Because all the flotation is in the front. Mae West was a famous, old-time movie actress who had a rather substantial bosom.

Gotcha.. she had all her flotation in front...

Funny, last night i watched a PBS show on US comedy and they discussed her for about 15 minutes

If every new design, material, color change requires re-approval, why are the US makers of PFD for other sports not completey undercut but cheaper non-approved designs?

Can the throwable be an auto-inflate?

If so, can you pack a small auto-inflate with small spectra line into a soda-can sized package and strap it to the back of the rear beam? Since people often fall behind the boat, maybe it can have some sort of spring-ejector which launches the floatation device about 3 meters behind the boat (from the beamm), and you can drag it around the swimmer (the end of the 25 meter cord would be attached to the beam?)

"Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are just happy to see me?"
Famous line from a May West movie; she co-starred with W.C.Fields a lot.

David
ACat
Big Bird

Hey Big Boy .... why don't you come up and see me sometime ... Oo, Oo ...

Another famous Mae West quote. Mae West was the origonal "Buxom Blond Bombshell" ... all other have just been poor copies ...

On a personal note: My great grandmother "Aimie" was employed whenever Mae West was performing in Philadelphia as her personal maid/dresser .... my surviving elderly relatives remember Mae West and speak of her w/ the highest regard stating that she was the very kindest, politest soft-spoken lady you would ever have the pleasure of meeting .... and was always immaculently dressed when not on the stage performing.

HarryMurphey

Another famous Mae West quote was "a hard man is good to find"...

According to the PBS show i saw last night... this line was the one that caused the movie industry to set new standards and greatly diminished her ability to be so "vulgar" and reduced her role in Hollywood.

I think she also said "When I'm good ... I'm good, and when I'm bad ... I'm even better".

(I hope I got the quote correct)

HarryMurphey

Yikes, lack of sailing is really bad...

I could go into all the effort to pull up all the rules that apply to clarify some of the incorrect assumptions here, but the bigger question is, what's the big deal?

Is carrying a throwable really going to slow you down?

Is wearing/carrying an approved device really going to slow you down?

Since the rules are on the books, are not new, and this is a potentially life-saving issue, shouldn't we be more appalled that this isn't being enforced? If everyone were following the rules, it would immediately become a non-issue, just something to bitch about (like comptips).

Mike

Come on Mike

Who has a greater interest in keeping my butt safe... you as the PRO/OA and US Sailing or ME?

Why don't you leave ALL the safety decisions up to me.
Don't shift responsibility from my choices in gear and my decisions to race, require safety boats, liability insurance etc etc to the OA, USSA and the PRO.

The life jacket issue is indeed a performance issue. A better jacket improves your performance and so for fairness we need to enforce the stupid rule or find a work around. Putting a small orange jacket in your hull is a workaround that is a viable silly solution to the existing law.

Compressing a grade IV throwable and forcing it into your hull where you will need glass work to get it again is stupid and probably illegal. Is this a protest that anybody wants to file or hear? Does it serve fair racing?

In this case... we all agree that we are not going to have any organization thumb it's nose at the US Coast Guard and Federal Law.

So... The solution is to NOT say anything about personal safety gear and let each skipper choose and take full responsibility for their boat. If the coasties want to inspect me on the water... OK... I will pay the fine.... It's the same as a seat belt law!.... We don't need to include it in the Racing Rules... It doesn't help the game and the BS needed to manage this imposition of the nanny state is silly.

Where are all the civil libertarians when you need them?

potentially life-saving issue?

What's the real difference between bouyancy aids and the Type III pfd's we wear in the US? Nothing...neither one is going to save your life. Most drownings occur within 60 to 75 seconds of hitting the water. If you're unconscious you'd better have on a Type I or V or your chances of drowning are high.

If we were really serious about live saving we'd take a lesson from the kayakers and wear helmets, if we insist on wearing pfds with all the mobility requirements.

Mark,

Don't twist this into another PRO/OA vs sailor thread, you already have several of those going. My point of "enforcement" is by all parties, not adding or shifting to any one category.

My point is very simple, like it or not, like comptips, the rules are completely unambiguous about this. If they were being enforced at all events, they would immediately become a non-issue.

All, is this too simple? If you don't like a rule, work to get it changed. If you fail (or don't bother trying), and still choose to play the game, follow the rules as written. Without clear rules being enforced everywhere, it's anarchy and unfair.

Mike

John,

Nothing is stopping you from wearing more protection, and I would venture to say that you could write an NOR and SIs to add a stricter requirement if you want.

But, this is a red herring. Seat belts won't keep you alive in all situations, either, yet they are still the law in most places. Good luck giving this argument to a judge to get out of a ticket...

Mike

Mike,

You're right, I should have focused more on the potential, rather than the life saving. I recall strapping on the throwable back in the 80's and not thinking twice about it, whereas in the last four years I haven't carried one. Of course cat sailing was much higher profile back then and shakedowns by your local water patrol were commonplace. It was just one of the rules (but also a law) and we complied.