Floatation Devices

[MikE mAy]

what are kiters take on floatation devices? i don't really see anybody use them but i have to be honest it is a fear of mine- growing tired in a lull at deer creek or getting seperated from my kite at places like the gorge and the coast. i'd like to get soemthing i can use when i turn yella. with some recent equipment sale money in my pocket and the deer creek event coming up soon, i'd like to maybe get on something this week.

what works the best? impact vest? kayak pfd? i've seen sal out iwth a kiddie orange boat pfd but it didnt' look comfortable. secondly i guess what is the least dorky to be using? i woudl asssume impact vest, but...

[Josh Shirley]

Mike get a pfd. Maybe someday the rangers will pick up on this issue and start handing out tickets. Anyone under 18 is required by law to wear a life jacket.
Boating laws say that those over 18 don't have to wear a jacket but have it readily available. US Windsurfing went to court years ago to exempt windsurfers from the law. Mainly because of the large floaty boards. Back then kiting didn't exist. Kiters don't have floaty anything. Are kiters exempt from wearing life jackets? well it hasn't been challenged in court - so the rangers could issue tickets. I just don't think it has happened hear yet. At the recent US Sailing training I was at in Hood River, the instructor mentioned that a certain sheriff has been issueing tickets when he can, and then the kiters have to fight it or pay it.

As far as safety goes, many windsurfers do wear life jackets. When not wearing a floaty wetsuit I put on my life jacket. There are a few pfd's made specifically for our sports. They fit nicely around your harness.

[Kenny]

Mike,

Some of the impact vests offer good floatation. You want to get a design that is sport specific so that it does not interfer with your waist harness.

I don't worry about it much anymore, I have always used my board as a kickboard when I had to paddle in. Guess it could be a problem if you got knocked out cold, but in that case you would need a pfd that floats your head above water.

Kenny

[Marty Lowe]

I always wear impact vest, the added flotation is a bonus.
(even nder my drysuit)

I now wear a Mystic, before that, the Promotion.

oldstyle
http://www.wetsuit.com/store/detail.cfm?product_id=363
newstyle
http://www.wetsuit.com/store/detail.cfm?product_id=582

Mystic
http://www.live2kite.com/index.php?cPat ... 01c724b2b7

I would sell my oldstyle Promotion, but it would be to big for you.
and I wont be back in town in time for you to use it this weekend.

-Marty

[Marty Lowe]

Kiters don't have floaty anything.

Josh,
This is not true, Kite bladders are good floatation,
even if main bladder looses air, not all struts would go flat.
kiter just has to work way up lines to get to the kite.
Only issue would be if the kite totaly got away from the kiter,
which is not very likely.
And of course the unconcious arguement applies to windsurfers also.
Kiteboards aren't super floaty, but will keep a person from sinking.

-Marty

[Josh Shirley]

Marty I agree with the unconscious thing - that is why I do the helmet thing.

I am not a kiter so I don't know all the tricks you guys have up the sleeve. I just wanted to make a point that we should think safety first, our families need us. And the second point is I think, just think and/or predicting, that kiters might have a pfd law issue in the future. Probably a non issue as of the present.

If I remember right last year in hood river there three windsurfers that drown during the summer session, as far as kiters I don't know. Our selective memories do well to get us thinking we are immortal.

[jason morton]

Mike-
Da kine makes a nice impact vest as well. I think Cloud 9 has them in stock.

[Mark Johnson]

I just use a dorky lifejacket. I have an extra iI will through in the truck in case someone wants to use it . The kind I have are actually comfortable just dorky looking. I would rather look dork than dead. A guy out at lincoln tonight had a I think JetPilot vest that he said he got online, Not sure if was just impact or also floatation. It looked like a nice one though I am going to check into it.
http://www.wakeside.com/product/id/136352.do

[Jason Klein]

I always use a PFD and a helmet. I'm sure the nerd alert sirens go off when i head out onto the water, but i figure if i knock myself out (which isn't too far fetched, i've hit the water pretty hard a few time this year while working on getting my jumps higher), i'll at least have a chance at not drowning. It also offers some impact protection. I had been wearing a waterski-type vest, but have recently switched over to a barebones kayak-type pfd. They kayak one is basically one triangular floatation piece in the front and one in the back, connected by straps. Much better arm mobility than the vest type and also doesn't come down as far, so it doesn't interfere with my waist harness. sort of like this one, but mine doesn't have pockets, etc, so its more streamlined: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/product_focus.jsp?OPTION=PRODUCT_FOCUS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&catcode=MAIN_SP_US.CLOTHING_GEAR.MENS.PFDS&style_color=86450-018&ws=

[btjsfca]

I wear a kayak PFD also. They are designed for free shoulder mobility, and to not interfere with the skirt that kyakers sit inside of, so they won't interfere too badly with a waist harness.

I've had a couple occasions where I would not have faired so well without floatation including a self-rescue in Cabarete. I wonder why not everyone has a PFD on, but I also don't float very well (~8% body fat).

-J