Float Tube

[carp master]

I've got a question. I recently purchased a float tube and was wondering if a life jacket would be required when using it.  I know most will say always use a life jacket, but I am wondering about those times when hunting in bulrushes that are only waist deep when other people are present. Anything deeper than that and I would wear a life jacket. I could not find anything in the regs. Thank you.

[Neighbor_guy]

They are considered a watercraft. Thus you must have one. 

[carp master]

Thank you

[bobbymalone]

I don't see how a float tube is considered a watercraft... I think it's closer to swimming than it is a watercraft, you're half submerged.  In an inflatable boat, you're out of the water.

You don't need a life jacket to float down the river on a tube with a beer in your hand.  What's the difference?  You don't need one to bob around with pool noodle either. 

I've never had a life jacket in my float tube, but I use mine for fishing and I'm in a pair of swim trunks with flippers on and the water is 76 degrees.  

I'd think about one if i was in a pair of waders and the water was cold though, regardless of what the law says or doesn't say.

Edited October 13, 2015 by bobbymalone

[Ufatz]

I always wear an auto-inflate PFD when using a float boat or tube. I have a couple great ones, an original Hobie pontoon, solid tubes and breakdown frame and a Bucks Bags Bronco....great tool. Wear a PFD because  any float tube CAN get away from you and more quickly than you think. And here's a tip: make up a 6' length of parachute cord or something similar and put a snap on each end.  Snap one end to the tube or pontoon boat and another end to your clothing or around your leg. That way the device CANNOT get away from you. And check to determine the lateral stability of any tube.  It IS possible to flip some of them over and you will be on the BOTTOM of the tube. The good side of that is searchers can find your body easier.

They are great devices but you gotta use a little common sense.

Have fun.

[bobbymalone]

Now I'm confused.  I wouldn't consider the things Ufatz listed to be a float tube.  I'd call that an inflatable boat and I think it would be considered a watercraft.

When I think float tube, I think this:

 

 

 

[Ufatz]

Read first sentence of my post again.  And I AM talking about devices such as those you picture. When I used those-back a few years-I still wore and auto-inflate PFD. I now use things that are more stable, more comfortable, with better flotation and safer designs. Frankly  I consider the "float tube" rather primitive given the other devices on the market.

And I would worry less about what is classed a "boat" and more about making sure i have taken reasonable safety precautions.  The little "safety line" I suggest might save your life some day.

[BoxMN]

Don't know about the law, but can say the closest I ever came to losing my brother was when he was using of those dratted float tubes. It started leaking, and he didn't have a PFD on. Thank goodness for floating gun case, and bag of decoys that kept him up until he got to shore. 

I would say have a pfd, and also know EXACTLY how to use the mouth inflate tube. On his, the valve just came lose on that tube and leaked the air out. Would have been easy fix had he known that is what happened. He was scared, and we gave it away after that. 

Be safe and practice with it in the warm weather, is my advice. It seems like an easy thing to use even for dense folks like us  but until you actually use it you won't all aspects of actually using it. Good luck, hope it works great for you! For us it is Carstens Puddlers all the way

[HugoBox]

Don't know about the law, but can say the closest I ever came to losing my brother was when he was using of those dratted float tubes. It started leaking, and he didn't have a PFD on. Thank goodness for floating gun case, and bag of decoys that kept him up until he got to shore. 

I would say have a pfd, and also know EXACTLY how to use the mouth inflate tube. On his, the valve just came lose on that tube and leaked the air out. Would have been easy fix had he known that is what happened. He was scared, and we gave it away after that. 

Be safe and practice with it in the warm weather, is my advice. It seems like an easy thing to use even for dense folks like us  but until you actually use it you won't all aspects of actually using it. Good luck, hope it works great for you! For us it is Carstens Puddlers all the way

I'm the brother that coulda croaked.  Easy to look back now and think how silly it was that I didn't simply close the valve.  That said, it was late October and the water in northern MN was VERY cold.  As soon as the tube went flat my waders filled up.  At that point I tied my cuffs (as well as I could) through the straps on the decoy bag and dog paddled to shore. Honestly the main reason I tied my sleeves up was because I was pretty sure I was going to drown in the cold water so I figured if I was attached to something it would be easier for them to find my body.  Sounds dramatic but it was very cold an I knew the water was at least 6-8 feet deep.  Its a very helpless feeling when you tell you body to do things like breathe slow and kick your legs but it doesn't exactly cooperate.  It was maybe a 200 yard swim but felt like 2 miles.  Cold water does very strange things to you.  Never felt better than when I got to shore.  I think a bit of hypothermia started in though because it took my buddy a while to get me calmed down.

After that happened I gave the tube away (even though it really wasn't "broken" and I WILL NOT get into any watercraft hunting without a PFD (if I were smarter I wouldn't fish without one either).  Also, when I pick up decoys I put them right into a bag (even in a big boat)  - two benefits there are that its less of a mess later and if there is a problem you have on extra thing to hold onto that floats.  The suggestion above about a "safety Line" is very smart. 

Okay, sermon over...  Good luck!

Edited October 20, 2015 by HugoBox
spelling

[ClownColor]

I'm thinking...isn't a float tube in itself a giant pfd? I'm guessing that is what they consider a tube while floating down the river.