Float Tube Safety

[Eastside]

I've been float tubing for 35+ years and have only seen two guys flip their float tubes, both occurring at Dry Falls Lake. One guy was trying to untangle his fly line that had wrapped around his fins, and he flipped over forwards. Fortunately, he was near shore and was able to extricated himself without drowning. The other guy was a friend of mine who was out in the middle of the lake releasing a fish he had just landed and his fly rod fell overboard. He reached over to grab it and flipped over sideways. Fortunately, he was able to extricate himself quickly and swim to shore, losing just his anchor and cellphone.

Several years back I was up at Big O.K. Lake in BC, and I saw all these emergency vehicles on the northeast shore, so I went over to investigate. Turns out another fishermen (fishing from a pram) had drowned, apparently by falling overboard and getting tangled up in his fly line.

I always wear a PFD, no matter what and so far so good. When someone goes fishing with me, I always tell them to wear a PFD, but that if they are going to drown themselves, please have the courtesy to do so at the end of the day so as to not interfere with the good fishing.

Great post! I wear mine when I’m in my float tube, frameless pontoon, drift boat, and 16 ft motorboat. I haven’t heard the case of tangling with fly line but see where that could occur. I won’t launch the drift boat or motorboat unless my passengers are wearing theirs. None of my fishing buddies have protested.

 

[Pez Vela]

This might help you get back into your pontoon boat... https://a.co/d/iugScnP ..works for me.

 

[nwbobber]

This might help you get back into your pontoon boat... https://a.co/d/iugScnP ..works for me.

That's really a good idea. Keep something like that rolled up out of the way just in case.

 

[Dennisoft]

This might help you get back into your pontoon boat... https://a.co/d/iugScnP ..works for me.

This could be a life saver in cold water!

 

[krusty]

This might help you get back into your pontoon boat... https://a.co/d/iugScnP ..works for me.

Looks interesting, but have you practiced using it? A lot of the favorable reviews appear to theoretical rather than tested. You don't want to be learning how it actually works in an emergency.

 

[nwbobber]

Anything like that needs to be practiced, in warm water where you can safely play with it. I guarantee it will be clumsier than it looks. The center of mass is going to shift forward which may tip the boat forward making it tricky to slide into the seat.
I did a Canoe/kayak rescue class that consisted of 8 hours tipping boats over and getting back in them. It was an eye opener, and good to have the experience in a controlled situation.

 

[krusty]

Anything like that needs to be practiced, in warm water where you can safely play with it. I guarantee it will be clumsier than it looks. The center of mass is going to shift forward which may tip the boat forward making it tricky to slide into the seat.
I did a Canoe/kayak rescue class that consisted of 8 hours tipping boats over and getting back in them. It was an eye opener, and good to have the experience in a controlled situation.

Indeed.

Coldwater immersion time might be much better spent kicking to shore.

And all bets are off without constant PFD wear.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

I've been trying to convince someone to try lake fishing with me. We would be using float tubes and wearing PFDs. However, they are paranoid about safety. I'm convinced that floating around in a tube is far safer than wading on a river, yet they have no issue with that. They seem to think it is possible for submerged trees to suddenly float to the surface and kill you, among other things.

Is there any truth to this paranoia? What safety issues does one need to be aware of?

Lighting and a graphite rod
God deciding its your time
Organized crime looking for your doppleganger and thinking it would be nice to get out to a pretty place.

 

[Buzzy]

This might help you get back into your pontoon boat... https://a.co/d/iugScnP ..works for me.

My friend Herb gave both Keith and I a similar product last May as we started readying our prams for the annual BC trip. I gave it back to Herb: I knew I'd never be able to climb back in my pram if for some reason I ended up outside of it and it simply would have been something else in the way of my already overcrowded 8-foot boat. But it was a nice gesture and I appreciated the thought. I'd like to think my first response would be to kick for shore and whistle for help.

 

[Dogsnfish]

Some eye opening stories. I do not get worried floating around in my float tube or pontoon. But I am religous about wearing my pfd whenever I am in my float tube / pontoon / jet boat.

 

[Starman77]

My friend Herb gave both Keith and I a similar product last May as we started readying our prams for the annual BC trip. I gave it back to Herb: I knew I'd never be able to climb back in my pram if for some reason I ended up outside of it and it simply would have been something else in the way of my already overcrowded 8-foot boat. But it was a nice gesture and I appreciated the thought. I'd like to think my first response would be to kick for shore and whistle for help.

I may be wrong about this, but I believe a whistle is a required item to have on you if you are in any floating device up in BC. I think a throw rope is also required.

 

[Rio Grande King]

Upside down in a float tube is no fun. From my little e-book-

July 1 marks the opening of large parts of Georgetown Lake. In 2000 Norm Guay, Paul Redfern’s sort-of-uncle and I were the very first anglers on a well-rested part of Georgetown. Norm was in his pontoon boat and he lent me his small float tube. It was a chilly, overcast day- perfect for Callibaetis. How can I modestly put this? We wrenched them! The fish were stacked up on the shallow, lee side of a long weed bed. If one cast a Callibaetis nymph right next to the weeds, let it sink for just a second and twitched it back, one generally got a grab from a powerful 14-16 inch Georgetown rainbow, a few even larger.
Of course, that pattern didn’t always hold. Out of a spring hole next to the weeds came one beautiful Eastern brook. It got to be 11:00 and still the adult Callibaetis hadn’t shown. Not to worry- once we tied on the dries, fish came to them avidly, even though the natural duns weren’t on the water yet. Of course, we attracted attention. Pretty soon a couple of anglers, one in a small raft and another in a pontoon pulled within short casts of us. At about 12:30 Norm and I shouted to each other that it was about time to leave. On cue the duns started popping in earnest and fish started rising everywhere.
Probably the biggest fish of the day engulfed Norm’s dry. Despite his best efforts, the fish ended up lying on the lake bottom bleeding from the gills. Someone in the campground would eat it. I paddled over, gave him Paul’s loaner rod to hold, and bent over to net the fish.

Almost got him. I leaned over a bit farther and instantly it happened. I heard Lloyd Bridges Seahunt noises and was upside down in a float tube! It was terrifying. For the record, I am not much of a swimmer. Not that swimming matters much when you are being held upside down in the water. Breathing is what matters. This becomes painfully clear whenyou’re pinned wrong side-up in the water. Luckily, the fins pulled through the leg holes in the tube very quickly. I slithered up coughing, grabbed on to the skittish tube, and called for help. All of a sudden having floating company close seemed like a good thing. Norman was there quickly and after I hooked my left arm around the back of his pontoon boat and keeping my right arm on the float tube we plodded our way to shore.

The guy in the pontoon boat, who I’d counted on for immediate assistance, just asked if I had an extra life vest and proceeded to take over our spot. I got the feeling that he would have been more help if the fish weren’t rising.

 

[Pez Vela]

Yes, I have practiced in my grandsons pool, but haven’t got a picture using it. I know for a fact I can’t get up from the front without it, but able to pull myself up from the side. Just not sure how to get in the seat from there. Works good, lasts long time! I’ll post pictures as soon as the pool gets heated up!

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

I can say for a fact, if you're on a pontoon boat and fall in you can get up and back on the seat really quickly. Please don't ask me how I know.

 

[dbm65]

I've been trying to convince someone to try lake fishing with me. We would be using float tubes and wearing PFDs. However, they are paranoid about safety. I'm convinced that floating around in a tube is far safer than wading on a river, yet they have no issue with that. They seem to think it is possible for submerged trees to suddenly float to the surface and kill you, among other things.

Is there any truth to this paranoia? What safety issues does one need to be aware of?

I'm been an avid float tuber for around 25 years or so. I always wear a PDF, use common sense, and am a firm believer in horse shoe shaped tubes. Have never used a round one and have no intentions. Tubing is very safe and your friend is being a tad bit paranoid.

 

[Jim Allen]

I've been trying to convince someone to try lake fishing with me. We would be using float tubes and wearing PFDs. However, they are paranoid about safety. I'm convinced that floating around in a tube is far safer than wading on a river, yet they have no issue with that. They seem to think it is possible for submerged trees to suddenly float to the surface and kill you, among other things.

Is there any truth to this paranoia? What safety issues does one need to be aware of?

It all safe until its not!! Typically, ETOH or Darwin is involved.

 

[Wetswinger]

I just never got comfortable wearing waders in a tube or pontoon. Just seems like adding another problem to the occasion. Everyone talks about how dangerous wading in a river is. How about in the middle of a lake?..

 

[PhilR]

I just never got comfortable wearing waders in a tube or pontoon. Just seems like adding another problem to the occasion. Everyone talks about how dangerous wading in a river is. How about in the middle of a lake?..

Apples and oranges. Rivers can be challenging due to sketchy footing and the force of moving water which are not issues in still water. Lakes are deeper, which is a different concern.

However, if you’re not comfortable, you’re not comfortable , and I get it.

 

[Dennisoft]

I just never got comfortable wearing waders in a tube or pontoon. Just seems like adding another problem to the occasion. Everyone talks about how dangerous wading in a river is. How about in the middle of a lake?..

To me, the nice thing about the float tube is that you've got several redundant sources of floatation. Most boats will have at least two separate bladder plus your pfd. On the river you might have a pfd.

Cold water temps are the real danger in my opinion.

 

[Irafly]

I can say for a fact, if you're on a pontoon boat and fall in you can get up and back on the seat really quickly. Please don't ask me how I know.

I don’t need to, I know. So does @troutpocket

By the way you can stand on a pontoon boat seat with fins to pee as long as you you don’t shift too much when putting the waders back on. I Ben diving head first into the lake, I managed to make it back into the pontoon boat just fine. Helped clean the seat of pee, all that dripping and all.