Life Jackets
Mandatory on all vessels per 33 CFR 175
Five Types of Life Jackets
The U.S. Coast Guard classifies life jackets into five (5) primary categories. These categories are as follows:
- A Type I, Off-Shore Life Jacket
- A Type II, Near-Shore Buoyancy Vest
- A Type III, Flotation Aid
- A Type IV, Throwable Device
- A Type V, Special Use Device
For information pertain to each Type of life jacket, please consult "A Boater's Guide To The Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats." A Type I life jacket will also provide the highest level of buoyancy to the wearer, it also will in most situations turn the wearer face up in the water.
Life Jackets vs. Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs)
You may have heard reference to Type I,II,III, IV, and V “Personal Floatation Devices” (PFDs). The term PFD is used in a strictly regulatory sense. For grater clarity, this website will use the term “life jacket” and “throwable device.“ Understand that Type and Number refer to the same equipment, whether called a PFD or life jacket, and that any PFD is approved for use anywhere.
Be Safe. Wear Your Life Jacket
Most deaths from drowning occur near shore in clam weather, not out at sea during a storm; 9 out of 10 drowning fatalities occur in inland waters, most within a few feet of safety. Worse still, many of these victims owned life jackets and may have survived had they been worn.
Life Jackets Requirements
All recreational vessel must carry one wearable life jacket for each person on board. Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable (Type IV) device. Life jackets should be worn at all times when the vessel is underway. A life jacket can save your life, but only if you wear it!
Always check and read the manufacturer's information booklet and label provided with all life jackets. They will provide valuable information, including size, type, intended use, and Coast Guard approval information. For a life jacket to be considered a "life jacket" should you be boarded by the Coast Guard, boarded by any marine law enforcement, receive a Vessel Safety Exam and/or Check, or are required to pass a safety check point; it must be:
- United States Coast Guard-approved (check the label)
- In good and serviceable condition (I.E. no tears, mold, discoloring, fading, or damaged in any way)
- Appropriate size for type for the intended user
- Properly stowed or properly warn if to required by Type
Some times that are not required to be on a life jacket but are a good idea to have are a whistle and an emergency light or strobe light
Inflatable life Jackets
- U.S. Coast Guard-approved inflatable life jackets are authorized for use by persons 16 years of age and older (check the label for USCG approval).
- Inflatable life jackets require regular maintenance and attention to the condition of the inflator.
- They must be on the boater or person(s) on board the vessel in order to satisfy the legal requirements outline in the life jacket carriage requirement. Having an inflatable life jacket stored, or near by does not satisfy the carriage requirement.
- They must have a full cylinder and all status indicators on the inflator must be green or the device is not serviceable and does not satisfy the legal requirements for the wearable life jacket carriage requirement
- Inflatable life jackets are more comfortable, encouraging regular use. The best life jackets are ones the user will wear.
Stowage
Wearing your life jacket is always the smart act!
- Wareable life jackets must be readily accessible. (see exception on inflatable life jackets)
- You should be able to put them on in less then 10 seconds in the event of an emergency (vessel sinking, on fire, ect.)
- They shall not be stowed in plastic bags, in locked or closed compartments, or have other gear stowed on top of them.
- Throwable devices must be immediately available for use. They should be on the main deck within arm/s reach, hanging on a lifeline, or other easily reached location.
Child Life Jacket Requirements
On a vessel that is underway (I.E. not at anchor or docked), children under 13 years of age must wear an appropriate U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket unless they are 1) below deck, or 2) within an enclosed cabin. If a state has established a child life jacket wear requirement that differs from the Coast Guard requirement, provided it is greater in the age requirement, it shall be applicable on water subject to that stat's jurisdiction. On waterways in which two states share jurisdiction (interstate waterways) the U.S. Coast Guard law shall be applicable.
Children's life jackets are approved for specific weight categories. Check the "User Weight" on the label and for an approval statement what will read something like :
Approved for use on recreational boats and uninspected commercial vessels not carrying passengers for hire by persons weighing "less than 30, lbs.," " 30-50lbs., "less than 50lbs.," or "50 to 90lbs."
Choosing a Child's Life Jacket
Be sure to choose a child's life jacket that is U.S. Coast Guard-approved. Check to make sure your child's weight falls within the range shown on the label. While some children in the 30-50 pound weight range who can swim may ask for the extra freedom of movement that a Type III provides, note that most children in this weight range, especially those who cannot swim, should wear a Type II. To Check for a good fit, pick up the child by the shoulders of the life jacket. if it fits correctly, the child's chin and ears will not slip through.
A child's life jacket should be tested in the water immediately after purchase. Children may panic when they fall into the water suddenly. Float testing not only checks the fit and buoyancy but also provides an important opportunity to teach them to relax in the water.
Life Jacket Requirements for Specific Activities
The U.S. Coast Guard under United States Code, and many states require -wearing life jackets when engaged in the following activates:
- Water Skiing and other towed activities (must be impacted rated & approved for water skiing.)
- Operating a Personal Watercraft, or PWC (use a type designed for Personal Watercraft or PWC.)
- Whitewater boating activities
- Sailboarding (note: sailboarding is considered a vessel and as such must meet the life jacket & all other carriage requirements).
Check with your state boating agency for the laws that apply
Federal law does not require life jacket use on racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes, and racing kayaks; state laws vary, however. Check with your state boating agency.
Note: If you boating in an area under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or a federal, state, or local park authority, other rules may also apply.
The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that you always war a life jacket while underway on a boat and require passengers to do the same.
Test the Fit
Start with a life jacket that is U.S. Coast Guard-approved. Try it on. It should fit comfortable sung. Then give it this test: with all straps zippers, and ties securely fastened, raise your arms over your head. The jacket should stay in place and not ride up. Next, have someone lift your life jacket straight up at the shoulders. Again, the jacket should stay in place. If the zipper touches your nose or the jacket almost comes off, it is too loose.