The chance that you will have something happen at the river/lake far exceeds the chances at the drags... Not to mention that there are Resuce & EMT's at the drags...Wear your gear ALWAYS...That's why you bought it?
When I'm going to test on the river I just wear my lifeline and helmet. Not anymore! I'm putting it all on ballistic shorts to Helmet restraints I don't care if I look like a dork.
The chance that you will have something happen at the river/lake far exceeds the chances at the drags... Not to mention that there are Resuce & EMT's at the drags...Wear your gear ALWAYS...That's why you bought it?
Ditto!...
Saturday morning at Plowman's a guy in a BAJ was making some passes with his gear on......took it off (along with the lanyard), made another pass, and got tossed. Someone swam out and grabbed the boat as it circled by....he was OK.
Be safe..
When or if I ever get enough money to finish my flat, I planned on doing the same.
I don't think I will wear anything special if I have passengers or just out putting around.
When I am planning on matting it, or if I am going out to wring it's neck I will definitely be suited up.
Shorts, lifeline, helmet.
Brian
At what MPH should you be wearing a helmet and shorts?
At what MPH should you be wearing a helmet and shorts?
Try impacting your head on the deck of the boat sometime at 30 mph or so. You're gonna have more than a headache. Not being a smartass. If you're driving any boat on the edge of it's range you're at risk. Most head injuries occur from the head impacting some part of the boat if the boat crashes or even throws you out of the seat in an unanticipated manuver (like spinning a jet boat). I've seen people killed at relatively low boat speed in less than spectacular crashes.
Also, hit your head knocking you out, thrown in the water with no life jacket isn't a real good survival rate scenario either. Knocked out people tend to sink.
I don't think there is a MPH mark you can name as being not at risk. Depends on the boat and how you operate it.
I have used this arguement in the past to people when they bitched about wearing a motorcycle helmet.
At one time or another, everyone has hit their head on an open cabinet or closet door as they are walking through the house.
Smarts doesn't it? How fast are we walking, 1-2 miles an hour?
Brian
Try impacting your head on the deck of the boat sometime at 30 mph or so. You're gonna have more than a headache. Not being a smartass. If you're driving any boat on the edge of it's range you're at risk. Most head injuries occur from the head impacting some part of the boat if the boat crashes or even throws you out of the seat in an unanticipated manuver (like spinning a jet boat). I've seen people killed at relatively low boat speed in less than spectacular crashes.
Also, hit your head knocking you out, thrown in the water with no life jacket isn't a real good survival rate scenario either. Knocked out people tend to sink.
I don't think there is a MPH mark you can name as being not at risk. Depends on the boat and how you operate it.
RR2 had a get-out, "The Starfish".
Looked to an enexperienced v-driver(me) to be a relatively low-speed incident, maybe a bad chine catch? Either way, it got ugly in a hurry.
After that I promised Christie I wouldn't be driving the Hondo hard without wearing safety gear.
Brian
When I'm going to test on the river I just wear my lifeline and helmet. Not anymore! I'm putting it all on ballistic shorts to Helmet restraints I don't care if I look like a dork.
Well I just hate wearing all that shit..to tell you the truth. But my wife makes me do it. Yeah..I know better.
And on the motorcycle helmet deal.....I just hate more regulations and being told what I MUST do. I dont argue the safety factor.