Life jackets are a recognized lifesaver for boaters. There is no doubt that using them will save lives and lower injury rates among boaters. Coast Guard recreational boating safety statistics published for 2008 show that more than 66 percent of all boating related fatalities were caused by drowning and among these victims, 90 percent were not wearing a life jacket.
The United States Coast Guard has a rigorous testing program that certifies life jackets as meeting the agency’s safety requirements. Boaters are required by law to carry a properly sized and approved life jacket for each person onboard a boat. A number of different inflatable life jacket models have recently been approved by the Coast Guard.
While there are many debates happening within the boating community at any one time, most boating safety experts will agree that the best life jacket made is the one that is being worn. But what about using unapproved life jackets? Would there ever be a reason for someone to purchase and use a life jacket that doesn’t pass muster with the Coast Guard?
In the real world of boating, the honest answer is yes. There are products on the market aimed at fulfilling the needs of niche users like fishermen or racers that will never be approved by the federal government.
An Example of an Unapproved Life Jacket Manufacturer
In Alaska, the best know candidate for the distinction of a commonly used unapproved life jacket are the products manufactured by Stormy Seas. Commercial fishermen have stood by this product for years and are the company’s best advocates. It is a recognized fact that the jackets and parka made by the company, with their built-in inflation, are effective lifesavers and are comfortable to wear. The utility of these products insures that boaters will actually wear them routinely through the course of the day.
It’s not likely that Stormy Seas will produce Coast Guard approved life jackets anytime soon. The company’s website, Stormy Seas Founder Mike Jackson says, “With ‘approval’ we might sell a few more garments. But in our estimation, it is not worth the risk of being the sole flotation device aboard commercial or recreational vessels…To quote the Coast Guard, ‘The best way to minimize the number of deaths due to drowning is to maximize the number of boaters wearing lifejackets.’ We believe that the best way to accomplish this objective is to allow boaters the freedom to choose the lifejacket that works best for them.”
Other unapproved life jackets are in use by boaters. The boat racing community uses custom made life jackets designed to protect operators during high speed impacts and there even jackets equipped deceleration parachutes that aren’t likely to be seen in the boating mainstream anytime soon.
Can Someone Legally Use an Unapproved Life Jacket?
The Coast Guard has no enforceable regulations in place that would prohibit the use of an unapproved life jacket. That being said, boaters are still required to carry the correct number of approved life jackets onboard and unapproved products should be considered as additions to the minimum carriage requirements.
The bottom line is that there are quality life jackets being made and used by boaters that won’t be approved by the Coast Guard. And it’s good to see people wearing them while on the water.
Alan Sorum - Alan Sorum is the Maritime Operations Project Manager for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (PWSRCAC). Alan is ...
