I don't know if participants are required to wear PFDs at those speeds; however, when I found a brand-new PFD floating in The Broads, I adopted it.
Distressing at the time—
even though new—is that it weighed about twelve pounds due to water absorption.
Later, I dismantled my old PFD to see what constituted "flotation", and it's the same stuff that you could rip in half with your bare hands.
• Note that these
off-the-shelf PFDs are
not rated for a Poker Run's maximum speeds—
nor for impact.
Pics:
