Life Jackets

[Ike]

I was one of the guys at the Coast Guard office of Boating Safety that you are reffering to. Sometimes what the Coast Guard proposes is not necessarily what the people who are making the proposal feel is best. Let me put it this way. In my 25 years in Washington DC I learned that everything done in DC is a political decision. It may be right, it may be dead wrong, or in between, but it is what the body politic wants. The body politic in this case is congress, the senate, NTSB, and various boating lobbies and not least, the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC). The administration sets the policy and as long as it is within the scope of the law the Federal agency carries it out. Which is what happened here.

Thus the mandatory wear proposal.

Another thing you learn when in DC. Most proposed regulations never make it past the proposal stage. It is a long drawn out process involving publishing in the Federal Register, getting public comment, sometimes holding public hearings, and dealing with often conflicting laws and regulations. Often it takes 5 years or more to get a regulation into effect, if it ever gets that far.

So what am I saying. This is a proposal. If you don't like it send your comments to the docket, or the Coast Guard, your Congressman, Senators, etc. THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE. If you don't vote you have no cause to complain!

If you do like it, do the same.

My own opinion, it'll never happen.

I am a life long boater. Started when I was 7 or 8. I have always worn a lifejacket of one type or another. I have been in a couple of situations where I'm still here because I was wearing it. I sailed a lot in little itty bitty sail boats that have a mad habit of turning turtle. But on the other side I have operate power boats from dinky to 210 feet. On a big vessel you would look pretty silly wearing a lifejacket all the time. But I knew career coast guard who slept with a lifejacket as a pillow.

Anyone who says they don't need one and that they are a grown up and can make their own decisions is blowing smoke.

Life jackets should always be in reach
Life jackets should always be the right size (That means try it on)
Life jackets should always be on before going in the water (you haven't lived until you've tried to put one on in the water)
Life Jackets should always be in good conditon, and inspected every time you get underway. If it is torn, frayed, oil stained, moldy, rotten, waterlogged (I've seen it all) GET RID OF IT.
Never sit on a lifejacket. It compresses the flotation and ruins it.
You need a throwable device. Buy a lifering. Don't buy a seat cushion and sit on it and then expect it to float well, no matter what it says on the label. I have seen these things sink when thrown in the water.

Believe it or not one of the best bouyant devices in your boat is the cooler. Put a couple of handles on it and make sure it will float free when the boat swamps. I wish I had a count of the people who are alive today because their cooler kept them afloat. The same is true of other objects on a boat that can float.

Last but certain not least. The law says you must have a wearable device of the right size for everyone on board. It must be a USCG approved device. However, there is nothing in the law that prevents you from having, in addition, non approved devices. There are a lot of very good personal flotation device made overseas, especially in Scandinavia that are far superior. Nothing says you can't buy them and use them as long as you have your allotment of USCG approved devices on board. I have tried some of these and they are very comfortable and wearable. But they do tend to cost a lot more.

Last: I agree, the horse collar devices should be outlawed. Their only attribute is they are cheap.