Windsurfer dies at Golden Gate

[Greg]

I'm very interested in getting a low-profile life vest with strobe, whistle, and straps/pockets (e.g. for marine radio). Where's the best place to get one of these? West Marine?

Mine came off the shelf from West Marine but it only has a "pocket" for the radio/strobe. I carry a radio ($200) and a small waterproof flashlight ($15).

The radio is the first line of defense but the flash light is equally important to help the C.G. find you in low light situatons, it also would be nice to be able to watch the sharks circle me at night should I "forget" to keep my radio CHARGED!
L.M.G.

[turguz]

i'm not sure i'd recommend any life vest where you have to do _anything_ (pull a cord, manual inflation) to make it inflate. there's always a potential of loosing consciousness on impact, and that's where you need it the most.
the low-profile life vests like sailors use, also make it hard to swim, so it's ok if you're just floating (with strobe and radio :), waiting for cg, but makes it harder for self-rescue.
i prefer a thicker impact-vest under the wetsuit. it's not rated as life-vest, but combined with wetsuit, it gives a pretty good floatation.

[perukite]

I've thought about this a lot, and had forst hand experience watching this character over the summer. How sad and unfortunate, any death is. Condolonces to his family.

But I just want to point out: This guy was 1000 times more rad than any clueless intermediate crashing his orange best kite into a family picnic on labor day.

65 years old, sailing a vintage 80's board that weighed more than any one person could carry, with a wooden oar strapped onto it with bungy cords (one day he had a small cooler I noticed also strapped to the deck!), a tiny small sail, scuba diving fullsuit and booties, neoprene cap strapped tight, over the ears, around the chin, with a visor, 2 inch thick, fogged up glasses (not goggles or sport specs) and a rubberized yellow fisherman rain slicker with hood over the wetstuit. Sailing out onto a stormy, ebb tide ripped bay that had almost killed him numerous times before. A place he had been rescued from countless times before by the coast guard - and had recieved stern advice and warnings from all the locals at. This guy knew what was up.

But still, he rode on. Amongst a crowd of healthy, expert, sporty, knowledgable youngsters in all the latest gear and fashion, who told him better - Captain Nemo got on both feet, raised his sail tall - pointed west and said"F*** It.. I'm hell bent on having a good time"

As Patrick Swayze said in Point Break - "If you want the ultimate...you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price"

Fair winds, Captain Nemo......respect.

[Loscocco]

I've thought about this a lot, and had forst hand experience watching this character over the summer. How sad and unfortunate, any death is. Condolonces to his family.

But I just want to point out: This guy was 1000 times more rad than any clueless intermediate crashing his orange best kite into a family picnic on labor day.

65 years old, sailing a vintage 80's board that weighed more than any one person could carry, with a wooden oar strapped onto it with bungy cords (one day he had a small cooler I noticed also strapped to the deck!), a tiny small sail, scuba diving fullsuit and booties, neoprene cap strapped tight, over the ears, around the chin, with a visor, 2 inch thick, fogged up glasses (not goggles or sport specs) and a rubberized yellow fisherman rain slicker with hood over the wetstuit. Sailing out onto a stormy, ebb tide ripped bay that had almost killed him numerous times before. A place he had been rescued from countless times before by the coast guard - and had recieved stern advice and warnings from all the locals at. This guy knew what was up.

But still, he rode on. Amongst a crowd of healthy, expert, sporty, knowledgable youngsters in all the latest gear and fashion, who told him better - Captain Nemo got on both feet, raised his sail tall - pointed west and said"F*** It.. I'm hell bent on having a good time"

As Patrick Swayze said in Point Break - "If you want the ultimate...you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price"

Fair winds, Captain Nemo......respect.

Very well said Peru.. not much else can be added to that...
Sail on into the sunset Brett