06-07-2009, 02:38 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Okay, so it's bad form to reply to your own post. But, since this was dragged back out of the past...2003...and since there seems to be some current concerns, let me pop off again.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]1. I seriously question the story about the tuber flipping on Strawberry and ripping loose all of his muscles. Almost impossible. He could have flipped, if he really tried hard. But, if he had a quick release buckle on his round tube...STANDARD ON ALL MODELS...he could have unclicked it and could easily exit the tube from either the top or the bottom. In the olden days, when there were ONLY round tubes, I demonstrated that in several float tubing seminars. Easier than rolling over in a kayak. I am a big dude and I have lifted my tube up over my head to get out of tricky beaching situations a couple of times...after undoing the quick release buckle.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]2. Flipping in the waves? Again, YES you can, if you try hard enough. But, you have to place your tube sideways to the oncoming waves and then heave yourself over when the wave hits you. At least that is the way I suppose it could be done. I have never been desperate or dumb enough to try it. And, I have NEVER been in even the remotest danger of doing so.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]3. Very few tubers are going to launch when it is windy and nasty. But, sometimes a storm will come up while we are on the water and have to deal with it. Personally, I get off the water as soon as the breeze is strong enough to mess up my "touch fishing". I fish light jigs on light tackle and when the wind puts a bow in my line, I am done. However, I have been caught well away from my launch site on a few occasions when the wind was too strong and the waves too high to beat my way back to where I started. The best thing I have come up with is to fight my way to the nearest sheltered cove or available shoreline. Then I get out of the water and wait for the wind to die down. And, it usually will. If it doesn't, I walk or hitchhike back to my vehicle.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Newbie tubers and non-tubers love to play the "WHAT IF" games. In most cases they quickly realize that the potential for disaster is not really all that great and their fears are not justified. But, some folks just won't let it go. I just wanna smack them. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have been tubing all over the country for over 50 years...on all kinds of water and under all kinds of conditions. I admit that I have gotten myself into some situations that I try to avoid in the future, but I have never considered myself to be seriously at risk because I was in a float tube. To the contrary, I have been grateful that I was in a tube and not a boat on more than one occasion.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Despite all of the "third hand" stories I have heard about tubers sinking or turning over in their tubes, I have never witnessed such an incident, nor have I heard such an account from anybody who I would consider to be a reliable witness. It has all been "Well, I heard tell, from....". [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I HAVE been in several auto accidents and have narrowly avoided being in several others. I have lost family and friends to not only auto accidents, but to many other freak situations that could not have been anticipated. Stuff happens. But, it happens a lot more in non-tubing situations.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If we gear up properly, take the time to become familiar with our equipment and how it works and if we use proper precautions in launching, beaching and operation, we should avoid the avoidable. Furthermore, we should always pay attention to the weather. Forecasts can be wrong...and often are. So, always keep your eyes on what is actually happening, rather than relying 100% on the forecast. If clouds appear...especially with lightning...get off the water. Ditto for wind that comes up suddenly and gets stronger fast. It may already be too late to get back and you might just need to look for a safe port until it blows over.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As Dirty Harry says, "A man should know his limitations." That is especially true with tubing. Don't try to cover too much lake on your first trip...or after you have not been tubing for awhile. Kicking gently is not too strenuous, but doing it for longer than you can handle will produce leg cramps and leave you painfully stranded well away from your vehicle. That can be scary...and dangerous.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That's about enough out of me.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]1. I seriously question the story about the tuber flipping on Strawberry and ripping loose all of his muscles. Almost impossible. He could have flipped, if he really tried hard. But, if he had a quick release buckle on his round tube...STANDARD ON ALL MODELS...he could have unclicked it and could easily exit the tube from either the top or the bottom. In the olden days, when there were ONLY round tubes, I demonstrated that in several float tubing seminars. Easier than rolling over in a kayak. I am a big dude and I have lifted my tube up over my head to get out of tricky beaching situations a couple of times...after undoing the quick release buckle.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]2. Flipping in the waves? Again, YES you can, if you try hard enough. But, you have to place your tube sideways to the oncoming waves and then heave yourself over when the wave hits you. At least that is the way I suppose it could be done. I have never been desperate or dumb enough to try it. And, I have NEVER been in even the remotest danger of doing so.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]3. Very few tubers are going to launch when it is windy and nasty. But, sometimes a storm will come up while we are on the water and have to deal with it. Personally, I get off the water as soon as the breeze is strong enough to mess up my "touch fishing". I fish light jigs on light tackle and when the wind puts a bow in my line, I am done. However, I have been caught well away from my launch site on a few occasions when the wind was too strong and the waves too high to beat my way back to where I started. The best thing I have come up with is to fight my way to the nearest sheltered cove or available shoreline. Then I get out of the water and wait for the wind to die down. And, it usually will. If it doesn't, I walk or hitchhike back to my vehicle.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Newbie tubers and non-tubers love to play the "WHAT IF" games. In most cases they quickly realize that the potential for disaster is not really all that great and their fears are not justified. But, some folks just won't let it go. I just wanna smack them. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have been tubing all over the country for over 50 years...on all kinds of water and under all kinds of conditions. I admit that I have gotten myself into some situations that I try to avoid in the future, but I have never considered myself to be seriously at risk because I was in a float tube. To the contrary, I have been grateful that I was in a tube and not a boat on more than one occasion.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Despite all of the "third hand" stories I have heard about tubers sinking or turning over in their tubes, I have never witnessed such an incident, nor have I heard such an account from anybody who I would consider to be a reliable witness. It has all been "Well, I heard tell, from....". [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I HAVE been in several auto accidents and have narrowly avoided being in several others. I have lost family and friends to not only auto accidents, but to many other freak situations that could not have been anticipated. Stuff happens. But, it happens a lot more in non-tubing situations.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If we gear up properly, take the time to become familiar with our equipment and how it works and if we use proper precautions in launching, beaching and operation, we should avoid the avoidable. Furthermore, we should always pay attention to the weather. Forecasts can be wrong...and often are. So, always keep your eyes on what is actually happening, rather than relying 100% on the forecast. If clouds appear...especially with lightning...get off the water. Ditto for wind that comes up suddenly and gets stronger fast. It may already be too late to get back and you might just need to look for a safe port until it blows over.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As Dirty Harry says, "A man should know his limitations." That is especially true with tubing. Don't try to cover too much lake on your first trip...or after you have not been tubing for awhile. Kicking gently is not too strenuous, but doing it for longer than you can handle will produce leg cramps and leave you painfully stranded well away from your vehicle. That can be scary...and dangerous.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]That's about enough out of me.[/#0000ff]
[signature]