grumpyolman
New member
The problem with the nobody under16 is probably size. Under 16 I think is not accurate. Under 6 makes sense as there are no crotch straps on 99% of the life jackets and when a kid puts their arms straight up they can slide right out of the life jackets. Some now do have the crotch straps but we sewed our own in on the ones we got. If you've ever used one you know that they do exert pressure in the arm pit area as your body is wanting to sink and the jacket is trying to lift you. If you have kids make sure they have the crotch straps already on them.
The kind of life jacket you need to keep you alive if rendered unconscious are in another whole class of life jackets. I think you'd find those way to bulky but are important for people who race boats, etc. I haven't noticed the part that says they won't work unless you know how to swim and so advise against them. I think that's a technical warning so they won't be sued by surviving family. I guess we shouldn't put life jackets on kids who can't swim because they won't do any good??
If you get a USCG approved PFD and need to use it, it will keep your head out of the water...usually but there are different classes of PFDs and only a few guarantee to float you face up. If you can't swim I'd advise, in a swimming pool, to go to waist deep water and inflate the jacket. Lift your legs and see how it feels. You need some balance in them and if you totally panic and just flail your arms and legs they are being pushed beyond their design. I can see somebody do that who can't swim a lick and gets dumped overboard when fishing in the middle of a lake. It's worse if the lake is cold. You have to have some confidence in the device and if you don't know how to swim and know how to manuever in the water, better practice. But ask yourself, because you don't swim should you not wear one or does it make more sense to wear one and hope it helps? Without one and no swimming ability you know where you are headed.
Used to work with a Sheriff's office dive team. We never did a body recovery and found someone on the bottom with a life jacket on. Can't remember anyone drowning because they had a life jacket on and didn't know how to swim, either. Maybe there's some CG folks on here who could set everyone straight. They are the experts. jim
The kind of life jacket you need to keep you alive if rendered unconscious are in another whole class of life jackets. I think you'd find those way to bulky but are important for people who race boats, etc. I haven't noticed the part that says they won't work unless you know how to swim and so advise against them. I think that's a technical warning so they won't be sued by surviving family. I guess we shouldn't put life jackets on kids who can't swim because they won't do any good??
If you get a USCG approved PFD and need to use it, it will keep your head out of the water...usually but there are different classes of PFDs and only a few guarantee to float you face up. If you can't swim I'd advise, in a swimming pool, to go to waist deep water and inflate the jacket. Lift your legs and see how it feels. You need some balance in them and if you totally panic and just flail your arms and legs they are being pushed beyond their design. I can see somebody do that who can't swim a lick and gets dumped overboard when fishing in the middle of a lake. It's worse if the lake is cold. You have to have some confidence in the device and if you don't know how to swim and know how to manuever in the water, better practice. But ask yourself, because you don't swim should you not wear one or does it make more sense to wear one and hope it helps? Without one and no swimming ability you know where you are headed.
Used to work with a Sheriff's office dive team. We never did a body recovery and found someone on the bottom with a life jacket on. Can't remember anyone drowning because they had a life jacket on and didn't know how to swim, either. Maybe there's some CG folks on here who could set everyone straight. They are the experts. jim