Life Jacket Question

allbelac · Post by **allbelac** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:29 pm

After reading the post from MotoXBob it got me thinking. After a team weighs in, is the tournament considered over? When motoring from the Marina Weigh In to the ramp I rarely have my jacket except for Mclure, where you get on plane to get back to the ramp. Am I opening myself up to be DQ'd?
Just looking for input, Thanks.
Caleb

kopper_bass · Post by **kopper_bass** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:59 pm

allbelac,
i am not sure if this holds true for all tournaments, so you would have to check, but typically if your in a 1 day event and you weigh in your fish and receive your slip, then the tourney is officially over for you. this is not the case for a 2 day event, on day 1; the tourney and all rules still apply.

the caveat to this is that the tournament itself is not over until the last person weighs their fish and the scales are closed.

kopper

Sacto John · Post by **Sacto John** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:50 am

Worry about catching a limit first.

Gator · Post by **Gator** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:55 am

For my ABA Delta region (when I ran it) the rule stated "Tournament hours shall be defined as starting at the time of your tournament checkin and ending when you present your fish to be weighed."

drew · Post by **drew** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:16 am

If it is a multi-day tournament you may have to wear a PFD when ever the big motor is running. Before the tournament in official practice and after the tournament in between days of competition.

I remember someone telling me a story about Byron Velvick almost getting DQed for not wearing a PFD. The reason was because after the first day of competition he hopped in his boat to drive across the lake to were he was staying and did not put on his PFD.

BTW Auto inflate PFD's are only legal if they are worn. This means if you don't have other standard PFD's for everyone on the boat you have to wear it all of the time, motor on or off.

allbelac wrote:After reading the post from MotoXBob it got me thinking. After a team weighs in, is the tournament considered over? When motoring from the Marina Weigh In to the ramp I rarely have my jacket except for Mclure, where you get on plane to get back to the ramp. Am I opening myself up to be DQ'd?
Just looking for input, Thanks.
Caleb

Smile_n_Jax · Post by **Smile_n_Jax** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:47 pm

My recommendation would be to wear your PFD at all times. That way you don't have to worry about tournament rules and you would be protecting yourself in case of an accident.

Bill K · Post by **Bill K** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:50 am

Smile_n_Jax wrote:My recommendation would be to wear your PFD at all times. That way you don't have to worry about tournament rules and you would be protecting yourself in case of an accident.

After the incident with Gary Dobyns last year and his experience, he will tell you, I believe, that when that big motor is running, wear your PFD and attach the kill switch. When your are in any tournament, they usually always require it, but even when we are pleasure motoring, etc. accidents occur in a heartbeat. Is not wearing your PFD worth the trouble (some seen to think it is) and go home to your family and friends at day's end ? Think about it
and do what you think best, next time on the water. Bill K

allbelac · Post by **allbelac** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:48 pm

Thanks for the input. And John...I didn't fair much better when I fished with you!
Caleb

Jim Moulton · Post by **Jim Moulton** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:12 pm

Bill I agree with you all the way. However the question at hand I belive is when your in the 5's to drop your partner off at the ramp or when you pick your partner up at the ramp with the big motor on are you breaking any rules? If so you could dq half the field before the tourney ever started. Do you have to use your trolling motor to pick up your partner? Jim

Bill K · Post by **Bill K** » Fri May 01, 2009 5:03 am

Every tounament I have fished in says to have your PFD on when the big motor is running, so I and my partner always put them on.
Now, as some have said, after weigh-in and going back to the trailer, that is up to you. At the point in time you could not be DQed.
However if it is a two day tourny, then maybe. I would ask the TD, in the tourny you are in and follow his advice. Bill K

jimmy87 · Post by **jimmy87** » Fri May 01, 2009 8:51 am

not to high jack the thread but I would like to share my experince on the matter of life jackets and kill switches.

I always liked the idea of wearing a life jacket when the big motor is running. It used to be a pain to put on and off so I would get lazy and wear it half the time when fun fishing. some times I would figure hell I am just going to move few 100 yards so why bother putting it on. well that thinking led to running miles without it.
knowing I should wear it anytime that motor is running I forced myself to do so. Just as important is the KILL SWITCH!
without the kill switch hooked to your person the life jacket is pretty much worthess when your own boat runs you over even at low speed. Think of your boat running you over at just 3 MPH. That prop wont feel to good at any speed.

what I ended up doing is getting a comfortable life jacket that fits well and easy to take on and off. Next I got about 4 feet of cord and attached it to the life jacket and on the other end the kill switch. I used KNOTS to attach so I need the life jacket to start the boat. No D rings or other detachable clips.

With this set up, I am FORCED to plug in the kill switch that is attached to the life jacket before I can start the motor.

This worked for me really well. I slide out of the life jacket when I get to my fishing spot and leave it hooked up to the kill switch. The life jacket lays on my driver seat or on the floor still attached to the kill switch. (boat)
when I come back to the driver seat I just slide into the life jacket that is attached to the kill switch and go. Basicly I have it set up so my big motor dose not ever start without the jacket ON. Yeah I could sit on it but its still attached to the kill switch. so its not like I can operate the boat without the life jacket in the dirver seat. putting it ON gets it out of my hair.

These steps are the easiest most effieceint that I found for myself.
after practicing this for a year or so, I now feel naked without a life jacket and kill switch.
just my 2 cents

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Fri May 01, 2009 11:36 am

As more and more tournaments are out of water drive by weigh ins. I would wear my life jacket until the boat is on the trailer and on its way to the scales........

Just my .02

Thanks