why not? - if you have a shoulder injury you most likely won’t be able to pull the tab to fire the co2 cartridge when trying to tread water or similar.
if panicked and are treading water, same as above.
Why not?
The tab only takes one hand. So unless you have a double shoulder dislocation, you still got one hand to pull the tab.
As for threading water, it’s really about how good of a swimmer you are. Some people can’t thread water at all. Others can only do so with both hands helping. But plenty of people can thread water all day long with only the legs doing the work.
When the inflator functions properly, it will work even when you’re already under water.
Mistake It seems to me they made the mistake of anchoring this kayak and I think this is what caused the accident. Of course, the lack of wearing a PFD was the tragedy.
here...I believe the OP(cliffjrs)intention behind this post was as a cautionary tale. Very simply: Why it is always prudent to put on a PFD, no matter what the craft, or how seemingly benign the conditions.
Instead, some here took the post as a green light to pass snide value judgement, and condemn the victims of a tragedy, based on somewhat limited information.
First, for those knocking the deceased officer--I hope you rot in hell. This man was by all accounts a loving husband and father, as well as courageous, decent police officer. True, he made a fatal mistake. But this does not give you permission to dismiss his entire life as that of an idiot. Your own day of reckoning can be at hand at any moment(with or without a PFD). And you too(although I'm certain you think you're above it)can make a miscalculation that becomes a mistake, and then becomes your instant kharma.(We don't all get brilliant, peaceful-quick deaths like they make out in movies.)
As to the "inflatable kayak" and the water it was on: Guess what? The Sea Eagle was first developed on Long Island Sound, and tested on the very river where the incident occurred. (And in a way, it is almost an over sized PFD, if one has the cognizance or consciousness to grab hold while in trouble.) I have a SE 380 in my home fleet of seven boats(that includes hard shell kayaks and canoes) I consider it so safe a craft, I regularly stick first time paddler-family members in it. I've also surfed it on ocean breaks, and ran it down over 50 Class III-IV rivers throughout New York and New England... http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2968291850105552613fwHgAP
So note to paddling elitists: THE BOAT DID'NT KILL THIS MAN. And as of this writing, no one's even sure if lack of PFD did--Not having one on, just didn't give him the same chance at survival his 5 year old son had(Thank God, there was sense enough to have one on him.) The non-PFD wearing deceased, could have just as easily been pitched out of a canoe, rowboat, sailboat, top-of-the-line sea kayak, or any other type craft to find himself in the water. And he might have fallen prey to any number of ailments besides/before drowning.
And I for one am grateful NYPD cops carry their service revolvers in ALL places while off duty. Before you assess the "intelligence" of such persons, I'd like to see you go through what they have to, to become one of New York's Finest--Until then, put up or shut up!
"I believe the OP(cliffjrs)intention behind this post was as a cautionary tale. Very simply: Why it is always prudent to put on a PFD, no matter what the craft, or how seemingly benign the conditions."
But...
"as of this writing, no one's even sure if lack of PFD did--Not having one on, just didn't give him the same chance at survival his 5 year old son had
...
And he might have fallen prey to any number of ailments besides/before drowning. "
As such, it's not a convincing example of the OP's point.
Others see the lack of supporting evidence too. The victim's judgement appears to be at fault. Though it's not due to his lack of intelligent but perhaps his lack of knowlege and experience for the marine environment. He maybe a fine police officer but he's not a very knowledgeable kayaker! Not wearing PFD is only one part of that ignorance.