To anyone that attends my events...

[rockyone]

How about the other side of the coin, you and your buddy are running side by side and his steering brakes and he plows into you, sends you into the drink, maybe you live because your wearing a vest, would you like to be your friend that has to live with that I think not! Wear your vest!

[Chummy]

Guys it really is pretty simple, and honestly what better way to spend time on the water than with your boating friends... Tom and I seem to be the only ones really putting on events anymore which is sad imo.. I would love for others to put on some events, that way I could go and see even more new and exciting places. Hope everyone has a great year and a safe year of boating. 2016 was a pretty rough one and would rather 2017 not be. Thanks to all those who shared their input

[transomstand]

I don't put one on, but I know a bunny who does and you are welcome to come. It's a formal affair, jackets are required.

[olboatman]

Mike. if i am the Dave that you are refering to rolling my boat a couple years ago at the Suwanee. it was much faster then 30mph. i at first thought it was about 65 to 70 mph. but the next time i went to the Suwanee and being a little cautious. i tried to run around the corners at 50 or so to be safe. boat drove like a mack truck. at 65 it did not steer any better. 2 hours later buzzing around the turns at 75 to 80 boat boat drove like it had power steering and floated on air. so my guess it was around that speed it spun out a flipped over. i am very thank full for all the help that day. my hand heeled up. port side long block, rear seat and port side windshield took a check to fix. did not see that wreck coming until it was half over with. but i still choose to not wear a life vest. if i feel i better put this vest on because i may crash this time. i am going to skip that ride and let that feeling pass. i go in 100% confident that i got this under control. the day i start to think i dont. i wont start wearing a vest. i will quit owning a fast boat.

Dave I understand your confidence in your driving control, I feel the same when I drive a car, boat or scuba dive on wrecks but sometimes we aren't always in control. An example is a blow over due to a slight head on breeze that pops up. I had this happen when I was very young in a kneel down B class u-boat. Launched so fast I didn't realize it was happening till I was lookin at the sky. Now that I'm older and more fragil I KNOW I will be out when I hit the water next time...wether I'm doin 30 or 80. Thats why I where a jacket in performance boats. Gary

[specboatops]

This thread needs to be closed, Brad stated what he needed to, it's not up for discussion, these are his rules for his get together's, if you attend, then plan on wearing a vest when underway, if that doesn't suit you, then simply don't go, but lets not make this 20 pages of BS -

[stokernick]

Guys it really is pretty simple, and honestly what better way to spend time on the water than with your boating friends... Tom and I seem to be the only ones really putting on events anymore which is sad imo.. I would love for others to put on some events, that way I could go and see even more new and exciting places. Hope everyone has a great year and a safe year of boating. 2016 was a pretty rough one and would rather 2017 not be. Thanks to all those who shared their input

Kudos to you and Tom Foley hosting/sharing get togethers,it's a shame common sense can't prevail! Keyboard tough guys and macho know it alls will eventually make all this a memory and then who will say,''why didn't somebody say something?''Can't say you didn't try! Thanks for trying!

[texasvector]

The bottom line is this thread is to inform those that would like to go to Chummys get - to - gether will have to wear a PFD of some kind . Nobody really gives a crap why you don't wear a seatbelt or why you think we are pussys for wanting to wear one because if you don't want to wear one you are not welcome . It's really simple if you go to the first post . No judging here , I will be going and will wear one . Simple .
Thanks for the post Brad .

Thank you...theres at least 1 head out the mud.....although it's been entertaining ...

New thread .."life jacket or not".....right below the "oil " 1

To each his own.

Happy boating fellas

[hydrochicken]

My name is Hydrochicken for a reason
And lifeline bright orange for my wife and I !!

[timmc6]

When me and you was
talking at ft Rucker Saturday morning you said this was goona be a big
one and was you ever dead on.lol see ya soon !!

[transomstand]

My name is Hydrochicken for a reason
And lifeline bright orange for my wife and I !!

Everybody in my boat wears one too​

[CUDA]

25mph don't sound bad after spending hours and hours in no wake zones .

[Tom Foley]

funny fact i just learned. all the rule makers on here do not own the Suwanee river or lake kissimee. it turns out i can be a grown up and make my own decision on wearing a vest or not while boating. i guess this is still a free country in some ways. PS. i skipped the party the last time at the Suwanee. i will be ok. but you safety pushers should lobby for 25 mph speed limits on all waterways. that should make all you guys feel safe and comfy.

Dave , again you are missing the point . No one is telling you how fast to go or where to do it . Your bravado stance for being on the edge all the time may not work out for you at some point , hopefully Lisa is not on the boat if so . There is nothing foolish or wimpish about safety gear , period .

[freeebird]

Dave , again you are missing the point . No one is telling you how fast to go or where to do it . Your bravado stance for being on the edge all the time may not work out for you at some point , hopefully Lisa is not on the boat if so . There is nothing foolish or wimpish about safety gear , period .

With all due respect, it would seem the bravado thing is going both ways on this thread.

"You wanna come to MY event, you play by MY rules (sic)."

I don't have a dog in this fight, but as well intentioned as it may be, I can see why that might ruffle some feathers. If it's just about liability, what happens when somebody is wearing their "required" vest and cracks open their head on the way out of their boat, or some other boat in attendance loses theirs and drives over that guy?

That's a rhetorical question, but I trust you can see my point.

[Hot Shot Merc]

The life vest is there to keep you from sinking to the bottom in the event that your head gets cracked open on the way out. Or did ya ever think that you might possibly be injured enough that you cant swim and your life vest saves your life? This happend to my friend Chasen at lake Tarpon. He was thrown from the boat and the boat came around and sliced his arm nearly off. I mean it was hanging by a strand of muscle only. Not to mention his good friend bobbies grandfather died in that accident. Chasen nearlly didnt make it because he could hardly tread water with one good arm. Or how about Lawn chair Joe that went over at sanford? I was there and watched Scott pull his unconcious body out of the water,guess what!he was wearing a crappy stearns life vest but it kept him from sinking and he lived. Had a long battle in was in the hospital for 4 months but he lived due to his life vest. A lot of us have seen way more than many of you and thats why we care so much. At times I wish I havent seen what I have but these things have opened my dumb eyes to the fact that schit happens and you better be prepared.Chummy,Tom,I and many others have had to sit by and wait for nearly two days for our friends and hot boat brothers and sisters bodies to be recovered after laying on the bottom. Its very hard to deal with and if a jacket makes the difference between getting their body right away or keeping your ass afloat long enough fro rescue to drag you out of the water dead or better yet alive and injured then it makes sense. I get some people think they are smarter than everyone else and they wont be told what to do but its easy. Dont go to that event. Most people are smart enough to think safety first. Chummy has lost friends to tragic crashes and would hate to see the same thing happen to anyone else.

Yes wearing is a choice and so is going to chummys gathering. God this beating the dead horse crap is getting old.

[Tom Foley]

missing the point? the point has nothing to to with me thinking i am macho and want to go balls to the wall everywhere. i dont even disagree that wearing a life jacket is not a smart choice. my only issue with the whole thread is someone thinking they have the authority to make the choice for me.

I have no real answer to this other than use the analogy of a restaurant that requires a jacket . You can wear the jacket and go there , not go , or argue about it . If he, Chummy , puts on the rally and that's the way he wants it so be it . Not my rule but I would normally wear the jacket or PFD anyway so no big deal .That's just me .