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How to Follow Towsurfing Safety
by Shawn Alladio

Background:
My professional goal is supporting boating education, safety and enforcement. I am certified by the National Safe Boating Council, and PFD use is the beginning foundation of the NSBC’s recreational boating education program, whose motto is “Boat Smart from the Start.” Without the support of a PFD, you can drown.

Requirements:
The State of California requires anyone using an aquaplane device to wear a PFD, unless under permit by a special event and the safety guidelines. The lifejacket must be a type approved by the US Coast Guard for this kind of activity, just as water skiers and wake boarders are required to wear lifejackets. 

Surfers in general are not used to wearing lifejackets, so the acceptance of PFD use has been slow, but it is growing. For years, some surfers wore additional flotation forms under their wetsuits to aid in bringing their bodies to the surface and help prevent a serious “hold down.”

Towsurfing Basics:
Those measures aren’t adequate for towsurfing, an evolving water sport derived from surfing and water skiing. Towsurfing is a sport designed with speed in mind—the speed of the wave, plus the speed of the towing vessel. This sport requires more aggressive flotation methods.

Finding the Right PFD:
Wearing a properly fitted, sized and USCG-approved lifejacket has certainly saved the lives of towsurfers and their drivers.
Buoyancy is the governing safety factor of a proper PFD “type.”The amount of air mixed in water affects buoyancy, as does body weight. The more air that’s mixed in, the less buoyant an object will be.

Those of you who participate in whitewater sports understand the inherent safety feature of a whitewater PFD. These lifejackets are bulky, due to the additional flotation needed in the heavily aerated white water. They are also designed to keep your body in an upright position on the surface to avoid objects that could snag or pin your body and possibly lead to drowning.

In extreme water conditions, your basic Type III PFD may not be sufficient to keep your airway above the water, as your body weight and the air mixed with water will decrease your ability to stay comfortably on the surface. More buoyant material will improve your buoyancy, but will also reduce mobility. You really cannot “duck dive” below the surface wearing a PFD. That alone takes some getting used to!

If you’ve had any type of impact injury or passed out due to oxygen deprivation, your PFD will not help keep your airway above the water unless it has a built-in flotation device on the rear neckline, designed to roll your face into an upright position. If you do not have this type of PFD, your head will act as dead weight and fall downward, with your shoulders on the surface of the water, head down. In such dynamic water, there is no guarantee even these PFD “types” will work properly, due to heavy wave action and body rotation.

PFDs to Avoid:
Inflatable chest harness PFDs are not recommended, because you must be physically able to pull the lanyard to activate inflation. They can inflate accidentally if the pull cord catches on a fixed object. Some designs have a soluble tab that dissolves on contact with water, so they inflate automatically. Once inflated, these types of PFDs are extremely bulky and can puncture. They also require regular maintenance.

Finding the Perfect Fit :
Obviously, if you are a heavyset person, you would need to factor in your weight and the water conditions to decide if your PFD can effectively keep your airway above the water line in case of injury.

To be optimally effective, your PFD must fit properly. It should not rise above your shoulders or armpits, but stay firmly affixed to your upper torso. PFDs also have a limited lifespan—UV rays can affect the material, and the foam itself can lose buoyancy if compromised. Check your PFD regularly and replace when needed.

Summary :
You cannot rely solely upon a PFD to compensate for your lack of heavy water knowledge. Only experience and proficiency will assist you when you need to make critical decisions. Lifejackets are saving lives, but they won’t work unless you wear them.