A word of warning from experience.

[mickeyblueyes]

I waited a few days and waited to post this to think about it, I was out on a nice lake upstate near Syracuse. Sunset and it was gorgeous. Grandkids were paddling and I sat in the middle, daughter had her own kayak.

We set ashore and the kids got out to swim, as dis daughter to watch them, I paddled out about 100-200 yards off shore to bass fish. So nice peaceful casting retrieving. Very quiet.....a family in a small pleasure craft comes past me and waves and passes by..........a few moment latter the wake caught up to me and flipped me right in the lake. Now I am in big trouble to far for me to swim in my feeble condition, the canoe would not float,every time I leaned on it ,it went under I generally never ever panic but this time I had cause to. Daughter started out to get me but it was getting harder and harder to stay above water.. At this point I truly believed I was going to drown,and was a miserable way to go. The boat that passed me turned around and at the last second threw me a life jacket to hold on to. They then pulled me up on board. Tied up canoe and took it ashore and me as well. Even offered me dry clothes.Now let me say I have been canoeing my entire life and never tipped a canoe ever. It was not even in my dreams.
Now I own this and if i had died it would have been my own fault for not having a life jacket.I will never step in a water craft again with out my own.

I am writing this so you too can think twice about what might happen out of the blue. No matter how much experience you have it just don't matter. Please never let a child or yourself get in ant water craft with out a proper life jacket. I don't care if I get invited out the the Moriches inlet to fish on a boat, I aint going with out a jacket, and everyone on the boat can break my nuts ,I saw my life slipping away once. Take care Mike.

[Aquabach]

If you are physically not able or not trained to handle the water being on it in a small craft without a life preserver on is a receipe for disaster.
I'm so happy it turned out okay for you. It could have been awful.
I'm also glad you shared this with people.
Share it more.
You may save someone else's life.,

[DrBrianDDS]

Wow. Yes, don't feel intimidated to bring/wear one at anytime. Depending how often you go, you could consider an inflatable one, but they do need some maintenance. Also, if ever have to deal with wake like that again, then try to point the bow of the boat/canoe into the waves.

[bigbore44]

Glad that you're ok, and thanks for posting it.

[pequa1]

the majority of boat fatalities in NY are from paddle craft, and 90% of those are drowning without a PFD. I have never kayaked without mine, but I admit when we are on our 18' bay boat the PFDs are in the cabinet. On a VERY quiet lake near here I also admit I would sit on mine while canoeing. and while I swim laps daily from May to late September, conking ones self on the head while capsizing tends to make one forget how to do the Australian Crawl. Glad you are OK Mickey and thanks for posting. It could save another's life.

as a BTW, my kayak tends to float up and over the 40 footer wakes down here on the bay if I take them broadside. if you do take any head on don't paddle ! it causes the bow to "dig in"

[RJM]

Scary stuff. I went with something like this when I had a sailboat. Just in case but doesn't lock you up in a full vest.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--deluxe-manual-belt-pack-life-jacket-with-hydration-pouch--15911290?recordNum=23

[SirMixAlot]

I've had the boat on blocks for 3 years now, waiting until the kids are good enough to swim on their own. IMHO, Moriches Inlet is one of the most dangerous inlets on LI.
Say can I have those coordinates so I can try to fish out those rifles from that accident?

Take care of yourself Mike, its moments like these that make you appreciate how fragile life is..least it ended well for you...

[Mad Russian]

Make yourself a set of outriggers for the canoe

[Barnslayer]

Water safety, like firearms safety is something we should all learn as kids.

[Rubbermittens]

Im an excellent swimmer yet do not play on the water without a life jacket. I am very glad you are OK

[Jarheadsergeant]

Glad you are OK. I swim at least 3-4 times as week and still wear a life preserver

[cas]

PFD, always.

Countless people die every year for being stupid just like you were. That may sound rough, but looking back and at the time, you were probably thinking the same thing. They all think the same thing, that they're good swimmers or it won't happen to them, but it does. Often.


Personally... safety aside, I wouldn't use my kayak or canoes without my vest, all that extra padding makes for a much more comfortable paddle.

[class3]

Mike you're welcome to come out Moriches inlet with me in any time for some stripers but yes you will be wearing a PFD just like me and everyone else on my boat. And that's a 22 foot Boston Whaler, not a canoe!

[LI Ammo]

The patriarch of the Karp's Hardware family died in Huntington Harbor after falling out of a small boat. He was a lifelong boater and was not wearing a life jacket. It killed him.

If you have an unrelated incident, like a slip and fall, and hit your head on the way out of the boat, or have a heart attack, etc, being a good swimmer just won't help. You will drown.

[GunsNGolf]

Speaking as a former Coast Guardsman, I have rescued plenty of people that found themselves in their situation because of complacency. You think your experienced and let your guard down. Fortunately you're alright. Glad you learned your lesson and understand how risky it is to be unprepared out on the water.

Most importantly, I'm glad your alright.