Life Jackets

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Edelweiss said:
_______________________________

Only one US state left:

  • New Hampshire - has enacted neither a primary nor a secondary seat belt law for adults, although the state does have a primary child passenger safety law that covers all drivers and passengers under 18.Larry B
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  • Australia has had compulsory seat belts since the late 1960s/early1970s. They go with laminated windscreens; unrestrained you risk punching a hole in the screen with your head and cutting your throat on the hole.It was very successful generally limiting injuries.
  • It is now compulsory in my state of NSW to wear a lifejacket (amongst other sensible occasions,- inter alia for the lawyers) when rowing alone to/from shore and boat. But, if my partner, who can`t swim, is with me, I don`t have to. Huh? A nuisance, but we have had a number of drownings from people falling out of dinghies and bumping themselves unconscious on the way, and others just plain drunk at night. BruceK
 
Edelweiss said:
_______________________________

Only one US state left:

  • New Hampshire - has enacted neither a primary nor a secondary seat belt law for adults, although the state does have a primary child passenger safety law that covers all drivers and passengers under 18.
Larry B
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That's funny when New Hampshire, 1 of only 2 states that require PFDs be worn all of the time by everyone while boating.
 
Larry M said:
That's funny when New Hampshire, 1 of only 2 states that require PFDs be worn all of the time by everyone while boating.
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On all boats regardless of size? How about on a ferry or tour boat? Cruise ship? Only when underway or while anchored as well?
 
Larry M said:
That's funny when New Hampshire, 1 of only 2 states that require PFDs be worn all of the time by everyone while boating.
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Oh?

New Hampshire PFD Requirements

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
2_1-b.gif


  • The New Hampshire Marine Patrol (NHMP) requires at least one U.S. Coast Guard approved Type IV PFD (ring buoy OR seat cushion) on all recreational boats in excess of 16 feet in length, in ADDITION to the wearable PFD required for each person onboard all boats. Exceptions to this requirement include the following:
    • Canoes and kayaks
    • Inflatable rafts
    • Sailboards
  • Someone being towed behind a vessel is considered to be onboard.
  • All PWC occupants must be wearing their PFD while underway.
  • Inflatable PFDs are not approved for children nor are they approved for use during high impact sports such as water skiing or operating a PWC.


Children: All boaters or passengers 12 years of age and younger must be wearing their PFD at all times while on any vessel, unless a guard rail is in place that is a minimum of 3 feet in height which will prevent the child from falling overboard.
.......

Sturdy, high railings were on my "must" list.

img_109496_1_cdb8a04b8bbb559a8768b182aafc1a4b.jpg
 
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markpierce said:
Oh?

New Hampshire PFD Requirements

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
2_1-b.gif


  • The New Hampshire Marine Patrol (NHMP) requires at least one U.S. Coast Guard approved Type IV PFD (ring buoy OR seat cushion) on all recreational boats in excess of 16 feet in length, in ADDITION to the wearable PFD required for each person onboard all boats. Exceptions to this requirement include the following:
    • Canoes and kayaks
    • Inflatable rafts
    • Sailboards
  • Someone being towed behind a vessel is considered to be onboard.
  • All PWC occupants must be wearing their PFD while underway.
  • Inflatable PFDs are not approved for children nor are they approved for use during high impact sports such as water skiing or operating a PWC.

Children: All boaters or passengers 12 years of age and younger must be wearing their PFD at all times while on any vessel, unless a guard rail is in place that is a minimum of 3 feet in height which will prevent the child from falling overboard.
.......

Sturdy, high railings were on my "must" list.
Click to expand...

That's not at all what Larry implied in his post. It pretty much mirrors the other state requirements I have seem.
 
couldn't find it quick enough...doesn't the USCG have out for public review a possible law making mandatory wear of PFDs for ALL boaters?
 
It would be a bit strange if so, especially in a country where if what you guys say is right, no state has any kind of mandatory boat test and licensing requirement.
 
Shouldn't we all just bear in mind the following? All coast guard agencies and lifeboat institutions...
  • recommend us to wear lifejackets at all times
  • retrieve more drowned people who haven't been wearing their life jackets, that those who have
Is there a clue here?

On our side of the Atlantic (UK), PFDs are bulky, uncomfy, get in the way, and do not turn you the right way up in the water whereas life jackets (auto or manual inflation) are fine to wear, and should get you the right way up in case you are unconscious.

One other thought before I wind my trunk in (!). It's difficult enough to get a like jacket on and crotch straps properly fastened when not under pressure. I just wonder how many would be donned incorrectly when something is happening.

Enough of my preaching - I'm going back to bed.
 
Peter B said:
It would be a bit strange if so, especially in a country where if what you guys say is right, no state has any kind of mandatory boat test and licensing requirement.
Click to expand...
Most US coastal states now have a mandatory Safe Boating certification...though it is not a very stringent course in most places...
 
greatpapabear said:
Shouldn't we all just bear in mind the following? All coast guard agencies and lifeboat institutions...
  • recommend us to wear lifejackets at all times They have to do it as part of their safety image
  • retrieve more drowned people who haven't been wearing their life jackets, that those who have True but look at all th reasons why a person winds up in the water that needs to be rescued and the types of boats and boating that statistic comes from.
Is there a clue here?

On our side of the Atlantic (UK), PFDs are bulky, uncomfy, get in the way, and do not turn you the right way up in the water whereas life jackets (auto or manual inflation) are fine to wear, and should get you the right way up in case you are unconscious.

One other thought before I wind my trunk in (!). It's difficult enough to get a like jacket on and crotch straps properly fastened when not under pressure. I just wonder how many would be donned incorrectly when something is happening.

Enough of my preaching - I'm going back to bed.
Click to expand...

Wearing life jackets all the time is hard to argue against...but if you reduce the risk of going in the water in the first place, you greatly reduce the risk of needing one....and further if you reduce your risk once in the water without wearing a PFD, such as boating in calm, warm water, near shore, you again have reduced the risk further.
 
How do I store my PFDs? (the OP question)

1. Vinyl bag similar to yours holding 7 Type II PFDs on the fwd cabin Hanging Locker shelf (clearly placarded)

2. 6 additional Type II PFDs stored in the cabinet under the Flybridge bench seat (clearly placarded)

3. 2 inflatable PFDs (1 manual, 1 auto-inflate) stored on the salon settee while underway. These PFDs get donned when on the bow or when underway while operating solo. If at anchor, these PFDs remain accessible on the settee, but are not normally worn. When in the slip, these inflatable PFDs are stored in a readily accessible netting in the fwd stateroom.

While operating solo underway, an inflatable PFD is always worn when outside the salon.
 
psneeld said:
  • recommend us to wear lifejackets at all times They have to do it as part of their safety image
  • retrieve more drowned people who haven't been wearing their life jackets, that those who have True but look at all the reasons why a person winds up in the water that needs to be rescued and the types of boats and boating that statistic comes from.
Click to expand...
Hi psneeld,

Your comments carry great weight. May I add the following, not to prolong a discussion but perhaps to enhance it?

re your point "They have to do it as part of their safety image". The RNLI is a charity relying on the public for their income with no government funding at all. Their boats launch an average of 24 times a day around the UK and all crews are voluntary. It's very much in their interest to reduce the number of times they get called to conserve funds, so you are right that it's in their interest to do anything to help reduce accidents and save lives.

re your point "True but look at all the reasons why a person winds up in the water that needs to be rescued and the types of boats and boating that statistic comes from". Again, a very good point. However, rather than say (for example) high risk = small yacht, rought seas, young children = wear lifejackets; whereas low risk = 80' trawler, calm seas, professional crew = don't bother, is a subject likely in itself to lead into difficult waters (forgive the pun).

Education on safety as we all know is paramount. Experience and wisdom should then dictate to each one of us how we want to translate our learning into practice. Hence, for me, all crew and visitors on Play d'eau wear life jackets when underway - I see it as a risk reduction and one item less to think about.

One of the straplines often used is 'minimise the chance of becoming a statistic'. As you indicate, it's the skipper's choice how far to relax the guidelines - that's not a criticism, just the right of a skipper.

Here's to freedom from state regulations on the water!
 
Boating is only as dangerous or as complicated as YOU the skipper make it.:thumb:

As we used to say in the US Military safety circles...there's no such thing as an accident.:socool:
 
psneeld said:
Boating is only as dangerous or as complicated as YOU the skipper make it.:thumb:

As we used to say in the US Military safety circles...there's no such thing as an accident.:socool:
Click to expand...

Agreed. Good motto.
 
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