I was all of about 14 years old the first time I was allowed to take our 12-foot row boat out by myself.
For a kid who had made more than his fair share of mistakes, I was very pleased with myself that day. Years later I asked my father why he had agreed to allow me such a privilege. He said because I had always agreed to wear a lifejacket whenever he had asked me.
I have always worn a life jacket when out on the water and I will not take anyone out with me unless they too are wearing a life-jacket or PFD (Personal Floatation Devise).
Quite simply I cannot swim well enough to save myself, never mind anyone else.
With an ever increasing number of families with children taking part in activities on and around our lakes, there is an increased concern for safety and need for regulation. The federal government has brought in a number of amended regulations to address these concerns. Under the current regulations, a person operating a boat or pleasure craft is responsible for equipping the boat with the proper mandatory safety equipment, for operating the boat safely and for ensuring the safety of those on board. Operators and/or owners of boats and pleasure craft that do not comply with these regulations can and will be subject to penalties and fines. Under the regulations, enforcement officers can impose a fine of up to $200 for each person not wearing an approved life-jacket.
Think of it this way – not only do life jackets save lives, the cost of a good quality Coast Guard-approved life-jacket is still far less than the cost of a fine. Whether in a boat, on a dock or simply near the water, small children are safer if they are wearing a life-jacket. Peace of mind alone should be worth the price.
Canadian regulations state a boat “must be equipped with an approved life-jacket or PFD of appropriate size for each person on board.”
Technically, they do not say the life-jacket or PFD must be worn all the time. Only inflatable PFDs are actually required to be worn at all times.
Regardless of what the regulations state, I have to say it really bothers me when I see a boat heading out, especially with children on board, and no one is wearing a life jacket. Having life-jackets stowed away somewhere on board may comply with the regulations but is of little value when you suddenly need to get them out and put on under less than ideal conditions.
Use a bit of common sense and go one better than simple compliance. Take control of both your vessel and the situation, and insist that everyone on board wear their life-jacket or PFD. They’ll get use to wearing them and after a few outings, they won’t even think twice about putting them on.
There are a number of things to consider when choosing a flotation device.
First of all, consider the type of water activities that you enjoy. Today there are life-jackets and PFD’s specially designed for various activities including pleasure boating, fishing, water skiing, tubing, kayaking, canoeing and rafting.
The Canadian Coast Guard strongly recommends wearing bright colours for better visibility.
When determining what size of life-jacket or PFD to wear, remember that sizing is based on chest measurements for adults and weight for children. It should fit snugly, with all the buckles, zippers and snaps done up, but still allow room to breathe and move around freely.
Too often the decision to wear or not wear a life-jacket is based on the perception of how much risk there might be. When you’re in a boat and things go wrong, desperately wrong, wearing a life-jacket might be the only thing that saves your, or your children’s lives. A little inconvenience is nothing compared to the alternative.
The way I see it, a life-jacket only has to work once.
