This is a very good point, Bernd. But of course exactly the same argument applies when bank fishing, wading or fishing off rocks.All it needs is you falling in the water and passing out. Just one example: You slip and your head hits the boat just before falling in the water afterwards.
In my life I’ve fallen out of a boat twice - bearing in mind that I’ve fished in boats and kayaks at least 50% of the time this is a low number. By comparison in river fishing I’ve fallen in - well I don’t know - so often I can’t put a number on it. I would say that the most times I’ve fallen in in one day has been has been six times. Falling into a fast river is a much more hostile place than a flat calm lake. You have currents, you have rocks, you have cold water and it hurts.
So I would argue that if you are serious about safety then I wold say that river fishermen are the ones who should be wearing life jackets!
Incidentally thanks to your page last week I’ve enquired about the Bronze Medallion lifeguard certificate and plan to do a course in KL hopefully in the next two months and certainly before the year end.
I’m looking forward to my triathlon training next month! I’m flat out guiding for four weeks straight so I plan one hour open water swimming with Snakehead each day
I won’t be wearing a life jacket for this because it gets in the way of the stroke. Hopefully Graeme can shoot some video so I can see if I have a tracking error. Cheers, Paul