PFD’s for your favorite pet.

2

That is the best option - keep it on! I did Search & Rescue for 15 years in which we spent quite a bit of time searching for people missing from boats or river banks. The families of just about every single one of them said that their drowned loved one was “a good swimmer.” Even good swimmers struggle in the water from an accident or emergency.

3

When I was a kid my dad ALWAYS made sure we had our pfd’s on whenever we were in the boat and he always wore his as well. It was a good habit that he taught us.