A fly fishing partner and former list subscriber just got his first
pontoon boat and has asked some relevant questions about PFDs which
apparently WDFW requires. Not having a ready answer to all his
questions, I thought I'd pass them along to the group to gather and
review our collective wisdom.
Am I correct in recalling from a thread about a year or so ago that
PFDs are *NOT* required for those who fish from float tubes but *ARE*
required for those using pontoon boats, rafts, drift boats, etc.?
If PFDs are required for pontoon boats, must they be worn at all
times (like the SOSpenders I have) or can they be in the form of the
floating seat cushions more commonly seen on rigid-hulled boats?
Put another way: does one fishing from a pontoon boat have to wear a
PDF at all times? If so, why does this requirement not seem to apply
to other types of boats as well?
Finally (and someone please jump in to correct me if I've
misunderstood this), what does the USCG Type III designation for some
PDF's mean and why is this the 'approved' type of PDF that WDFW
accepts, or are other designations also acceptable?
Thanks,
Kent Lufkin
