LEASH VERSUS LIFEJACKET Whether PFDs are even the best piece of safety gear for paddleboarders is hotly debated in the community. While neither Canada nor the U.S. require leashes by law, some industry professionals believe it’s the safest option. "If you are wearing a leash, you are attached to a PFD and you are in the safest position possible," says Dave Meyler, CEO of Boga Paddleboards based in San Clemente, California. "If you are separated from the board you’re in bad shape, even if you are an experienced paddler. If you are even just one mile off the coast, that is a long way to come in. If you are in waves and wind, it’s hard to swim." He adds that an exception to his leash-wearing rule is in whitewater. Easy Rider’s Currie agrees, adding that regulations
requiring paddlers to have a PFD on board without the requirement to wear it creates a false sense of security. Many paddlers remember the tragic story in 2013 of a 42-year-old man who drowned in Lake Tahoe with both a leash and PFD attched to his board, but not his body. "The leash is by far the best option for a person’s
safety on a SUP," argues Currie. "It tethers you to an unsinkable object. If you do wear a lifejacket and no leash, and become separated from your board, you are then immersed in the water, which will likely lead to hypothermia."
In 2012, Transport Canada stated that it "supports leash use, but not as an alternative to a lifejacket or personal flotation device." "At the ACA we advocate that you need a PFD out
there, outside of the surf zone," says Blackwood. "You’re that much safer." Following Pombo’s death on the Hood River,
the Stand Up Paddle Industry Association (SUPIA), a trade rep organization, released a statement further committing itself to safety of its participants and businesses, and advising the paddleboard community to expect new safety precedents to be rolled out in the next six months. For Blackwood and the ACA, more public education, discussion and promotion of safety equipment from all sectors of the industry is a good thing. "There are inherent dangers on the water and it takes just seconds for things to go wrong," he says. "The overall debate reminds me of driving school— wear a seatbelt, don’t be dumb. It’s the same. Using a PFD and leash [where appropriate] can help prevent tragedies."
Nicola Johnston Beaudoin is a freelancer writer and owner of Sea To Sky, a SUP, yoga and fitness company based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
www.seatoskyfit.com.
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