A Major Life Saver

THE 1-2-3 OF SAFE BOATING — factors that can save your life — are wearing life jackets, avoiding alcohol and taking a safe boater education course. According to 2021 U.S. Coast Guard statistics, 81% of fatal boat accident victims drowned and of those, 83% were not wearing a life jacket.

“The four things to remember about wearing a life jacket are it has to be Coast Guard approved, the proper size for the intended wearer, in good serviceable condition and readily accessible,” says Walter Hodgkiss, lieutenant, ODNR.

Bright colored vests are always best. “It’s easier for other boaters to see you if you’re in the water, and it makes the chances of finding you better,” he says.

Every child 10 years of age or younger on a boat less than 18 feet long must wear a lifejacket on a watercraft. Life jackets are also mandated for everyone if you are on a jet ski, water skiing or tubing.

What’s the best life jacket? “The one you will wear,” Hodgkiss says.

There are options. Those include inflatable life jackets that automatically fill when you hit the water, and manual inflatables — even belt packs with a cord you pull to inflate. But Hodgkiss reminds, “They won’t do you any good unless you wear them, and these types are only recommended if you are over the age of 16 and are educated on how they work.”

Read the label.

Accessibility is a common misfire with lifejackets. Stowing them in locked compartments, underneath fishing gear or in the center console does no good. “If your boat capsizes, you have to swim up under to open the hatch to get the jackets out,” Hodgkiss says of the console scenario.

Avoiding alcohol should be common knowledge, but a reminder is crucial. In one-third of fatal boating accidents, alcohol is a contributing factor. “When consuming alcohol, you can really mess up big,” Hodgkiss emphasizes.

Safe boater courses are required if you will operate a watercraft with more than 10 horsepower and were born after January 1, 1982. Every boater of every age benefits. “The more you can do to expand your boating knowledge, the better,” Hodgkiss says. “It can really help raise your awareness and keep you safer on the water.” — KH