Will you wear a life jacket?

Update: August 28, 2009.

• New York State amends boating law to require mandatory wear of life jackets in vessels under 21 feet during the period November to May. Since the waters of lakes abutting NY (eg Lake Ontario) are cold for most of the year, one wonders why the legislation did not simply seek year-round wear. Opinions welcome.
• Details

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


My previous post looked towards the first holiday weekend of the Canadian summer season and spoke to the need for sailors to exercise caution due to the low temperatures of our waters.

Part-way through the weekend came the news that three young men found out the hard way how alcohol, boating and sheer stupidity can lead to tragic results. Three young partygoers in a canoe, late at night, no lifejackets. Canoe overturns, no surprise there. One man swims to shore, two drown. This on a small lake surrounded by cottages and year-round homes. No-one saw or heard a thing.

Well, there is no remedy for stupidity or youthful recklessness. Or is there? In a land that prides itself on the great outdoors, where countless thousands flock to the lakes and rivers and beaches, why is it that we don't introduce high school students to the skills needed to enjoy the outdoors and survive the experience.

I support the concept of voluntary wear when the conditions require, and mandatory wear for children.

You can add your 02 cents to this discussion. You can also click on your choice in the poll at the right of this page.

Along these lines, I would like to bring your attention to an initiative of the Canadian Safe Boating Council - lifejacket (or PFD) wear. I'm associated with this fine organization as their webmaster. I pass along a message from the Chair of CSBC, Al Will in the hope that, as serious sailors, you will support their efforts:

CSBC Seeks Input on PFD Wear

CSBC believes that:

All operators and passengers of all sizes and types of kayaks, canoes and self-propelled vessels and all types of other craft that are 6 meters or less in length, while people are on deck and while the boat is underway, should wear lifejackets or PFDs.

In 2008 CSBC will be approaching organizations involved in boating and will ask them the following questions.

1. Do you agree that the above statement is a good "best practice"?

2. Can your organization support this statement or can you tell us what is your policy in regards to PFD wear?

3. Do you think the time is right for the federal government to incorporate the above statement into mandatory wear legislation?

Background
In 2002, the Canadian Safe Boating Council struck a Lifejacket/Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Taskforce to review and develop options concerning increased PFD use for recreational boaters in small craft.

In October of that year, the Taskforce contracted with SMARTRISK to develop a research paper summarizing the best available evidence, pro and con, pertaining to mandatory lifejacket/PFD use.

The Research Paper, Will it Float? was presented by SMARTRISK at the 2003 CSBC Symposium. Click here for a copy.

Please provide any feedback to Al Will, Chair CSBC at 905.628.8639.