Sport Today

I received this notice from the Granite State Boardsailing Association.
If you windsurf (or better yet, vote) in New Hampshire, please read!

FYI: PFD = Personal Flotation Device, a.k.a. life-preserver.  Current
New Hampshire law requires that PFDs be carried (but not necessarily
worn) on all boats, which includes windsurfers.

The opinions expressed are those of the Granite State Boardsailing
Association; my own opinions on the subject are somewhat different, but
I definitely believe in each person deciding whether a PFD is
necessary.  I think it's worth a national posting as an example of
windsurfers getting together to change bad rules.

This is a close copy of the original mailing.  I apologize in advance
for typos (I've carefully checked the phone numbers and addresses).  If
you need more information, please do not contact me, call Val Berghaus -
his number is at the end of the article.

   /-------------------------------------------------------------\

   \-------------------------------------------------------------/

===============================================================================
From the Granite State Boardsailing Association:

            HB 351 UPDATE

        Mandatory PFD use could be history this year!

    Reaction to testimony on HB 251, the GSBA's  pro PFD choice bill,
    results in House Committee OK!

    Six*** boardsailors appeared to support HB 351 at the hearing
    February 12th.  Speaking in favor were Rep's Hunt and Markley, HB
    351's sponsors, Peter Oliver, USBA Vice-President and Safety
    Director, and a number of GSBA members from all walks of life.

    Results:  11 to 2 to recommend the bill "OUGHT TO PASS WITH
    AMENDMENT".  The Committee report explains it all:

        "Although the Committee initially was skeptical about this
        legislation, IMPRESSIVE TESTIMONY FROM THE SPONSORS AS WELL AS
        NOVICE AND EXPERT BOARDSAILORS convinced the Committee that the
        decision to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) is best made
        by the sailboarder.  Only a handful of states still have this
        law on the books, as the evolution of the sport shows that PFDs
        can do more harm than good.  The amendment formally defines
        "sailboard" and instructs the Department of Safety to report
        back to the Legislature on the effect of this Act."

    Next step: Hearing:    SENATE WILDLIFE & RECREATION COMM.

    WRITE or (better yet) CALL the Committee in support of HB 351:

                        Sen. Roger C. Heath
                        Chairman
                        SENATE WILDLIFE & RECREATION COMM.
                        Room 212
                        Legislative Office Building
                        Concord N.H. 03301

                        * * * * OR * * * *

    Sen. Clesson J. Blaisdell                   Sen. Burton J. Cohen
    40 Stone House Lane, Unit D                 P.O. Box 208
    Keene N.H. 03431                            125 Portsmouth Ave.
    (h) 352-6210 (o) 358-3322                   New Castle N.H. 03854-0208
                                                (h) 431-2581 (o) 431-0066

    Sen. Charles F. Bass                        Sen. Wayne D. King
    P.O. Box 210                                P.O. Box 500
    Peterborough, N.H. 03458-0210               Rummney, N.H. 03266-0500
    (h) 924-6781 (w) 563-8525                   (h) 786-9278 (o) 786-9730

    Sen. Susan McLane                           Sen. Leo W. Fraser Jr.
    205 Mountain Road                           Box 5, Smith Road
    Concord, N.H. 03301                         Pittsfield N.H. 03263
    (h) 224-0376                                (h) 435-6626 (o) 225-3664

    Don't write a treatise; pick out a few points that you feel are
    important.  Below are the GSBA's position on HB 351:

        1.      Sailboards are themselves functional PFD's.

        2.      Carried on sailboards, PFD's add no extra measure of safety.

        3.      PFD's may be more hazardous than helpful, i.e. when the
                rig falls on the sailor or when diving clear of a collision.

        4.      Windsurfing is a unique water sport and boardsailors are
                generally prepared to be in the water with wet suits, etc.

        5.      Most states including all bordering N.H. do not require
                PFD's, N.H. is losing boardsailing tourists because if it's
                rule.

    Democracy is muscular; it takes lots of exercise to keep fit.  Your
    HELP is NEEDED to put HB 351 across.  WRITE NOW!!  Also come TESTIFY
    at the Senate hearing.  The six*** sailors who came to the House
    hearing did a great job in getting the ball rolling.  Let's keep it
    going.  Call VAL BERGHAUS at 428-7822 for more information on what
    you can do to help.

| Each of the above points is debatable.  Taken together, you have
| convinced me that you don't like PFD's, but I would guess it has more
to
| do with a "sail free or drown" ethic than any of the stated reasons.
|
| I believe that PFD's add some margin of additional safety.  I also
| believe that if more injuries are incurred by windsurfers, then more
| *real* restrictions (like "no windsurfing allowed") will be imposed
| on us.  (Lawyers just don't believe in chalking deaths up to
'evolution
| in action'.  :-)

  What kind of board do you sail?  In what kind of conditions do you
sail?
  I certainly have some problems with waterstarting and hooking in
  when I am wearing a life vest.  When I am wearing a thick wetsuit
  and a padded harness, I have no problem at all floating freely.

  You may counter that my wetsuit will not be sufficient if I am
  unconscious.  Do you wear one of those crazy orange neck things
  when you windsurf?  A waterski jacket doesn't save an unconscious
  person any better than a floaty wetsuit.

  If we want to argue about statistical safety, let's see some
  statistics comparing the number of windsurfing drowning deaths
  in states that do require PFDs vs. states that don't.

  I do wear a PFD on occasion, when the conditions are such that
  I think there is a good chance of me being separated from my rig
  and the water is warm enough to wear less neoprene than it takes
  to float me.  It should be up to the individual windsurfer to
  determine when a PFD is necessary.

Ken,
        Some day when your rig seperates from your board, and you watch
your board rocket off into the horizon while you attempt to swim after it,
severely crippled by the drag of the floatation device, you may understand
why *some* people might choose *not* to wear a PFD.  Some day when you're
trapped under your rig in desperate need of a breath of air, and your
PFD is pinning you against the bottom of your sail, you will definitely
understand why some people choose not to wear a PFD.

|> I believe that PFD's add some margin of additional safety.  

And others believe they are dangerous.  The purpose of the NH bill is to
revoke mandatory usage of a PFD and thus giving sailors the freedom to decide
for themselves.  Do you have a problem with democracy?

-joel

Ken, if we were truly concerned about "safety" we would all be required
to wear helmets and seatbelts and have airbags and have *specially* designed
interior components on our cars.  With over 50,000 deaths and quadruple
that number of maimed/injured bodies in cars accidents per year it is hard
for me to accept that a freedom of choice for a *special* sport
such as windsurfing is an outrageous assertion of individual freedom.
You would be lucky to be able to site 10 deaths in the US of windsurfers
where cause of death would have been prevented by wearing a windsurfer.
And that is 10 deaths over the history of the sport.

If we were really concerned about safety in windsurfing, I'd bet that
helmets would be required whereas pfd's wouldn't.  I could personnaly
accept a pfd law that allowed Type-IV CC approved (inflatables).

As for our big boating counterparts, the lifejacket law is virtually
meaningless for them.  You might have noticed that actually wearing the
life jacket is optional for boaters.  Most life jackets on boats are
burried in some locker below decks.

Most people who talk about lifejackets for windsurfing have *no* idea
about what they are talking.  I will grant that most of such persons
are genuinely concerned about saving some lives.  Of course, those
same persons would balk at wearing a helmet in a car or having to
take a course to get a license in order to drive a boat.  There *ARE*
elements of the boating industry who are *opposed* to windsurfers.
These people use and will continue to use lifejackets as a method
to squash the growth of windsurfing under the guise of safety.

Perhaps we should require swimmers at all community pools, lakes,
rivers, etc to wear jackets.

BWT, there are several types of CC approved jackets which would be
utterly useless to an incapcitated person (i.e. they would certainly
drown).  In that respect, a windsurfer *IS* a floation device of
considerably *more* volume than is any CC approved device.

I agree that the original poster did not place a large well thought
argument for his assertions.  However, this *IS* rec.windsurfing
and *MOST* of the posters are probably amply familiar with the
issue.  Thus, the quick summary was probably not an attempt to
convince any of the constituents of rec.windsurfing.  I hope that
your comments regarding whether or not this is a joke pertain to
only to that.  This issue will certainly *kill* the sport it we
lose it.  It is not a joke in the least bit.

Look around you Ken, safety is an issue that is used to repress
personal freedom.  If it were *rationally* applied we would do
quite a lot of things differently in this country.

gsm

Each of the above points is debatable.  Taken together, you have
convinced me that you don't like PFD's, but I would guess it has more to
do with a "sail free or drown" ethic than any of the stated reasons.

I believe that PFD's add some margin of additional safety.  I also
believe that if more injuries are incurred by windsurfers, then more
*real* restrictions (like "no windsurfing allowed") will be imposed
on us.  (Lawyers just don't believe in chalking deaths up to 'evolution
in action'.  :-)

Ken Poulton

        With windsurfing it was all too easy. Its a sailboat right? OK then, all
        regulations apply!.

        I am also an ocean rower, and row a 24 foot 40 lb rowing shell on
        Monterrey Bay. The Coast Guard insist that we carry lifejackets. They
        also insist that we carry a 'throwable' life preserver of the type
        commonly found on sailboats. Its hard to imagine how I could throw it to
        myself after I've fallen off my boat! As a small concession, the
        Coast Guard overlook the requiremnt for a bell on board.

        I'm not against safety. I carry flares, a life preserver, a compass,
        and other items in my rowing shell. I feel thet windsurfers should
        also follow common sense rules such as carrying flares, and other items.

        As for life vests, I think my wetsuit is my best friend, together with
        my board and rig. If I get separated from my rig and I'm within a
        couple of miles of the beach, then I'll swim in after ditching my life
        vest if I was wearing one. Sure, a life vest could help if you were
        knocked out by your mast, but you would need a full scale life
        preserver, not just a floatation vest, and no one can sail with a real
        life preserver wrapped arount their chest.

        Jim Munro

The *only* argument against PFDs that holds water is that you can't swim
as well with a PFD.  I have never felt that my vest slowed my swimming
down appreciably (but them my swimming was never all that fast anyway. :-)
I still figure that if your board is sailing away that quickly, that
you are better off with some additional personal buoyancy than with some
incrementally better chance of catching up with the board.  Also, this
is the case that negates the "sailboard as PFD" argument.

Ken "can I get that wetsuit with an asbestos lining?" Poulton

       Being new in the US, I left all my windsurfing stuff in France but
will buy new stuff here as soon as spring kicks back. Waiting for the
spring, I discovered this newsgroup, and the last postings.

       First, I didn't know what "PFD" ment. Then I begun to understand
but couldn't believe it. So am I right when I understand that some states
force you to wear a PDF (life vest I guess (-:, even if I don't see what
PDF stands for as an acronym) if you're a windsurfer ? What about
California ?

      I think this is a non-sense !! I'm quite amazed somebody could even
pass such a law (some sort of politician that never did windsurfing in his
life maybe ?). I've tried it, back in France when learning, I droped it
quite quickly: first I found it very inconvenient, then useless ...
Because if you rely on your life-vest in case of problem, it means that
you're in deep deep yogurt !!

     First you have to be separated from your board, and that requires
*extremely bad conditions*, with the sail in the water, if the board goes
faster than you're swimming then it's a hurricane, or you don't know how
to swim (and you should learn before windsurfing). And again, since you
should be a decent swimmer you can also swim to the border (but you'll
have to get rid of the life-vest for that). If you respect normal security
rules, all this shouldn't happen.

     If you can climb back on your board, then you don't need a life-vest
anymore. I think everbody should know how to roll the sail on the mast,
put that on the board and row back to earth.

     The only reason why you could need a life-vest is if you're
unconcious: best way to get unconcious: the wind throws your sail back to
your face.... this can happen, but it's extremely rare, and then even more
rare when it knocks you out strongly enough that you're not woke up by the
dive in the water... If you can find more than a dozen of such accidents,
then you're lucky.

      On the other hand, waterstart with a life vest must need some
training, and being stuck under the sail with a life vest is something I
wouldn't try.

      What I think is: if you respect basic safety rules, you won't need a
life-vest: know your level your limitations, don't be alone, don't go too
far, check your board before, have some equipement with you (like a spare
'mast-foot', some sort of rope, and a signaling device, all that fits in a
small belt-pack). It's really dum to force people to wear a life-vest !!

       And this has nothing to do with wearing a helmet on a bike !!  Ride
a bike, and you'll see that you need a helmet (would it only be for the
wind in your eyes (-:). And you won't find a lot of bikers telling you
it's easier to ride a bike without a helmet.

            JNM

PS: Anyways, this is a free country, if you want to live dangerously, it's
your choice. And if you drown you're not gonna cost anything more to the
society (this is a small touch of pepper to get things hot (-:, but I mean
it).

PPS: So, what's a "PFD" ?
--
These are my own ideas (not LBL's)

Please read a little more carefully before flaming away.  Mark was
merely forwarding a copy of a Granite State Boardsailing publication
concerning NH state legislation.  He specifically noted that these
were their, and *not* his, opinions on the matter.  Please feel free,
however, to flame me for my thoughts on the issue... :-)

I happen to wear a PFD, though not coast guard approved, for most of
my sailing.  However, I do not think that legislating its use is
warranted.

There is some question as to the effectiveness of PFD's in all
conditions (there was an editorial debate on this in one of the
Windrider issues last summer).  For instance, it is thought that the
flotation could be a real impediment in big surf conditions.  (As an
aside, are surfers required to wear PFDs?).  From my own experience,
it is sometimes tough to catch up to a "drifting" board and rig in
very windy conditions due to the drag of the PFD.

There are times when I just don't bother with the PFD; such as when
longboard lake sailing.  I have been windsurfing for (gad!) ten years,
and for the most part in these conditions I barely get wet.  It seems
a little ridiculous to require all sailors in all conditions to wear
them.

On the other hand, I do wear one when sailing in more extreme
conditions (coastal New England, the Gorge, etc). At times I also wear
a helmet.  Aside from safety considerations (reason enough to wear
one) I have also found PFD's a useful aid to learning and performing
waterstarts.  Incidently, I have on occasion been under my rig after a
fall and there has never been any problem swimming out.

There are many times when wearing a PFD is a good idea, especially at
the beginner and intermediate levels.  However, legislating it is not
the way to go and if anything will breed resentment.  Certainly an
approach of education and common sense is preferrable.

  - Nelson

I wasn't going to enter into this discussion, but some of the assertions
made for no PFD's are stretching the limits of my imagination.  Personally,
depending on the time of year, wind conditions, and how much flotation my
wet-suit has, I make a decision whether to wear a PFD or not.

My point is that that is no reason to make windsurfing *less* safe.
We still disagree on whether PFD's contribute to net safety, I guess.

I'm still interested in other opinions on the issue of whether PFDs
are a net safety win.  Maybe you'll convince me to stop wearing one
(where allowed).  I'm not much interested in rationalizations of
"sail free or drown".

Ken "nothing better to do with no wind" Poulton

So perhaps a good strategy would be to collect hazards figures, point out other
problems to the legislator, and try to present the sport as windSURFING, not as
SAILboarding...

As far as I am concerned, I even find harnesses to be a major impediment when
swimming to catch your board before it hits the rocks, when you blow your on-the
face jibe, and your board and sail surf down the line on the wave in perfect
trim... but with you standed in deep water! So I wear the smallest waist harness
possible.

--

Phone:(33) 93.65.77.70(.66 Fax), INRIA, B.P.109 - 06561 Valbonne Cedex, FRANCE.

So much for the letter of the law.

In practice, I don't wear one unless I have to.  I don't think a PFD
provides any added safety even if worn.  I don't think it would save you
if you were unconscious.  And if you're not unconscious, it will only
hinder your efforts to regroup with your board.  It also hinders your
efforts to dive under the water, should the need arise, which I can
perceive.

Sorry, Ken.

tom.

- A wetsuit is a far better safety device, hypothermia is a much
bigger danger than the ``unconcious '' scenerio. No PFD in existance
will keep you warm enough to survive until rescue in the unconcious
scenerio. So you're in harsh weather, your board is zipping away and
you have to swim after it. If you don't catch up with it, you'll
probably die of hypothermia regardless of whether you have a PFD or
not. While it's hard to get any real data on the subject,( windsurfing
deaths are incredibly rare), I would suspect that the large majority
are hypothermia related drownings. Also in rough seas it is incredibly
difficult to locate a single swimmer. In 6-8 swells, if you're in the
trough, only someone ``directly'' above you can see you.  You are far
more visible if you are with your board. Anything that restricts your
ablity to catch up with the board is a ``safety'' loss IMHO. Second
most ``windsurfing'' PFD's are merely nods to the rules, not effective
devices. They will not keep you face up if unconcious.  ( Take your
PFD and lay face down in the water, if it doesn't turn you over it's
only a TYPE III ). IMHO, any ``real'' PFD (TYPE I) would make most sailing
impossible. I may have the types incorrect, but look at the label and
you'll see what I mean.

-A helmet would probably reduce the ``unconcious'' scenerio to an
almost improbable event.

- In summary : A PFD only provides the illusion of safety. A wetsuit
has nearly the same flotation ablity , plus insulation. Thinking that
'it's okay because I have a PFD on' is more dangerous than any event
that would occur. Your brain is the ultimate safety device, if you
don't use it, no law, or piece of equipment is going to make a
difference.

- Booker C. Bense                    

joel clark
Intel (SSD)