VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Better question is what ever happened to allowing people to exercise their own common sense? If someone wants to take a calculated risk that can (most likely) only result in their own death, why not let them? I don't wear a helmet riding bikes; call me stupid but it is my choice (risk) to make (take). I don't personally endanger anyone else in the process. Same idea applies here, and for the moment I AM choosing to wear a lifejacket.

If we are to preventatively set mandates in high risk activities why stop with helmets and pfd's, lets just ban the sport outright, that's the only way we can be sure its safe. The most recent call for requiring helmets on ski hills further illustrated the point, next thing double and single black diamonds will be banned. I say let the people do what they want to do. Rather than set up rules to limit people's activities why don't we encourage and enforce accountability. That is not to say we should not encourage, educate and create awareness around things like helmets and life jackets, but making it a law is like telling me I have to wear boxers instead of briefs.

I need to make 2 corrections. My memory is not all that great.
1. Sorry for slagging the CYA for the turn-around, but it was not the CYA. It was ORBAC (Ontario Recreational Boating Advisory Council) who turned the tides back to legislation, after I already had verbal confirmation and had seen the draft SVR back in 2004 that showed that TC acknowledged our point of view. Bummed for sure that we were unsuccessful.
2. The deadline for comments is May 25, not May 2 as I might have indicated in my original post. So there is time to write in!

ToesideT - there are definitely some issues with the blanket approach in either direction. I don't think the TC would ever consider putting caveats in there and exemptions for specific conditions, which ideally would be the probably the best approach. In the end, it comes to personal choice, and I am not sure that I agree that there are actually cottage type windsurfers who actually read the SVR and abide by it. I doubt there are many, if any, windsurf retailers out there who have the SVR available to customers or even explain the legislation to prospective customers. Anyway, I reckon there are more pressing safety issues to instill upon sailors in Canada: the obvious - wear gear for the conditions and sail with a buddy. Without those, PFDs are useless.

I've attached a copy of the report body that went to TC back in 2003 during the last round of modifications to the SVR. SORRY - COULDN"T ATTACH A PDF. IF ANYONE WANTS THE FILE TO REFERENCE - I AM HAPPY TO EMAIL IT TO YOU. JUST PM ME WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

We have run ins all the time through the summer months with the Ontario Provincial Police marine units who are keen to dole out $255 fines. Here in Ktown and in Ottawa...

Cheers, and thanks for any support you guys can offer.

Mike/Fish/Kook

I like Ross' take on this twisted pfd logic as he said to me several years ago: if you're on a windsurfer (a perfectly good flotation device), you're required to wear or carry a pfd, but the moment you jump in the water and start swimming you are no longer required to have one! Is that f'd up or what?
I also agree with what bwd said about trying to swim after your gear while wearing a pfd in strong wind and waves. It just isn't safe or practical and there are times when you need to duck under a wave in the break zone or swim under your sail to do a water start. Try that with a pfd, good luck with that.
These rules must have been made by someone who's never set foot on a sailboard and perhaps sails boats and is just tired of being passed like they're standing still by every windsurfer around.

if you want to legislate safety for windsurfers, then make the sailing alone a crime. The buddy system is the best safety device. The biggest threat to windsurfers is breaking down in cold water and not having a buddy to notify rescue or tow you in. Hey... can a fire extinguisher be a bucket? I was thinking of wearing a Helmut anyway.

A testament to the degree of misunderstanding of our sport: Back in '03 - when probed on the ability for windsurfers to carry a 'manual propelling device' (i.e. paddle) on board, the response from a Transport Canada official was something like: 'Well, we'd interpret the fin on the board as being good enough for that'.

Thank goodness they did go back to the drawing board and add 'multi-head unscrewing device' on the list of safety items.

Frustrating dealing with individuals who have no understanding whatsoever of the sport, and are somehow put in charge of legislating our safety.

Please sign the petition at: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/kiteboard/index.html

The Ministry of Transport is looking to make it mandatory for kiteboarders to wear PFDs in Canada. We propose that PFDs should be a choice by the kiteboarder and not mandated.

It is the opinion of many kiteboarders that PFDs increase the risk to kiteboarders because they:

1. make body dragging to your board difficult
2. can interfere with the use of quick release safety
3. can result in more line entanglement
reduce mobility, so can limit a kiteboarders ability to depower kite and board

Furthermore they are not deemed necessary because both the board and kite offer more than enough flotation (and certainly more than a pillow style PFD that is certified on many vessles) to allow for kiteboarders to self rescue


The current proposal by the Ministry of Transport:

Sailboards and Kiteboards

219. A sailboard or kiteboard is not required to carry on board life-saving appliances, vessel safety equipment or firefighting equipment if

(a) the operator is wearing a personal flotation device of an appropriate size that is not fitted with an automatic inflator; or

(b) the operator is engaged in an official competition at which a safety craft is in attendance and carrying on board a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for the operator that can be donned in the water.

Awsome they should have did that years ago!!! It will never work!!!