# Wear Your Life Vest !!!!!!!



## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

Sad, sad reminder here at Kickapoo this morning as we were launching. Fire and Rescue was dispatched to look for a boater whose boat was discovered near the Kickapoo bridge running in circles. I used to never put a life vest on, now I never take it off. The auto inflatables are not super expensive and you forget you have them on. Prayers for the mans family that was recovered this morning !!


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## DUman08 (Mar 22, 2010)

Accidents like this seem to be happening more and more. Thoughts and prayers to the family.


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

That's horrible. I hate to hear that. I too always wear my inflatable. I sometimes get some weird looks from other boaters, but then again, they won't be coming to my funeral.


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

Used to volunteer for search and recovery. Never did recover anyone with a PFD on. Inflatables are nice but the vest is good when you have a fall. Helps protect the body. Yeh I know from experience. 

Prayers for the family.


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

He actually had a house in the neighborhood and always launched at the ramp beside my house. Would go out at least twice a day when he was here; in fact he has been to our fish fry before; was an avid black bass fisherman; Crystal and I saw him come in last night as we sat on the deck. I will miss seeing him doing what he loved to do. Prayers to son David and rest of family.


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## McSpoon (May 18, 2016)

Wow, prayers for the family....


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## GaryI (Mar 18, 2015)

Story is here:
http://www.polkcountytoday.com/drowning042117.html


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## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

whsalum said:


> Sad, sad reminder here at Kickapoo this morning as we were launching. Fire and Rescue was dispatched to look for a boater whose boat was discovered near the Kickapoo bridge running in circles. I used to never put a life vest on, now I never take it off. The auto inflatables are not super expensive and you forget you have them on. Prayers for the mans family that was recovered this morning !!


 You couldn't have said anything more, great advice,


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

Cheapest LIFE INSURANCE you will ever BUY!!!!!!!!


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## nikki (Apr 14, 2011)

nikki said:


> You couldn't have said anything more, great advice,


Bout 35 yrs ago during a tourn on LL a friends steering broke on his bass rig and instantly spun the boat throwing him out (no kill switch in those days). He was towed in soakin wet but lucky to be alive but also lucky in this situation he didn't have a jacket on as he was able to dive preventing injury by the prop as the boat continued spinning at a high rate of speed over him. Next tourn he had anchored chains from transom to the ob. So we must always be alert and safe. Pray for the family.


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

nikki said:


> Bout 35 yrs ago during a tourn on LL a friends steering broke on his bass rig and instantly spun the boat throwing him out (no kill switch in those days). He was towed in soakin wet but lucky to be alive but also lucky in this situation he didn't have a jacket on as he was able to dive preventing injury by the prop as the boat continued spinning at a high rate of speed over him. Next tourn he had anchored chains from transom to the ob. So we must always be alert and safe. Pray for the family.


Same thing happened to me


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

My friend Matt thought me to wear a life vest. FIshing at the Dam. You fall over and no chance to get back in that boat.
Back in Louisiana No one wore one. I have been doing it for 9 years and feel naked without one. I see posts about boats and stering breaking but remember the guy maybe two year ago fishing with his kids. He jumped over for a swim at pine island and never came up. He posted here but can't remember his name.


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## Reel Time (Oct 6, 2009)

His son David is a 2 Cooler. The fish fry group signed a card and sent food to his house today.
I too, watched yesterday morning as the Onalaska Fire and Rescue towed in his jon boat. Very sobering. Prayers for David and the family.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

My prayers to his family and friends it is very tragic for them and they will need many prayers from us all.


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

I think in most cases not wearing a life vest is usually just an oversight on most peoples part. I'm not saying instances don't happen occasionally where you may be able to dodge a boat you've been thrown from but I'll take the life vest every time. Having fallen out of boats and been thrown from them I personally think once you enter the water there is nothing that improves your odds of survival more than a PFD. Sadly on the evening news tonight another boater is missing tonight in Lake Houston. Prayers go up to that family as well tonight.


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## I Fall In (Sep 18, 2011)

whsalum said:


> I think in most cases not wearing a life vest is usually just an oversight on most peoples part. I'm not saying instances don't happen occasionally where you may be able to dodge a boat you've been thrown from but I'll take the life vest every time. Having fallen out of boats and been thrown from them I personally think once you enter the water there is nothing that improves your odds of survival more than a PFD. Sadly on the evening news tonight another boater is missing tonight in Lake Houston. Prayers go up to that family as well tonight.


Yeah, been following this on FB. Supposedly a jon boat collided head on with a pontoon in Luces Bayou. 
Hearing conflicting stories. 
One dead and one missing, and just one missing.
Tragic either way.

Be careful out there.


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

Strengthen them thru this time of grief Lord.

Lord also please bring to our thoughts the idea, and convince our hearts to wear a life jacket every time we are on the boat.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

*His name is Harvey*

Wife died several years ago. His wife and mine were best buds. Prayers for the family, but at least he died doing what he loved! We should all be that lucky! I wear my inflatable all the time, but I'd rather drown on my lake, or have a heart attack hauling a deer out of a canyon, than live in a nursing home. I'm not saying to take risks, but as my wife said, he is now reunited with Tish and catching hell for the women he dated after she died.
I guess this post will get me in trouble, but there may be a happier ending to this, than most deaths, all of which are so sad.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Reel Time said:


> His son David is a 2 Cooler. The fish fry group signed a card and sent food to his house today.
> I too, watched yesterday morning as the Onalaska Fire and Rescue towed in his jon boat. Very sobering. Prayers for David and the family.


Vey nice. Their kids are priceless. Nothing they liked more than their lakehouse on Kickapoo.


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## Kickapoo Duke (May 15, 2010)

http://www.navarrefuneralhome.com/obituary/Harvey-Filla/Baytown-TX/1722158


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## jas415 (May 25, 2009)

*No 'Kill' switch and no jacket*

Lost a co-worker and friend, Sherman Garrett, some 35 years ago on Conroe. He was a part-time guide and full time air traffic controller. He was leaving 830 marina and had several rods on the deck of the bass boat. Customer had a jacket on, Sherman didnt and no kill switch attached. The boat hit a small wave and one of the rods bounced up and Sherman instinctively reached out to grab it and jerked the steering wheel. Tossed them both out and the boat got Sherman on the second pass in the circle around them. The customer was able to swim to avoid the boat. A kill switch would have saved his life. One of the old sayings: "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are not many old and bold pilots". I'm 74, and I 'choose' to wear the vest and the kill switch! The alternative sucks!


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## redspeck (Jul 3, 2012)

I didn't wear mine as much until i bought my new 20 HP on my 15' Jon boat. Boat was a lot faster then my 9.5 HP and I new if for some reason i let the tiller go, I would defiantly get thrown off. Just thinking about it is scary. Now if the boat is moving I will wear my vest and tie the kill switch to my arm. to many people have been dying without a vest.


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## Postman (Oct 11, 2015)

....and clip on or put the "dead man switch" around your wrist, so if you do get thrown out your own boat won't run over you.


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## marshrunner757 (Apr 7, 2015)

I recently purchased 2 Mustang inflatables. Seems every spring there are several lives lost. I now wear my kill switch and inflatable (when I don't forget at home). Still trying to form that habit. 

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