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To all hands,
(My two cents worth)
When racing in PHRF races up here in cold  New England it is required by the "PHRF Racing Rules" that all on board a vessel racing in a race will wear a PFD when crossing the start line and also when crossing the finish line (Not required during the race). This is not the same as when the race committee determines that all participants must wear a PFD due to weather conditions.
There is also a rule at least in Massachusetts that all children under the age of 12 years must wear a PFD when around water.
I also vaguely remember a survey from a long time ago that stated that canoes where the number one cause of fatalities do to the fact that the wind will make a canoe act as a sailboat when a persons goes over the side causing the individual to get exhausted trying to catch up with the now empty canoe. The survey was for canoeist to wear PFD
The survey said that the second greatest cause of drowning on boats was attributed to boaters relieving themselves over the stern or side while in a boat usually after a long day of drinking and In a lot of the cases the boats were underway.
I do think the best way to go is educating boaters as to the dangers of not wearing a PFD. I feel no amount of legislation can cover the wide range of circumstances that may require the wearing of a PFD that boaters would face in real life.
Jim
S/V "Yankee Traveler"
1976 C27 #2791
Newburyport, MA
-------Original Message-------
Date: 02/07/06 15:13:58
Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: Mandatory PFD usage in Maryland
As a Maryland resident and boater, I (we) appreciate your points of view
regarding this
kind of legislation.
The thing is, if can happen in Maryland, it can happen in your state!!
Example: since our anti-business "Walmart" bill has been passed, already
2 OTHER state legislatures
have drafted copycat legislation.
Another thing that really rankles me, is that the CG Auxer's are
scheduled to testify on
behalf of this proposed legislation (i.e., in favor of the proposed
mandatory useage)...isn't
this bill a bit of a violation of the tradition, whereby the skipper of
the vessel is ultimately the
one who makes the determination, depending on condits, experience of
crew. etc?
tf
standing opposed
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