# It Won't Happen to me...



## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

With the missing Kemah Police Chief, and so very many others, it makes one really stop to think, could it, happen to one of us? We've have some really intelligent 2 Cool fishermen! But still, the definition of an fishing or water related accident, is a sudden unexpected, happening, that threatens or claims a life. Now, I do most of my fishing during the week, so, most times, alone. Even more care is needed while alone, on the water...many more scenarios can take a life. With the Summer upon us, it's virtually a certainty, that someone will lose their life on Conroe or Livingston, before the season, is over! Lets all pledge to wear our PFD and kill switches, so as to not allow it to be one of our 2 Cool Family :clover:


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## rainbowrunner (Dec 31, 2005)

A few years back my brother and I were crappie fishing in Peach Creek on Lake Conroe. We were using long crappie poles with jigs so we were both standing, he was on the trolling motor and I was in the back. Anyone that's ever fished Peach Creek knows it is chock full of stumps just below water line. Moving a little too fast we sideswiped a stump and he's in the water with the trolling motor still going. I got to the front quickly and got it stopped, he's back in the boat and we had a laugh about it.
Then we realized how it could have ended! What if one of us had been by ourselves and this happened, or, what if you dead centered one of those stumps when you fell in!
Changed our perspective some after that. Installed a bump switch on the trolling motor and started using PFD's after that, especially when solo.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/b...g-off-fishing-boat/ar-AACCGu8?ocid=spartandhp


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

tbone2374 said:


> .... accident, is a *sudden unexpected*, happening, that threatens or claims a life.....


Sudden
Unexpected
Those are key words.

I remember a safety talk once by a fellow who was in a terrible accident, and his key phrase was "Just like that!" while snapping fingers.
This applies to many activities in life, not just on the water. We need to think before we act and ask ourselves "what _could_ happen?", even if the chances are slim it actually will happen.
Another motivator is to think about others ..... what would happen to them if you got hurt or killed? Being macho isn't really that cool under certain circumstances.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

Hope I have his 2cool name right but remember Getsome. He jumped in by the island to just cool off and never came up. His kids were in the boat. Many 2coolers went to the funeral. Very sad.


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## SKs Crappie Fishing (Mar 24, 2008)

I push keeping your pfd on the entire time on the water, the fact that you can swim does not apply since there's a strong possibility you could hit your head while falling out of your boat being knocked unconscious or any health issue that could happen.....
We have to think of our loved ones.....
Can they do without you? More than likely but why put them through the stresses earlier than they would have to go through them?


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## whsalum (Mar 4, 2013)

Wear the PFD. The new ones are so light and comfortable you don't even realize you have it on. I have been extremely lucky over my fishing lifetime, I've been thrown out of a moving boat 4 times without a PFD. I don't tempt fate any longer.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Gofish2day said:


> Hope I have his 2cool name right but remember Getsome. He jumped in by the island to just cool off and never came up. His kids were in the boat. Many 2coolers went to the funeral. Very sad.


Yes, we lost *Get$ome*, very sad indeed.


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

You know, I had forgotten, about that accident...perfect example. Affects the kiddos for the rest of their lives...never be the same...â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.My wife's ex, had bought a new bass boat. 2nd time he carried it out, was leaving the marina and struck a stump. No kill switch, and no PFD. 42 years old. Marine, and excellent swimmer. No good, if you get head bumped flying out the boat. Her sons, had a very tough time with that. Be safe, my 2 Cool Friends!


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

LIFE Jacket is cheapest INSURANCE you will ever BUY.. BUT YA GOTA WEAR IT!!!!!!!!!!


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Thinking about those you leave behind should be enough incentive
to use the PFDs....

The only person on earth who doesn't care about whether you wore 
your PFD is the Coroner...


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## SetDaHook (Oct 21, 2010)

One of the guys that helps TP&W do sonar recovery on Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston, told me once that they have never recovered a dead body wearing a pfd. Let that one sink in a bit. Had they been wearing a pfd, probably wouldn't be dead.

I actually watched them conduct a "search" from my place on Livingston about two years ago. A neighbor of ours fell off his small sailboat by himself and went under. His empty boat drifted into our cove. The search went on well into the night and the next day. It was one of the most eary and sad things to witness. Very sad, not only for him, but the family he left behind. Wear your pfd!


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## Daniel_Melcher (Jun 16, 2016)

silentkilla said:


> I push keeping your pfd on the entire time on the water, the fact that you can swim does not apply since there's a strong possibility you could hit your head while falling out of your boat being knocked unconscious or any health issue that could happen.....
> 
> We have to think of our loved ones.....
> 
> Can they do without you? More than likely but why put them through the stresses earlier than they would have to go through them?


I have a rule in my boat that everyone has to wear a PFD. Got into an argument with my sister in law saying that she wasn't going to wear one because she was an excellent swimmer. My question to her was Oh yeah..how well do you swim unconscious?? 
I think that it should be a law like seat belts in a vehicle. When the boat is under way you must wear a PFD.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


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## KingTut (May 19, 2005)

If you own or spend time on any vessel with a T-top, beware. Boat wakes or worse, ship wakes can travel silently for miles and surprise a fisherman. A large enough wake can cause a violent pitch causing the T-top to impact the operator rendering him unable to save himself. Seen it first hand. The witness stated he went down and never came back up. They found a serious contusion on the operator's head. A light weight, inflatable would have made all the difference in the world!


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## sand storm (Mar 15, 2012)

Great common sense information. I don't use one but you just touched a nerve. You are 100% right. I will now.


THANKS AMIGO!


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## Sac-a-lait Trey (Jun 10, 2015)

Here are a few related links:

This is TPWD's "Never Happens" video:





This story of Houston County game warden Zak Benge being thrown from boat on a perfectly calm day is a great example of PFD value:
https://www.chron.com/sports/outdoo...oat-when-it-comes-to-water-safety-7946017.php

In addition to the inflatable PFDs available, this one (designed for paddlers) allows for full range of motion, which is really nice:
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/ma...ent-dynamic-life-jacket#repChildCatid=3918088


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