Brian Nystrom wrote:

The majority of canoe accidents involving fishermen and rec paddlers
are due to standing in the canoe or shifting positions, probably
common occurrences when fishing.

When either touring or fishing in my very stable 20' canoe, I often
stand - sometimes for extended periods - even in 'easy' white water.
Paddling/poling and viewing are far more effective when standing - as
is fly casting. Whenever I'm in white water, I ALWAYS wear a pfd but
haven't needed it yet. The only time I dumped a canoe other than on
purpose, I had been sitting the entire trip. The only time I ever fell
out of a canoe other than on purpose was landing during extremely high
winds on a very rocky shore where knee- and elbow-pads would have been
of far more value than the pfd I had on. As for moving about in the
canoe, both in still and moving water, it's a matter of knowing
yourself, knowing the canoe & within limits knowing the conditions. Just
standing is no sin, nor is going without a pfd in some conditions.

Yours in the north Maine woods,
Pete Hilton (Reg. Me. Guide) aka The Ent

--
Don't ask the barber whether
you need a haircut.
D. S. Greenberg