Paddle Boards

[Old Crusty]

the paddleboard IS the buoyancy aid as you are tethered to it. Instructions sometimes advise against them as it makes getting on harder. I never wear one on it.
Having said that I've yet to fall off.

Hmm, you fall off, bang your head, knock yourself out and what then - does the board pop you back up to the surface, right way up? Err, no. Personal choice though, helps keep the gene pool fresh.

 

[PilotWolf]

...and a baby sitting on the front of the board.

And beards??

Having never even much further up river than Tower Bridge I was wondering what the coastguard limit is for rescue and things?

W.

 

[Elessar]

Hmm, you fall off, bang your head, knock yourself out and what then - does the board pop you back up to the surface, right way up? Err, no. Personal choice though, helps keep the gene pool fresh.

Bang your head and a buoyancy aid doesn’t help. Has to be a lifejacket. No thank you.

 

[oldgit]

Bang your head and a buoyancy aid doesn’t help. Has to be a lifejacket. No thank you.

if lifeacket self inflating, going to be challenge to prevent it getting wet ?
Fall off a few times with a BA no problem, fall off once with your LJ and its the end of your days fun + £30. rearm job.

 

[Time Out]

And beards??

Having never even much further up river than Tower Bridge I was wondering what the coastguard limit is for rescue and things?

W.

RNLI is on call up to Hampton Court, called out via coastguard.

 

[PilotWolf]

RNLI is on call up to Hampton Court, called out via coastguard.

What happens after that?

Just interested. Or is it so shallow your can walk ashore and call 999?

W

 

[Time Out]

What happens after that?

Just interested. Or is it so shallow your can walk ashore and call 999?

W

There are a few regional volunteer rescue services but other than that you call 999 for the emergency services and the police or fire brigade will often attend.

Certainly not shallow enough to walk ashore and boating takes place all the way to Oxford and beyond.

 

[Elessar]

if lifeacket self inflating, going to be challenge to prevent it getting wet ?
Fall off a few times with a BA no problem, fall off once with your LJ and its the end of your days fun + £30. rearm job.

You missed the point - I agree with that.
I said you don’t need a buoyancy aid on a paddleboard as the board is the buoyancy aid.
Someone (who is a lot more risk averse than me) said what it I bang my head.
I said if I was going to have to protect against that I’d have to wear a lifejacket. Which for the reasons you just stated is not practical!

 

[Old Crusty]

I'm not risk averse, I can't be, I've been married three times (or is that just folly?) Having rescued seven souls from the Thames, three of whom were just below the surface due to not wearing any kind of a PFD I'm merely conscious of the risk.

 

[Elessar]

I'm not risk averse, I can't be, I've been married three times (or is that just folly?) Having rescued seven souls from the Thames, three of whom were just below the surface due to not wearing any kind of a PFD I'm merely conscious of the risk.

You said you were worried about me falling of the paddleboard banging my head and knocking myself out.
I consider that to be unlikely enough not to worry about it.
Everything is relative but it does make you more risk averse than me.

 

[Old Crusty]

You said you were worried about me falling of the paddleboard banging my head and knocking myself out.
I consider that to be unlikely enough not to worry about it.
Everything is relative but it does make you more risk averse than me.

Given you don't know me or my background you cannot possibly know my position on risk.

You go fill your boots without a PFD. Keeeeep floatin...

 

[Elessar]

Given you don't know me or my background you cannot possibly know my position on risk.

You go fill your boots without a PFD. Keeeeep floatin...

You said you needed to consider banging your head and knocking yourself out when falling off a paddle board.
That’s a statement about your position on risk.
I would consider that a negligible risk and therefore feel no need to mitigate.
Ie a different position on risk to you.

 

[Old Crusty]

You said you needed to consider banging your head and knocking yourself out when falling off a paddle board.
That’s a statement about your position on risk.
I would consider that a negligible risk and therefore feel no need to mitigate.
Ie a different position on risk to you.

As an RYA instructor, I leave you to read the info on this link and look forward to seeing you on Saving Lives at Sea : Stand Up Paddleboarding Tips And Safety Advice From The RNLI

 

[Time Out]

What’s the view on ankle vs waist tether?

 

[ashtead]

I would have thought unless using off a beach any sane paddler would have a cheap buoyancy aid or a snazzy blow up device on their belt as a minimum . Don’t really see them as any safer than a canoe ?

 

[PilotWolf]

Do the 999 services task them?

I can't remember which year it was but I was still a paramedic, the flooding was really bad. I had an Avon RIB fully fitted out and ready to deploy pretty much anywhere around southern Thames in a couple of hours. I just got laughed at even by my own service when I offered it to them.

W