Waders

[Jrworthopod]

Hi anyone use waders when launching recovering
Or just getting out on a beach?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Jrworthopod

Hi anyone use waders when launching recovering

Or just getting out on a beach?

If boating, I'll either have my drysuit on - no need for waders, or shorts & flipflops - no need for waders.

[diver 1]

yes - chest waders.
Be very careful though - easy to drown in waders hence a lot of commercial organisations have banned their use.

Neoprene waders are more comfortable, the cheapo thin pvc type waders are very cold to wear - only wear near the slipway, not to be worn at sea due to the drowning risk if you fall in.

[paulbrown22]

We use waders all the time for launching our little aluminium motor dinghy which we just pull in/out by hand, and for helping to launch the big RIB off it's towed trailer.

I wouldn't be without them for launching - think they make life much drier and more pleasant if you have to go in more than knee deep!

[paintman]

I use thigh boots for launch & recovery. Rest of the time they're used for river & lake trouting.
Don't forget the lifejacket!

[SixtyNorth]

I knew a guy who drowned while launching his fishing boat while wearing waders... no life jacket. Be very careful.

[paintman]

I've had a couple of bootfulls when going just that little bit too far!

Fishing wading without a wading staff - used so you have 2 points of contact with the bottom when moving & can also feel ahead for obstructions & holes in the bottom - is in my view insanity.

[Poly]

I have waders and they are definitely better than wellies for launch and recovery. Even in shorts it seems to be quite possible to get wet and thus end up making the car seat wet. Waders are a big improvement. Dry suit is potentially more useful though and less faff - as you can just keep it on. As others have said don’t be tempted to keep it on whilst afloat, you’ll never get back out the water with waders full of water.

[gpsguru]

Yes, always wear chest waders (VASS) for launch and recovery.


If you 'go in' wearing normal PVC / Rubbers waders, there is a small chance that trapped air in them can make you float with your head under water and there is no real escape route ............ wear a lifejacket and make sure it is 300N to overcome any air in the waders should the worst happen.


Once launched I take them off when on the RIB.

[smallribber]

Yes we use chest waders and wear life Jacket as others have said

[Stevie Bill]

Stocking foot breathable waders compress against the legs and waist when you use them with air being forced out by external water pressure... There simply isn't a cavernous void waiting to be filled with water if it all goes seriously wrong. A wading belt cinched fairly tight will keep the waders from filling quickly even if you try to hold the chest opening under whilst trying to get out.... Stunts like standing with a hose into your waders whilst standing on dry ground (to show how how much water they can hold and how heavy they can get) do not represent the performance of waders in water. So yes, I sometimes wear waders to launch... and sometimes (gasp! Horror!) Even wear them all day in the boat to avoid the faff of changing them and to reduce the amount of stuff needing stored in the boat....

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by Stevie Bill

t.... Stunts like standing with a hose into your waders whilst standing on dry ground (to show how how much water they can hold and how heavy they can get) do not represent the performance of waders in water. So yes, I sometimes wear waders to launch... and sometimes (gasp! Horror!) Even wear them all day in the boat to avoid the faff of changing them and to reduce the amount of stuff needing stored in the boat....

Hi Stevie..with all due respect to yourself..I think you have totally missed the point of the video I made. It was to illustrate the advantages of a dry suit instead of waders for SIB’ing in February waters. It clearly states that in the title and opening sequence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EB0sZZpbRQ&t=36s

However several years ago .. I witnessed a fisherman stumble on a shore with waves breaking on it.. almost drowning because his waders filled with water ..the receeding waves dragging him out ..and if it was not for his friends pulling him ashore. .. would probably have drowned.

As such I disagee with your thoughts of them not filling with water. I suspect the folk here who have said they know folks who have drowned wearing waders and also those who say don’t wear them on the boat will also know the fill with water.

That is not a problem until you try to get out the water.

Yes .. floating in a position with your knees up will stop water flooding in..but stand upright to climb aboard the boat..and I find water DOES get in ..even wearing a belt. Cheap PVC waders are the worst.. Neoprene with a belt do help slow the flow.

The best advice I can give to folks wearing waders is to do a simple test.. which I have done several times. Jump out your boat wearing them then try to get onto the beach or back into your boat. That is the other message my video was trying to put across.

Why listen to the advice of strangers when that one simple test that anyone can do..will let them know if waders are for them or not. That was the other message I was putting across.

For info..I used to wear waders as well ..until I did that simple test. Have you tried it ? Could you get back into your boat wearing your waders ?

Here is a link to a guy who went on an RNLI training day in the swimming pool

https://www.henry-gilbey.com/blog/th...whole-lot-more

To save reading it all..but it is interesting ..here is the relevant part

the single thing that scared me the most was how hard it was to get out of that RNLI pool when my waders had filled up. Without a doubt a wading belt done up properly helps to slow the water filling up your waders, but it doesn’t stop it - that is a fact, period. If you went in and managed to somehow get out really fast then if your waders are not too full you should be ok if a bit of climbing up some rocks or whatever is required (and yes, on a beach you would hopefully be able to kind of beach yourself - whale ahoy with me!), but if you’re in the water for a while which then means you are potentially cold and stressed and fast losing your strength because of how hard you are needing to work to keep as much water out of your airways as possible, well let’s say for now that I am seriously having to explore some alternatives to chest waders, or at least finding the best way to cut them the hell open in order to get a load of water out of them.


So Im not the only one to discover there are a lot of myths about waders

[smallribber]

I can see a war starting here

[rnwright1969]

Being an avid bubbler I wear a dry-suit for 95% of my launching activities, that said I also use breathable chest waders for launching in the winter when bumbling.


In angling circles many people 'know someone, who knows someone, who', well you get the point but look in the news and there are very few fatalities down to chest waders, sure guys were wearing them but being washed off a skeer....in the dark.....in February......with a 4 ft swell running, well waders probably aren't the major issue here!


Have a look at a video by the Hugh Falkus who demonstrates the 'right way' to exit the water when in chesties.

[Stevie Bill]

https://youtu.be/iA2XOkhpI6o
Not wanting to start a war, or cause offense... In my own defence I did say stocking foot breathable... I agree PVC or neoprene are likely to hinder rescue. But breathable chesties with a proper belt will not fill with water, and could provide useful buoyancy... Video is French but the results seem clear... Try putting a carrier bag over your hand and wrist, secured with a rubber band... Then immerse in a bin of water... The bag is not easy to fill. I don't argue against drysuit being best in cold conditions, but goretex (or similar) chesties are cheaper, easier to put on and off, are more comfortable in warm conditions, and are not the liability many seem to believe.

[two stroke mick]

Fair play Gurnard.

I never gave it much thought. I have sometimes worn leg waders when out on the rib, did not give much thought to what might happen if I went in the drink. I liked the video, you have adjusted that thoughts of me at least.

Thanks and regards

TSM

[jeffstevens763@g]

i wear a dry suit always on the recent mull trip i got out of the boat in very slight surf the sand was so fine it gripped my boots and i fell with the boat pushing over me ok 2 foot of water but thats how easy it can go all wrong wearing waders.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

i wear a dry suit always on the recent mull trip i got out of the boat in very slight surf the sand was so fine it gripped my boots and i fell with the boat pushing over me ok 2 foot of water but thats how easy it can go all wrong wearing waders.

Ah but Jeff how much of Donny’s gravy did you have![emoji56]
Sorry Jeff didn’t mean to detract from your well made serious point but couldn’t resist. Atb B

[The Gurnard]

No problem Stevie ..no offence taken from me ...its just a debate and my opinion based on personal experience..not on others opinions , theory or videos.. because as you rightly say..some can be very French.

Rather than me trying a plastic bag around my arm with and elastic band.. can I suggest you try getting into your boat wearing your waders (Although that is not the OP’s original question..it is more relevant to our side of the debate).

If you have ... and found you got no water in.. Can I ask if you wear any clothing under your chest waders and belt ? I normally wear a woollen jumper so could not get the tight seal a plastic bag with elastic to bare arm gives. If I pulled my belt tight to make the seal watertight ..I would have a very uncomfortable day on the water.


From my own self rescue experiences ..I ended up like the guy in your video link ..at 4.32 . with waders full of water. I was wearing a belt and the rubber waders that I have ..I realise he was not wearing a belt. He is a young thin and fit guy so got in the boat no problem. At my age and fitness ... I would be extremely foolish to believe I could get back into my boat because that video shows someone else doing so.

I should add that the video I made was in a post debating about cold water shock ..not drowning with waders on. So perhaps you have taken it slightly out of context. From what I understand Cold water shock is what kills most folks that fall off boats into UK waters .. That video is presumably made in a reasonably warm French pond ....so that effect is not shown .. perhaps that could slow the young French guy down ?

Have you considered that effect wearing your waders on a small boat at sea ? If some folk are correct and your belt seal fails if you fall out your boat ,,and they do get water in them and make you heavy to lift ..have you considered how you or a rescue party could get you out the water?

If you have ... and are happy with all your risk assessments ..then there is no reason not to wear them in your boat. They are just not for me ... simply because having tried it they fail my personal risk assessment tests.

To answer the Ops original question .. I still occasionally launch a boat wearing waders ..I would be a hypocrite to say I don’t but they are always removed as soon as Im on the boat when I do.

I prefer to use a Dry Suit to launch and recover on ..albiet the bottom half only ... on reasonable days. The tight neoprene waist band against my skin still allowed a little water in when I self rescued..but it just looked like I had wet my pants.. not enough to weigh me down

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by jambo

Ah but Jeff how much of Donny’s gravy did you have![emoji56]
Sorry Jeff didn’t mean to detract from your well made serious point but couldn’t resist. Atb B

no worries billy i dont think the boys saw me well i didnt get the pi$$ taken out of me,
it is serious though i do know of quite a few fatalities wearing waders. donny makes a good point too getting back in your boat with any kind of kit on surprising how difficult it it without an aid and when cold water hits your skin not long before you haven't the energy to climb.