I kinda felt like a failure......

RobbyA

RobbyA

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
306
Yesterday, while at the lake having fun "The Man" (Game Warden) or should I say "The Woman" came over to give us a safety check. After all my studying making sure our boat was safe and we had everything that we needed to be legal, I overlooked a key piece of safety equipment, a type IV throwable flotation device. GRRRRRRRRR. I had everything else or so I thought, but to make sure, while she was writing me a warning ( God bless her ), I had her go over the complete list of what I am legally obligated to have on the boat. I had everything else! Just never saw the type IV clause in the book..........
 
cwhite6

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

Here in Louisiana you have to have a throwable if the boat is 16' or longer. My boat is a J16 but is actually 15'8" so I do not have a throwable. I have never had a Warden ask me about it yet, but I did call and check to verify I did not need one. So, I have a good explanation why I do not have one. :)
 
Last edited:
JimKW

JimKW

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 10, 2009
Messages
397
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

That's funny. I just bought one two weeks ago. I didn't realize I had to have one either until I went and looked up required safety equipment. Only cost about $10 too and my wife sits on it while cruising all the time so she can see out better.
 
75TowerOfPower

75TowerOfPower

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
331
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

Same here mine is only 15'5" and I don't have one. I will probably get one this week before I head down to Norris Lake.
 
mbgaski

mbgaski

Seaman
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Messages
54
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

Not sure at what length they're required here in SC, but I've got on stowed away just in case. I know that we've been checked before on a 15 footer and they didn't ask for it. Not sure if it was technically required or not.

Only close call I've had so far was on a duck hunting trip. Got checked at the ramp and everything checked out except we'd forgotten the whistle. The warden was literally writing the ticket out when I remembered that I had a wood duck whistle on my call lanyard. It was technically a duck call, but it whistles just fine so after demonstrating it he discarded the ticket.
 
Fireman431

Fireman431

Rear Admiral
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
4,292
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

There is no reason NOT to have a type IV throwable. They're cheap and they stow easily. Chances are you will never need it, but I'll bet it would be worth $1000 to the person in the water who could use it...
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

I'd rather have the cushion than set up for a fight with a warden over a boat labelled 16' and its tape-measure length. Most likely he'll write the ticket and you may have a chance of winning in court, but you will most certainly lose 4 hours of time. Worth it? Is your time worth more than $2.50 an hour.

Also when you get all smart-alecky with the warden, he will find something else wrong.
 
E

eli_lilly

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
435
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

In Florida the throwable has to be "immediately accessible", so having it stowed will yield a warning.

-E
 
cwhite6

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

Edited to remove post I felt was unnecessary. Have a nice day! :)
 
Last edited:
ziggy

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

i like to sit on my type IV throwable. gives me just the right height at the helm... plenty accessible too.. ;)
 
P

pcosky

Cadet
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
23
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

I'm glad I read this thread. I haven't owned a boat in over 20 years and just picked one up...I'll have to read my states laws closely...
 
H

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,201
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

cwhite6 said:
Just kind of wrong to assume I would get all smart-alecky without knowing a dang thing about me isn't it? Where I fish it is all marsh and bayous that average 5-8 foot deep.
Click to expand...


Don't forget, you can (and will) get a ticket for not having that throwable cushion even if you are the only person on board! good thing you can throw it to yourself! :D
 
cwhite6

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

That's funny. Kinda like some safety rules I have seen where if you are on a step ladder (6') you have to have a harness on and tied off. No matter the harness has a 6' foot leader! :)
 
A

a70eliminator

Captain
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
3,694
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

I had to show all my safety gear earlier this season and one of my life jackets had a tear in covering about 4" long, I think I tore it pulling it out of the ski locker hinge, I was immediately escorted back to port, so you got lucky they let you continue to operate.
 
S

sierrak9s

Seaman
Joined
Apr 10, 2010
Messages
71
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

Wait, Robby, you were on my boat and I didn't see you? Because the exact same thing happened to me yesterday. Exact -- except for the part about the written warning. ;) The nice warden guy just told me to get one as soon as I could, and to have a nice day.

:D

I thought I needed N+1 lifejackets, where N is the number of people on the boat. Oops.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

cwhite6 said:
Posts like the above where you just assume a personality trait of an individual is why alot of folks get upset on forums.
Click to expand...

Nah, I'm pretty sure it's people who overreact to stuff on the internet who get upset....
 
N

NBE

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 28, 2003
Messages
354
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

ziggy said:
i like to sit on my type IV throwable. gives me just the right height at the helm... plenty accessible too.. ;)
Click to expand...

Yep...What he said!
 
cwhite6

cwhite6

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
348
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

ezmobee said:
Nah, I'm pretty sure it's people who overreact to stuff on the internet who get upset....
Click to expand...

I agree with you. I don't let stuff get me in a tizzy. I do mind folks making blanket statements though. Oh well, everyone do whatever works for you. I am going to play around with the custom labeling tool on iboats someone pointed out in another thread.
 
Splat

Splat

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,366
Re: I kinda felt like a failure......

And while were at it, a inflatable pfd only counts as a pfd if its being worn. Having it stowed in a locker without a regular pfd to fill the quota can get you a ticket during a safety check.

Bill
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top