Body of missing canoer found

[FlipaYak]

http://www.smokeybarn.com/red-river-...gourley-found/

Charlie Gourley was a year ahead of me in high school. We played basketball and rode the bus together.

Wear a life vest.

My dad and I kayaked Old Hickory Lake this spring. There was a sign at the ramp "### people have drowned in this lake. Zero were wearing a life jacket."

The first time I got in a kayak I flipped it without a vest on. I have jumped from bluffs and bridges, but the experience of an unexpected plunge even in warm water is like none other.

Wear a life vest.

[Reel Tune]

Sorry to hear this.

I read about accidents like this happening more often than it should, and without proper education and the growing number of paddlers we will see more and more of it.

Please wear your PFD, and wear it correctly. Find one that is comfortable even if it's an inflatable. It does no good if you are not wearing it.

Here is what I think about (my wife, my mom, my dad, my grandparents, my sisters). If something would happen to me how would it effect them. I know my sisters, parents, and grandparents are not financially dependent upon me, and my wife would be ok, but emotionally it upsets me to think about it because I have lost a brother, and I want to hang around for my family, and friends.

I wear my PFD all the time because I want to come home just as a left, and a PFD is not a guarantee life saver, but it sure can improve your chances of recovering from something bad happening. I have personal experiences, but I won't go through them, but last year I had an incident and it could have easily been an accident if I hadn't had my PFD on.

The more accidents that happen the worse of a reputation, and less and less people will be willing to give the sport a try. Then we'll have more......nevermind. Just please wear your PFD, if not for me do it for your loved ones.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by midtnkayakangler

sorry to hear this.

I read about accidents like this happening more often than it should, and without proper education and the growing number of paddlers we will see more and more of it.

Please wear your pfd, and wear it correctly. Find one that is comfortable even if it's an inflatable. It does no good if you are not wearing it.

Here is what i think about (my wife, my mom, my dad, my grandparents, my sisters). If something would happen to me how would it effect them. I know my sisters, parents, and grandparents are not financially dependent upon me, and my wife would be ok, but emotionally it upsets me to think about it because i have lost a brother, and i want to hang around for my family, and friends.

I wear my pfd all the time because i want to come home just as a left, and a pfd is not a guarantee life saver, but it sure can improve your chances of recovering from something bad happening. I have personal experiences, but i won't go through them, but last year i had an incident and it could have easily been an accident if i hadn't had my pfd on.

The more accidents that happen the worse of a reputation, and less and less people will be willing to give the sport a try. Then we'll have more......nevermind. Just please wear your pfd, if not for me do it for your loved ones.

x2

[Reel Tune]

After reading it again I had another thought. If he had been wearing his PFD, and had a heart attack, or hit his head (something a PFD probably won't save you from) his body would have been recovered earlier than 5 days. That's 5 days your family is worried about you, not knowing what happened, or where you are. It's 5 days of lots of resources and different agencies saved I'm sure tens of thousands of dollars that your family, taxpayers will have to front the bill on.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by MidTNKayakAngler

After reading it again I had another thought. If he had been wearing his PFD, and had a heart attack, or hit his head (something a PFD probably won't save you from) his body would have been recovered earlier than 5 days. That's 5 days your family is worried about you, not knowing what happened, or where you are. It's 5 days of lots of resources and different agencies saved I'm sure tens of thousands of dollars that your family, taxpayers will have to front the bill on.

Thanks Jeremy !!! As a professional fisherman My PFD has saved my life twice (Auto Inflatable) After being yanked over board with a fowled Cast Net in tailwaters below dams ... Also as a former IHRA Drag racer I feel the same about seatbelts in vehicles ... I know they work !! ..There is room to live in your car or truck... You need to stay there and not get thrown or ripped out of it ... <'TK><

[agelesssone]

Just a note as to how quickly things can happen... helping a very large client into my boat the other day, he slipped and fell on my front deck. I was helping him into the boat and I pushed him back into the boat but propelled myself OUT of the boat whilst doing so.

I wound up going overboard. Lucky for me the day was mild, water temps were 74 degrees and I only lost my prescription glasses, no injuries. Being able to swim, I had no problems regaining my position in the boat....but since it was warm, I had no dry clothes in the boat or truck.

We finished out the fishing trip with me being only in minor discomfort and all ended well.

There is now a bag of dry clothes, underwear to long sleeve shirt, residing in the back of my SUV, and it shall stay there ad infinitum. No more wet fishing days, hot or cold. The more experiences I have, the smarter and more prepared I am.

And yes, my new boat is equipped with an air horn at the helm. The standard electric horn that came installed on the boat is as anemic as (you insert anemic whatever here).

Be aware at all times, accidents can and do happen anytime and anywhere.

[GO-OKFISHIN]

I'm guilty of not wearing mine on the Harpeth. I am afraid I have become too comfortable on that river, which is probably going to result in an accident. I am going to at least start wearing my inflatable.

[Jdkxtreme]

And if there would have been a head bump this would be a different story. Just saying. I can't swim very good at all. Plus I have a 5 Y/O son and a wife. I owe it to my family to wear a PFD. If nothing else it will help find me and not put them thru days or even weeks of pain

Originally Posted by agelesssone

Just a note as to how quickly things can happen... helping a very large client into my boat the other day, he slipped and fell on my front deck. I was helping him into the boat and I pushed him back into the boat but propelled myself OUT of the boat whilst doing so.

I wound up going overboard. Lucky for me the day was mild, water temps were 74 degrees and I only lost my prescription glasses, no injuries. Being able to swim, I had no problems regaining my position in the boat....but since it was warm, I had no dry clothes in the boat or truck.

We finished out the fishing trip with me being only in minor discomfort and all ended well.

There is now a bag of dry clothes, underwear to long sleeve shirt, residing in the back of my SUV, and it shall stay there ad infinitum. No more wet fishing days, hot or cold. The more experiences I have, the smarter and more prepared I am.

And yes, my new boat is equipped with an air horn at the helm. The standard electric horn that came installed on the boat is as anemic as (you insert anemic whatever here).

Be aware at all times, accidents can and do happen anytime and anywhere.

[SAMBOLIE]

Originally Posted by Jdkxtreme

And if there would have been a head bump this would be a different story. Just saying. I can't swim very good at all. Plus I have a 5 Y/O son and a wife. I owe it to my family to wear a PFD. If nothing else it will help find me and not put them thru days or even weeks of pain

If Merv bumped his head the only damage would be to the object and not his hard head.