I have a pretty nice Lotus Designs pfd I purchased in the early 2000s. Lotus was sold to Patagonia (Patagonia Paddling) which ran a few years, then stopped production.

My question: does anyone ever test their pfd? It occurred to me that I don't remember ever being in the water with it on. We've not swamped, nor have I used it while swimming. Do they wear out? Is testing it worth doing?

Mike

Hey Mike,

We put them on for swimming once a year as a test. Seems like each PFD has a little bit different float to it. For example, I like to know how it feels swimming on my stomach or back. I'm not really concerned about it no longer maintaining buoyancy, but maybe I should pay attention to that too. Someone with more experience might comment on that issue.

YetiJedi: "Hey Mike,


We put them on for swimming once a year as a test. Seems like each PFD has a little bit different float to it. For example, I like to know how it feels swimming on my stomach or back. I'm not really concerned about it no longer maintaining buoyancy, but maybe I should pay attention to that too. Someone with more experience might comment on that issue."

Thanks, this makes sense. Unfortunately, because I will likely put in a day or two after ice out this year, it probably won't be be tested until our July trip. I am very curious how it will float me. But I'm not getting in the water in May!

Mike

I don't blame you! Water will be very cold for this time of year...if it is in fact in a liquid state!

Find a hotel w/ a pool or fill up your bath tub :)

cyclones30: "Find a hotel w/ a pool or fill up your bath tub :) "

This is what I was going to suggest as well.

Northwoodsman: "

cyclones30: "Find a hotel w/ a pool or fill up your bath tub :) "

This is what I was going to suggest as well."

I stay in a lot of hotels as I travel for work. That's a great idea, though I don't want to pack my pfd in my luggage!

I'll figure something out.

MT

Find a local hotel and call during the day and talk to a manager. Explain what you want to do and they will likely let you drop by. Many health clubs have pools too.

Northwoodsman: "Find a local hotel and call during the day and talk to a manager. Explain what you want to do and they will likely let you drop by. Many health clubs have pools too."

I was thinking that too, a YMCA type place

I tried mine out a few years back - my daughter was maybe 8-9 yrs old and paddling a kayak on the beach near Michigan City. I kind of swam along and out on my pfd.. I found it helpful because it opened my eyes to what a difference it makes to have it securely zipped and snug, vs just on and maybe even unzipped as I'd frequently done.
I think that's the only time tried it out in the water. I know it works and how it works best.

Every year along with tipping the canoe over. Good to know the limits. For a large chunk of my paddling I used a hybrid inflatable Kokotat SeaO2 vest and replaced the cartridge every year, crazy how fast that pops you to the surface from 8 feet of water!

butthead

I have been doing testing although it wasn’t planned to be testing. When I take the grandchildren along, they always want to go swimming. At one of my favorite sites in Upper Michigan there is a small pair of islands off shore. So we all put on our pfd’s and swim out to it. So far even a few older pfd’s perform just fine.

HowardSprague: "I tried mine out a few years back - my daughter was maybe 8-9 yrs old and paddling a kayak on the beach near Michigan City. I kind of swam along and out on my pfd.. I found it helpful because it opened my eyes to what a difference it makes to have it securely zipped and snug, vs just on and maybe even unzipped as I'd frequently done.
I think that's the only time tried it out in the water. I know it works and how it works best."

+1. Completely agree, Howard Sprague. It makes it very difficult for me to swim any meaningful distance if the vest isn't snug. I can float just fine but that's because I can hold the vest snug.

Sincerely, Ernest T. Bass

I swim with mine every year. A properly stored, high quality PFD will last a long, long time. I still use my whitewater kayaking PFD from the early 1990's and it floats me the same as always. However, my PFD from the 80's has been retired as the foam was getting stiff and less buoyant.

I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques

We trip mostly in the warm months. We always generally make it a rule to wear Our wet boots and swim wearing our pfd’s. Mine gets tested multiple times every day on trip. I’ll occasionally relax the rule on the pfd’s.

If we were on a perfect beach and I’d checked for errant fishing hooks or Lures in the water I’d consider relaxing the wet boots on while swimming rule. We’re just so used to it that it doesn’t bother us.

You should be able to test it in a pool somewhere. Just. Make sure it has plenty of time to dry out after you test it.

Ryan

nooneuno: "I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques"

I'd like to do that. But I live in Minneapolis and this practice would result in a significant response from the fire department. I'll have to find a lake elsewhere.

Mike

MikeinMpls: "

nooneuno: "I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques"

I'd like to do that. But I live in Minneapolis and this practice would result in a significant response from the fire department. I'll have to find a lake elsewhere.


Mike"

Come to Lake Owasso in Shoreview. We swamp canoes all the time at the north end beach and no one blinks an eye.

MikeinMpls: "

nooneuno: "I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques"

I'd like to do that. But I live in Minneapolis and this practice would result in a significant response from the fire department. I'll have to find a lake elsewhere.


Mike"

Mike, my dog swamped my shiny new canoe out on Lake of the Isles last weekend, about 30 feet from shore mind you, but no one from the fire department came running. In fact just a single person asked us if we were OK, a nice old man on the dock wetting a line. The other 500 people that walked/ran/biked by in the span of the 20 minutes we spent drying stuff out and cursing the "lively" hull and the dog that doesn't like to sit still seemed quite content continuing about their days. :) Isles doesn't have any nice beaches though so if your intent is to swap your canoe for fun, I'd do it somewhere else, unless you want weeds and decaying tree matter in and around every nook and cranny of your canoe. lol

I do like "swimming" with my PFD when in the BWCA however. It is quite nice to just float there and cool off, with a couple head dunks here and there. I remember one time on Cherry, we had just gotten back from a visit to Lake of the Clouds. It was a super humid June day, probably 100% humidity, around 80 degrees. I went for a swim and found the water surprisingly cold, and it felt amazing, but within 5 minutes of getting out and dried off, I was already hot and sweaty again. I just about went in for another dip.

jdoutdoors: "

MikeinMpls: "

nooneuno: "I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques"

I'd like to do that. But I live in Minneapolis and this practice would result in a significant response from the fire department. I'll have to find a lake elsewhere.



Mike"

Mike, my dog swamped my shiny new canoe out on Lake of the Isles last weekend, about 30 feet from shore mind you, but no one from the fire department came running. In fact just a single person asked us if we were OK, a nice old man on the dock wetting a line. The other 500 people that walked/ran/biked by in the span of the 20 minutes we spent drying stuff out and cursing the "lively" hull and the dog that doesn't like to sit still seemed quite content continuing about their days. :) Isles doesn't have any nice beaches though so if your intent is to swap your canoe for fun, I'd do it somewhere else, unless you want weeds and decaying tree matter in and around every nook and cranny of your canoe. lol

I do like "swimming" with my PFD when in the BWCA however. It is quite nice to just float there and cool off, with a couple head dunks here and there. I remember one time on Cherry, we had just gotten back from a visit to Lake of the Clouds. It was a super humid June day, probably 100% humidity, around 80 degrees. I went for a swim and found the water surprisingly cold, and it felt amazing, but within 5 minutes of getting out and dried off, I was already hot and sweaty again. I just about went in for another dip."

Wow...bad dog! Not an auspicious beginning for the new canoe.

Interestingly, the "rescue" I described above (dude in tandem canoe) occurred on LOTI. By the time we got to the shore, the fire department was waiting, to include the MPD water rescue boat. But that was summertime...a lot busier.

If we practice, it will likely be off the shore of Lake Nokomis where there is some sand. That way we might also be able let the lifeguards know.

Mike

MikeinMpls: "

jdoutdoors: "

MikeinMpls: "

nooneuno: "I purposely capsize canoes and kayaks annually with a pfd on just to learn reactions and practice reboarding techniques"

I'd like to do that. But I live in Minneapolis and this practice would result in a significant response from the fire department. I'll have to find a lake elsewhere.



Mike"

Mike, my dog swamped my shiny new canoe out on Lake of the Isles last weekend, about 30 feet from shore mind you, but no one from the fire department came running. In fact just a single person asked us if we were OK, a nice old man on the dock wetting a line. The other 500 people that walked/ran/biked by in the span of the 20 minutes we spent drying stuff out and cursing the "lively" hull and the dog that doesn't like to sit still seemed quite content continuing about their days. :) Isles doesn't have any nice beaches though so if your intent is to swap your canoe for fun, I'd do it somewhere else, unless you want weeds and decaying tree matter in and around every nook and cranny of your canoe. lol


I do like "swimming" with my PFD when in the BWCA however. It is quite nice to just float there and cool off, with a couple head dunks here and there. I remember one time on Cherry, we had just gotten back from a visit to Lake of the Clouds. It was a super humid June day, probably 100% humidity, around 80 degrees. I went for a swim and found the water surprisingly cold, and it felt amazing, but within 5 minutes of getting out and dried off, I was already hot and sweaty again. I just about went in for another dip."

Wow...bad dog! Not an auspicious beginning for the new canoe.


Interestingly, the "rescue" I described above (dude in tandem canoe) occurred on LOTI. By the time we got to the shore, the fire department was waiting, to include the MPD water rescue boat. But that was summertime...a lot busier.


If we practice, it will likely be off the shore of Lake Nokomis where there is some sand. That way we might also be able let the lifeguards know.


Mike
"

He means well, he just has never been in a canoe, nor have we ever taken him swimming (just turned 1 year old), but he also has very selective hearing so he did nothing when I told him repeatedly to lay down. Nope, he just had to turn around, putting his head under the thwart to do it... and then as the canoe leaned, he just put his foot (and most of his weight) on the sidewall, and, in one slow-motion event, tipped the thing right over. Didn't make my girlfriend feel good about the canoe that I told her would feel tippy but is actually hard to tip. Any canoe is easy to tip if you're leaning hard to one side. Hoping to take it out for a proper trial run next week when the weather improves (after fishing opener).

Any local lake will fit your bill.