Do You Wear A Life Jacket When Canoeing

[DMan]

It's a given when we get out the paddles, we get out the life jackets. It's just not worth the risk. And then if we come across a challenging stretch we don't have to worry about how deep the water is.

[MountainMan22]

I've never been on a canoe, but if I were, I'd certainly wear a life vest. You just never know what can happen and you have to be prepared for whatever a river will throw your way. It's better to be safe than sorry.

[Newanderthal]

A buddy of mine was paddling with his dog. A blue heron flew overhead and his dog wanted to catch it. Dog leapt to one side of the boat and stood on the gunwales. The canoe was suddenly upside down. In the swamp.
You never know what will happen, or when. Wear the life jacket.

[cgaphiker]

Yes I do. I'm not a strong swimmer, plus as others have mentioned, I can't swim at all unconscious.

[briansnat]

I wear it sometimes. Always when paddling cold water, always when paddling big water, always when paddling whitewater, always when paddling solo.

But for paddling tame, shallow streams in the summer with a partner I usually don't wear it.

[BigSky]

On a lazy river with swimming temperature water then no, I don't wear a life vest. If the water is cold then I always wear a life vest. If it's a river I've never been on before then I always wear it.

[hiking_and_biking]

Originally Posted by Terry

I can't swim well, so I like to wear a vest just in case. We usually paddle around the edge of lakes and streams but there's always that one spot where you have to cross deep, open water. I feel a lot more secure with my vest on. Do you wear a life jacket or vest when you canoe?

We always wear life jackets when we're out on water, regardless. (Well, unless we're in a swimming pool, lol.) I can swim well, but I just don't feel comfortable on a body of water that I can't see through if I don't have a life jacket on!

[ChadTower]

Always. I grew up in NS where the current is so strong, and the water so cold, people die all the time. I have lost too many family members off of fishing boats off the coast. The tides are so volatile that fresh water outlets can vary 15-20 feet of depth in a few hours. Not wearing your lifejacket is asking to die.

Here in MA, that is not the case, but it's just so alien to be on the water without a jacket on that I still always wear it. Anyone in my canoe wears one or they don't get in. We use vest type Class III PFDs that do not restrict movement at all, have a ton of pockets, and are new every third year. There is no excuse for not wearing one.

As for the calm shallows, I once saw a guy fishing without a jacket in about 5' of water. He got some huge bite, somehow managed to get excited and flipped his canoe, and something whacked his temple. He was nearly out cold, face down, in 5' of flat water. If he were alone he might have died for no reason at all.

[racoon]

I can not imagine anyone not wearing one! Don't they realize how exhausted they could become flailing around in the water and trying to swim to shore? I'm the same as Newanderthal, I am terrified of drowning and I have nightmares where I wake up in the middle of the night trying to catch my breath. It's an awful feeling! I make sure my dog has his on, too.

[hikingprincess]

I always wear a life jacket when I am in a small craft. I just feel much safer that way since I am not a super strong swimmer.