Boating Safety and Accident News

Boating Safety Standards: the whys and wherefores. Part two:

When people think of safety gear on boats the first thing that almost always comes to mind is lifejackets (PFDs). But there are other items that are required to be on your boat. What you must have depends on the size and type of boat. One thing is the same for all boats. You must have a wearable PFD of the right size for every person on board. By the right size I mean the PFD must be sized for the person wearing it. If it’s a child they must have a child sized PFD. If it is a very large adult they must have a very large PFD. Children under 13 must wear their PFD. This is the Federal standard. The age may vary from state to state.

On boats 16 feet and up you must also have a Type IV, that is, a throwable type PFD. This can be a ring buoy, a foam filled seat cushion that is an approved type IV, or one of the specially made devices for throwing to a person in the water. But don’t forget to attach a long line to the throwable PFD so it can be pulled back in. You can find more on PFDs at. the US Coast Guard Boating Safety web site http://www,uscgboating.org

But let’s talk about PFDs. Why a PFD? They keep you afloat right? Actually they do much more than that. Most people assume that drowning is the cause of most boating fatalities. Actually that is the end result, not the cause. The cause is going in the water, and getting hypothermia, which results in drowning. Not only does the PFD support you but it keeps your head out of the water and provides some insulation for the chest and torso. Water conducts heat from your body 25 times as fast as air does. So in the water you lose body heat rapidly. This happens even in semi-tropical waters where the water temperature may be 70 degrees F. The highest heat loss is from the head, with the torso being next. By protecting those areas heat is not lost as fast.

I have also heard far too many times the old excuse, “I can swim, why do I need a PFD?” This is the macho issue. Some men feel it just isn’t manly to wear your PFD. But that is false bravado. Even the best swimmers will have the heat sapped out of them, become disoriented, lose consciousness, and drown. In accident after accident, the person who swims for it drowns, and the person who wears their PFD and stays with the boat lives. The data on this is irrefutable. A PFD does not eliminate hypothermia, but it helps stave off the onset of it, and allows you to conserve strength and body heat. It is also much easier for a rescuer to see a brightly colored PFD than it is to see your head sticking out of the water. Plus that you can attach devices such as personal locators, a whistle and a light to a PFD, or even a cell phone, further increasing your chances of being rescued.

The other major objection to wearing a PFD is the comfort issue. This is generally what women use to object to wearing a PFD but also some men say PFDs are uncomfortable, PFDs have come a long way since the days of cork and kapok. We now have inflatable PFDs that are more like wearing a belt, and hybrid PFDs that are half flotation foam, and half inflatable air chambers. These can be worn continuously with little discomfort. PFDs come in designer colors and all sizes. You can even buy a coat, called a Float Coat, that looks and wear just like a normal jacket, but is an approved PFD. PFDs come configured as fishing and hunting vests. They come in many styles depending on the sport. Kayaking PFDs are specifically designed for that sport, as are PFDs for PWCs. If you can’t find a PFD that fits, is suitable for your boat or sport, and is comfortable, then you haven’t looked very hard.

The point is, PFD , can save your life if you wear it.. Not wearing your PFD is like not wearing a seat belt. Seat belts are useless if not worn. So are PFDs.