Agree with Frank.

Someone told me a long time ago that there used to be a military test for aspiring pilots that involved being turned upside down in the water (simulating a water ditch). My understanding is that a lot of them had trouble with that test. The panic of being in the water and being upside down caused them to miss the key factor; un-belting themselves to escape.

I would never belt myself into any water craft and I've been spending time on the water for well over 50 years.

Pocono

This is very unfortunate, I cant see the logic in teathering one's self to somthing that might over turn or sink

over here they have been looking at making life jackets (pfd's) a legal requirement.

Chris

That is sad.
Understandable in that I bet it happens (flips) in a hurry. Even though there are a gazillion guys that float without incident this incident woke me to having the most stable tube I can get for cheap insurance. That plus maybe wearing the PFD that I always have, and never wear.
*Chris; we have a law that says that you must be in possession of a PFD in a boat. You don't have to be wearing it. I don't know if that applies to float tubes or not.

Hi Jimmie,

Here in Florida if you use an inflatable PFD you must have it on to qualify as a PFD in your boat. You must have a life preserver for every sole on board.

Frank

We have the same requirement here in Wyoming too. You are not required to wear them but there must be one for each occupant in the boat.

The way your stripping apron attaches across your lap in a tube, as in my fish cat 4, can "belt" you in the boat. We keep hearing of guys in such boats who lean forward netting fish, grabbing for their tippet or flies and tipping over to the front.

I now wear a manual inflate pfd and I do NOT lock in the stripping apron in front of me. One would have to stay very calm under water to undo 2 connections, one of which is velcro, but is buried behind your right hip next to your seat.

...and I cannot imagine a float tube in moving water. I've seen it, but no thanks...

-Mike

I've worn and been responsible for all the life saving equipment at my USCG unit. We use an inflatable system that is manually deployable rather than automatic. We also used a harness and tether system with a quick release for our machine gunners on our boats and in case of an overturn you had to be able to escape the tether. Manually inflating a pfd isn't a hard task in calm conditions but add in factors including improper wear or failed inflation and it becomes a whole new ball game. We've lost guys because of failed inflation so I would suggest becoming very familiar. Personally if I'm in the water in a vessel I'm jacketed up no matter what. All it takes is a split second and you are in the water.