New "kayaks"?? from Ocean Kayak

It seems like a great idea, and could be very useful, especially for disabled people.  I like that you can plug the hole with the skeg attachment and paddle as usual.   I will probably never purchase one myself because I would miss the paddling. 

As far as I know, SUPs and traditional paddleboards are now considered vessels by the Coast Guard.  As long as they are operating out of the surf zone or designated swim areas.  Lame, but not too inconvenient for SUP guys.  The prone crowd is forced to wear hip-mounted inflatables, though.  I guess the leased 14' chunk of fiberglass and foam isn't quite buoyant enough.  But I digress.  The d00d shredding the Nalu should be wearing a PFD.  Unless this is a state by state issue on non-federally managed waterways?  Coasties?  Gotta an answer?

I'm not a coastie, but yeah.. outside the surf/swim zone he needs a PFD.   I recently gave a well known NCKA'er who is now into SUPs a bit of ribbing for not wearing a PFD in some of his pictures and after a fairly long discussion on the matter that was the verdict...he should have worn one.

Brian

Surfers don't wear PFD's, seems it would be the same for SUP's. If you're wearing a wetsuit in the PNW, there is more than enough buoyancy in the neoprene suit for flotation.

Allot of surf kayakers don't wear them either, relying on the flotation in the wetsuit alone. The reason they don't wear PFD's is that they have greater mobility without it.

That being said, I always wear a PFD. 

I guess I'm of the thought that wetsuit + paddleboard = enough flotation.  Even whilst trunking it on a lake, I often eschew the PFD for prone paddleboarding.  Probably dumb, yeah, but I am rooted in the old school when it comes to the board sports.  I guess trunking it in a surf zone without incident has made me overconfident.

Surfers don't wear PFD's, seems it would be the same for SUP's.

Hence the bit about outside the surf/swim zone.

For more details here's an article on Surfline.
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/stand-up-paddleboards-classified-as-vessels-by-us-coast-guard-surf-zone-not-affected-stand-up-and-be-counted_19530/

I think the guy was perhaps on a lake on the SUP.

I think the guy was perhaps on a lake on the SUP.

That doesn't matter. 

From the surfline article...

Paul Newman, the Recreational Boating Safety Program Manager for the 11th Coast Guard District (which encompasses California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah) explains. "The Coast Guard was responding to a query from the Director of the Oregon Marine Board about the status of 'paddleboards.' Apparently, there's been a huge influx of SUPs on Oregon's rivers and inland waterways. This was causing a safety concern because of the mix of boats on the water. Oregon law enforcement officers wanted to know whether SUPs were subject to boating regulations. The current determination does not apply to racing paddleboards like Jaime Mitchell might use in the Molokai race. Those paddleboards are hand-paddled in a kneeling or prone position.

"If you operate on flat water, outside a swimming or bathing area you become just like a kayak. That means the operator has to carry a Coast Guard approved lifejacket and a whistle or other sound-producing device to warn other boaters of his or her presence. You're also required to follow the navigation rules. If you're on a SUP after sunset you also need a flashlight to warn other boaters. I was in Channel Islands Harbor last week after sunset and there were several SUPs paddling around. You could hardly see them from our boat.

Basically outside of the surf zone a SUP is to be treated the same as a kayak or canoe.. you need a PFD.

Paul Newman, the Recreational Boating Safety Program Manager for the 11th Coast Guard District (which encompasses California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah) explains. "The Coast Guard was responding to a query from the Director of the Oregon Marine Board about the status of 'paddleboards.' Apparently, there's been a huge influx of SUPs on Oregon's rivers and inland waterways. This was causing a safety concern because of the mix of boats on the water. Oregon law enforcement officers wanted to know whether SUPs were subject to boating regulations. The current determination does not apply to racing paddleboards like Jaime Mitchell might use in the Molokai race. Those paddleboards are hand-paddled in a kneeling or prone position.

"If you operate on flat water, outside a swimming or bathing area you become just like a kayak. That means the operator has to carry a Coast Guard approved lifejacket and a whistle or other sound-producing device to warn other boaters of his or her presence. You're also required to follow the navigation rules. If you're on a SUP after sunset you also need a flashlight to warn other boaters. I was in Channel Islands Harbor last week after sunset and there were several SUPs paddling around. You could hardly see them from our boat.

Hmmm... it seems like windsurfers and kiters would be required to wear PFDs.  99% don't.  I've never heard of anyone being cited.  I hope the rise in SUP popularity doesn't cause the windsports to be put back under scrutiny. 

Weird that the 11th Coast Guard District was speaking towards Oregon.

Surfers don't wear PFD's, seems it would be the same for SUP's.

Hence the bit about outside the surf/swim zone.

For more details here's an article on Surfline.
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/stand-up-paddleboards-classified-as-vessels-by-us-coast-guard-surf-zone-not-affected-stand-up-and-be-counted_19530/

Sorry, missed that part.

Also in the surfline article...  it seems that windsurfers worked long and hard to get an exemption.

Moving forward, Burgoyne says the SUP community needs to help refine the mandates placed on SUP users. "The Coast Guard currently doesn't require PFDs for windsurfers but it was a long process to get to that point," Burgoyne said. "Discussion on about the regulation began in the 1970s and continued until the early 1990s when they were federally exempted, with the decision-making left up to each state according to local climate and conditions."

Also in the surfline article...  it seems that windsurfers worked long and hard to get an exemption.

Sorry, I should have read it.  Thanks for summarizing for me.   

I'm curious about a situation where a SUP uses a river or distance paddle to access a surfing break.  They would need a PFD to travel but when they reach the surf they wouldn't?

Showed my wife the video and she loves it. All I need now is to find one (oh yeah, and the money).

Weird that the 11th Coast Guard District was speaking towards Oregon.

even stranger that it covers 2 essentially desert states.

The current determination does not apply to racing paddleboards like Jaime Mitchell might use in the Molokai race. Those paddleboards are hand-paddled in a kneeling or prone position.

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Hmmm....interesting.  I always heard that prone boards were subject, too.

Thanks, B.