Life jackets, who wears them

[baronmarine]

so who wears there life jackets out boating? over the last couple of seasons we started wearing our life jackets when out hot rodding. not all time, say just taking a ride in claim water we don't. but when the waves get to be 3 - 4 feet or more and we are out wave jumping and cutting the rug, my riders and my self have them on. how about you guys ?

todd

[offshoresteve]

We always wear Lifeline jackets except in a No Wake zone.

[Team Tsunami]

We always wear our Lifelines and kill swtiches whenever the boat is on plane.

[stainless]

We always wear our Lifelines and kill swtiches whenever the boat is on plane.

+1 :cheers2:

[POWERPLAY33]

Always...

[Expensive Date]

Always with kills,Helmet if running hard in the ocean.

[baronmarine]

oops, kill switches also. always.

todd

[elvisali]

Always.

Good for my son (he is three) to see it, he is the first one to say "lifejackets on" when we get near the boat, he thinks its cool mom and dad have one on, so its not a fight to get one on him. its worked so well when we took him to the mall recently, they had one of those play boats you throw a quarter in, and it rides back and forth...he said he couldnt get in it because he didnt have his life jacket

I have actually had people make fun of me at the ramp for putting one on, and once, saw a guy get inspected by CG Auxilliary as he was launching. He had no vests on the boat, and a baby on board...no vest on the kid (couldnt have been more then 2 years old), he told the CG Auggie to screw off when he told him not to go out, and was SHOCKED when real CG pulled him over about 20 feet from the ramp

[lucky strike]

We always wear our Lifelines and kill swtiches whenever the boat is on plane.

Ditto

[POWERPLAY33]

I also wear mine when I'm a passenger in another boat:cheers2:

[Tom A.]

Ok, I will be the first to promote safety first. However, when I am truly just cruising the bay (under 60 mph) I do not always wear my pfd. Any organized run, offshore running, high speed, or bad weather then 100% of the time everyone in the boat wears either Lifelines or at min. inflatables. I never leave the dock without attaching the kill switch.

[CRC]

95% of the time.

[MANITIE]

In 2009 the C.G reported that over 75% of boating fatalities could have been prevented if a life jacket was being worn. It has been a real eye opener being involoved with them and getting reports of all boating accidents reported by the C.G. since we signed on with them in 2005. A lot of the accidents are not at high speeds...most of them under 25mph.But most were operator error and being careless, you never know when you will be involved in a accident, by having a life jacket on your odds on staying alive are so great it really out weights any reason not to have it on.

good thread to start with boating season just around the corner for most

[MarylandMark]

I need to wear it more often but I can say I'm getting better.

I take my boat out 1-2 times a week solo for a hour or so after work and have 100% compliance then.

Lanyard - only time it's not on is when I'm idling in my creek because I'm getting things together to either go out or coming back in. I'm looking at those wireless lanyards so I can wear it 100% of the time.

[redhotsommer]

I'd be willing to bet there is a LOT higher percentage of people who wear life jackets in high-performance boats than in the standard family runabout or cruiser. C'mon...it's like driving a big jet ski at times, and you'd never ride one of those without a vest.

I'll throw one on when the waves get big...wife knows right away it's gonna be a fun ride then!

[Maximus]

Always , A good day on a boat turns into a tragedy in 1 step.

[H20 Toie]

lifeline vests In the Cig when out in the ocean all the time, at the river only on poker runs,
In the formula not at all,
but with both i always had the lanyard when out of no wake zone.

[baywatch]

Lanyard all the time (accept when docking, killed engines once while grabbing a fender and had to scramble quickly). Jacket not so often. Our kid wears his jacket all the time even if he is just around the dock. We normally cruise 45-55mph and top end isn't even 70 so it is a very tame ride in the old Apache.

I know it only takes once and all of that good stuff so you don't need to lecture me, I'm just being honest.

[AugiePensa]

Always, lifelines and kill switches! Ya Never Know!

[Knot 4 Me]

Lifeline Poker Run jacket when running hard in an offshore. No jacket when on the cruiser or runabout.

[thedonz]

all the time when we are running hard,....and that is all the time.......

[MANITIE]

I'd be willing to bet there is a LOT higher percentage of people who wear life jackets in high-performance boats than in the standard family runabout or cruiser. C'mon...it's like driving a big jet ski at times, and you'd never ride one of those without a vest.

I'll throw one on when the waves get big...wife knows right away it's gonna be a fun ride then!

You are correct, at the C.G. Summit in 2008 the C.G. report over 80% of boating accidents and fatalities were in non high performance boats,
In 2008 they were starting to show concern in the Poker Run speeds being run and the risk that was being taken, but was no were near the concern they had for small fishing vessel and canoers not wearing life jackets or worse not even having them oboard

[elvisali]

You are correct, at the C.G. Summit in 2008 the C.G. report over 80% of boating accidents and fatalities were in non high performance boats,
In 2008 they were starting to show concern in the Poker Run speeds being run and the risk that was being taken, but was no were near the concern they had for small fishing vessel and canoers not wearing life jackets or worse not even having them oboard

When I got safety checked at the launch ramp last year, the CG Auggie actually said to me "you go-fast guys usually are no problem, you have everything, its the casual weekender who never has what they need"...and then he proceeded to tie me up for 35 minutes doing a safety check:)

[Expensive Date]

Back in 97 or 98 got home from work early during the week in late Sept.Decided to take the ski out 95 Kawasaki 900ci was running wide open at about 60 and hit a wave wrong.Got thrown off and hit my ankle hard on the way.It you have never hit the water at 60 you have no idea how hard it is you will slid for a while before you stop.So the ski is about a hundred feet away I am in the water with ehat at the time think is a broken ankle swam back to the ski using only my hands and dragged myself on.Turns out it was just a really bad sprain but no one was around I was totally on my own had I not had a vest or kill switch might have turned out a lot different.
And to anyone who thinks they can put it on if needed this summer through a vest in the water jump in and try to put it on.