Tips All About Life Jackets 101 For Boater's

October 29, 2019

Life Jackets are for Everyone

A life jacket (or Personal Flotation Device - PFD) is the single most important piece of equipment on your boat and the most important consideration should be the size. More than two-thirds of all boating fatalities are drowning incidents and 90% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. So buy a life jacket that you will wear ... it could save your life.

There several types of traditional foam flotation devices as well as new inflatable life jackets. Each is designed for different boating activities and water conditions and each has its own maximum buoyancy, performance level, and limitations. You should choose your life jacket based on your boating activities and conditions. Life jackets must be U.S. Coast Guard-approved in order to meet carriage requirements.

Infants & Boating

While many parents would love to take their newborns boating with them, it is generally not a good idea. Here are some facts to think about before taking a young child out boating.

Life Jackets For Infants

Everyone on the vessel needs to have a life jacket that is properly fitted for them. That means, for example, that a child can't wear an adult life jacket and be safe (or legal).

Very few lifejackets come in infant sizes, and it is quite dangerous for a child to wear a lifejacket that doesn't fit. A poorly fitted lifejacket that is too loose can slip off a child. If the lifejacket doesn't fit, you could face a ticket, and the child would be at risk if anything happened.

Other Dangers about Infants on Boats

There are other dangers to consider when taking an infant on the water.

The bobbing motion of the boat can injure a newborn's neck and head.
Because of the constant motion of a boat, you should never take a baby on the water before they're able to hold their heads up.
Newborn babies cannot sweat since their sweat glands have not yet developed. This means that it's very difficult for an infant to regulate body temperature. If it's hot out, the heat can easily put stress on the child.
The exposure to the sun can be hard on an infant's skin and eyes.

Kids Afloat Program

The BoatUS Foundation Kids Afloat Program provides local, US-based nonprofit organizations an opportunity to apply to purchase kid-sized life jackets at a discounted rate of $5 per jacket (jackets retail for about $30) to be used in their on-the-water programs.