Personal Flotation Devices

Try on your Personal Flotation Device to see if it fits comfortably snug. Then test it in shallow water to see how it handles. To check the buoyancy of your Personal Flotation Device in the water, relax your body and let your head tilt back. Your Personal Flotation Device should keep your chin above water, and you should be able to breathe easily.

Don't put heavy objects on your Personal Flotation Device or use it for a kneeling pad or boat fender. Personal Flotation Devices lose buoyancy when crushed.

Assign life jackets to each passenger, and make sure they fit, the straps are secure and adjusted properly, and are readily accessible to that person should the need arise. Do this BEFORE you depart. It's too late when you're in the water.

There is a law that requires that anyone aboard your boat who is age 13 or under must be WEARING a properly fitted, Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Device. This applies to all Federal waterways, and several states are introducing or have passed legislation to implement a similar regulation for non-Federal waterways.

Teach your children how to relax their arms and legs in the water, so that if they fall in, the Personal Flotation Device will keep them afloat in a "face up" position. If a child panics when they take a sudden fall into the water, they'll thrash around. In those cases, a Personal Flotation Device may not keep them face up.

Some states require that Personal Flotation Device 's be worn while aboard the vessel, and those laws are usually age-specific. Be sure and check with YOUR local agencies to make sure you're operating your boat within those regulations.