Throw Float question??

Do you have to have one? Where can i get one?? Is only for tournament fishing? I also heard a rumor if your boat is under 16ft you don't have to carry one. Need someone to clear this up for me. thanks

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...t_#Post10800267

You can pick them up at any academy. Looks like a cheap seat cushion with straps. They are uber inexpensive, and I would just have one period.

http://www.basspro.com/Type-IV-Flotation-Cushion/product/44754/?cmCat=

Lifesaving Devices


All Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, in serviceable condition, readily accessible, and of the appropriate size for intended user. See Life Jackets for more details on PFD types.

All children under 13 years of age in or on vessels under 26 feet in length must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable PFD while underway. Underway means not at anchor, made fast to the shore, or aground.

All vessels, including canoes and kayaks, must be equipped with one Type I, II, III or V wearable PFD for each person on board. A Type V PFD is acceptable only if used in accordance with the specific instructions on the label of the device.

Vessels 16 feet and longer, excluding canoes and kayaks, are required to be equipped with one Type IV throwable PFD in addition to the Type I, II, III, or V PFD required for each person on board.

Inflatable PFDs are authorized only when used in accordance with requirements as presented on U.S. Coast Guard approval labels. Inflatable PFDs are not approved for use on personal watercraft, waterskiing, or other high speed activity.

Yes and on Amistad and Falcon you have to have it out with a rope tied to it.
Those lakes are coast guard lakes.

thanks!

Yeah always have one and always put a line on mine, a bad throw in a situation with no way to get it back or to pull someone in. I have two extras at the house local in Dallas needs one for $5ea with a line....

While it is a good idea, there is nothing in the CG regs that require a line to be attached to it. I have been checked at the coast and was only asked to show that I had one. There may be a local requirement but nothing federal that I have ever read.

Best to have one got checked by the game warden. Did not know I had to have one. Got lucky just a warning ticket!!! Went to academey the same day and got one...

Instead of worrying weather legally you should have one or not, you should just get one. Might save yours or someone else's life.

Tell that to the GWs on both Falcon and Amistad that asked to see mine. The first time on Falcon it had it stowed with no rope tied to it, got a warning.
The next time I was ready for it and sure enough he asked to see my cushion. I pulled it out from under the console and showed him and he said it was nice that somebody actually knew the law.
It might be an international border lake deal, but it is a law on Amistad and Falcon and it is a CG law according to the GW. By the way one of the GW was federal not state.

9094, Thanks, had no idea.

It could very well be a border lake thing. I'm just saying that I checked TPWD website and there is nothing on there about a throwable except that you have to have one on any boat over 16ft, excluding canoes and kayaks. A call to P&W will settle if it's required on all Texas lake, I don't think it is..

Page 10....

http://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF

I can't find any verbage that indicates there has to be a rope attached to a throwable

The Virginia watercraft owners' guide specifically says it is not required

I haven't found anything stating that a rope had to be attached other than hearing that it does for commercial vehicles. If a GW says that a rope does have to be attached, ask him what is the legal length of the rope to be.

A buddy of mine was fishing Caddo years ago in a little 14 ft aluminum boat and a gw stopped him to check his stuff. Everything was good til he asked for a throw cushion. My buddy was by himself and toldthe gw he ddidn't have 1. So the gw started writing him a ticket. My buddy asked him "if I fell out, who would throw it to me"??? Gw said "doesn't matter , have to have it"..
So I always have 1.

Just because an officer of the law tickets you for something, does not mean that you were actually in violation of the law.

Now that's funny!!

Nah. He would just ask the next boat that passes by to board his boat, get out his float, and throw it to him. Simple.

What. I'm not sure if you've ever noticed but they have a code for what they write. Believe it of not they can't just make shite up as they go.

They can give you a ticket for anything they want, it is up to you to fight it. Most are good guys and wouldn't do that, but there are some that will, because they are who they are. Seems like per the way things are written a 14 ft boat wouldn't have to have a throw cushion.

04Champ is correct. It isn't a matter of making it up, usually it is just they are unfamiliar or misinterpret what the code says. I was always amused at what some of the rookies would turn in at the end of the shift and wonder where they came up with it, especially on an arrest. Eventually they would realize that we provided them with the penal code books for a reason and they learn to look up the violation before acting on it. If you look at the size of book for all of the codes you'll see that there is no way a normal human could ever memorize every one and be able to state all of the elements of the offense for each one. Not to mention, things change every year. Mistakes happen and it is built in to the system hence the option to challenge the charge in court.

Suspenders MUST be worn to count as an approved device.
Check TPW regs if you don't believe it.
I see tournament fishermen take them off to start fishing.
IF they have a regular life vest on board they are legal.
IF they don't then they disqualified themselves in most tournaments.

Why does TPWD worry about suspenders????? Do you actually mean "inflatable PFD"?

If so, any inflatable PFD that is Type I, II, or III does NOT have to be worn while on the water. For recreational boating, a Type V device can be considered a Type III device IF WORN at all times while on the water.

I'm not sure about your suspenders, but my modern inflatable PFDs are rated Type II or Type III. (I own more than one.) In fact, most inflatable PFDs sold today are NOT Type V devices, so it's quite possible that those violators you disdain are in fact within the law.

I also agree with 04champ. I've had a GW tell me my fire extinguisher was no good even though it showed green on the gauge. He based this on the fact that the powder wasn't loose and told me so. He said he would be nice and not issue a citation that day. After that, I started carrying a copy of a manufacturer's notice indicating that such a condition DOES NOT make the extinguisher out-of-service. Austin TPWD confirmed there is no such rule, but it wasn't stopping that GW from writing tickets for a "bad extinguisher"!

I have been checked at Amistad several times. I keep my throwable stowed in the middle hatch of my front deck and have never have the TPW say anything to me about having it out or having a line attached to it? I see the coast guard down all the time, but have never seen them stop anybody. TPW and Border Patrol, they will pull you over. Came out of Mexico one evening and ran about 25 miles all the way into the back of Castle Canyon, shut down, dropped my trolling motor, started fishing... and realized a border patrol boat had followed me. They pulled up, asked me if I had got out of my boat while I was over on the Mexican side, I said "No", they took off.

What brand inflatable do you use?

I have 3 different ones, SOSpenders, Onix, and another I can't remember that are all labeled as Type V.