Well, we were ridin on Prestwood lake in South Carolina today. Its a really small lake in Hartsville, SC and was super glassy as always today. Well the game warden sat at the dock and watched us for a while. There were 3 of them and eventually they strolled over to check us out after I got done ridin. They gave my friend tyler a warning for driving to close to the dock while pulling me and then they checked our life jackets. One of the three officers picked up my friends life jacket and started reading the inside. He found out that it wasn't CGA approved, but had never seen anything like it before. He then went back to his truck and radio'd back to headquarters, where they told him that it was illegal. He then walked back and saw my jacket in the boat too. He grabbed that one and saw it was non-CGA too. So, he wrote my friend cole and I each a $110 ticket and confiscated our life jackets. He said he would give them back to us in a couple days though. We have to go to court on tuesday. The officers were all cool, and only wrote the ticket because headquarters said to. But it really sucks that we have to get CGA life vests now in case he comes back.....The officer also said he would try to help us out in court

I got the same ticket in AZ, only my water po po was a complete d!@k! I paid it and now wear a CGA vest just to be safe. Also, after reading all of the controversy on here about it, I would rather float if I knock myself out.

Ouch that's a bummer. I was in a similar situation though. First day off of school for me and my creek is super glassy when for the first time ever, the DNR comes by and stops us telling us we were riding too close to piers. It's a little frustrating because i live on a small creek meaning my run is super short now, plus I have been riding same place for years without any problem at all. <BR> <BR>You just gotta realize they are trying to do their job and keep everyone safe.

In Tennessee a boarder or skier can wear a non-cga vest as long as there are enough cga vest in the boat for every passenger and riders.

Did you not have a CGA in the boat? For each person in the boat? Unless S. Carolina law requires a CGA vest while skiing, you should have been good with the CGA vests in the boat for everyone.

I just looked at the South Carolina regulations. It says all skiers must wear a CGA vest.

Im guessing cause he sat on the dock and watched them ride, he knew which jackets they were wearing. Thats why they got the tickets. <BR> <BR>Thats some bull if he was just giving tickets for possessing the the jackets.

we had more than enough CGA vests in the boat for every person and then the two non cga vest which he saw both of us using

Had the same ticket here in AR a couple years back - skier has to have one on. <BR> <BR>I will also say that we have had to fish out two unconsious riders this month. Most of us wear a CGA now, including me, and I give a hard time to those that do not.

Thats lame man, sorry to hear. This may be reason enough to scrape or mark out all the non-CGA stuff inside the vests.