Another Watercraft found afloat on Winni
 

Early Morning Saturday (7/6/2019) I found an unoccupied paddle boat floating on the lake.

Disturbingly about 200 yards or so from the empty boat I found an unoccupied life jacket floating in the water

I retrieved it and made it secure and towed it into center harbor after checking to see if anyone was in distress before leaving the area.

It has been reported to Marine Patrol. Special thanks to Gregg (town employee) at the Center Harbor launch for helping me get the boat on land and reporting the incident to Marine Patrol.

Thank you also to the fella launching his boat who had the patience to wait a few moments for us to haul the boat out.

If it is your boat you might have to call Marine Patrol to identify it.

Amazing to me that many (most?) SUP users do not wear life vests. You're alone on an unstable platform, often far from shore, it's a busy lake, and when you fall in, you are literally falling.:eek:

Depending how you fall, is possible to get smacked upside your head on the board, or on a rock, a dock, any nearby hard object like a mooring float or even a shallow sandy bottom. Paddle boarding .....is fun water exercise .... can be a head knocker.

If paddle boarders don't want to wear a pfd because it is too hot and bulky on a hot day, it is required to have a pfd and a whistle on board, so one can do that and wear a home made foam noodle belt which is less bulky and actually works a lot better for swimming than a pfd.

Actually, a home made foam noodle belt made with a single 94-cent noodle and a better quality 5/16" line is a serious good swimmer's belt and would go a long way to keeping one afloat and alive in cool 50-70 degree water temps, or if partially drunk, or stunned by a head smack.

People have different buoyancy and comfort levels in water over their head. For example, swimming 100-yards in 60-degree water with no flotation is a drowning situation for many people.

Putting any confidence in a foam noodle is also likely to result in a drowning situation too. However if it saves you a buck or two it's so worth it.

PFD is required
 

If a PFD is required, adding a noodle is an excess expense, not a savings.