Don't just *carry* lifejackets........
 

Make sure they fit. Wear them in a small, open boat when conditions are
crappy.

Here's a tragic story about two guys out in a little 20-foot jet boat.
(low freeboard riverboat?) Four foot river bar waves, (not "rollers")
in an area known to be more hazardous than average. One of the waves
swamps the jetboat, so at that point they finally think it might be a
good idea to don the lifejackets. Problem: One of the two lifejackets
is way too small(kids jacket?) for one of the boaters, so they sliced
it up with a knife to get it around the guy.

Apparently they had no radio, and sent no mayday. The first the CG knew
of the situation was when a research vessel came across the two
floating near the Columbia River bar. The guy in the modified life
jacket drowned and could not be revived.

Its always tragic when somebody dies in a boating accident, even when
an individual's own stupidity or lack or preparation is a factor.



Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District




Press Release Date: Aug. 25, 2005
Contact: PA3 Adam Eggers

(206) 220-7237


UPDATE1-ONE RESCUED, ONE DEAD AFTER CAPSIZING IN COLUMBIA RIVER

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard responded to a call today from the master of
a vessel stating his crew had pulled two people from the waters of the
Columbia River.

The research vessel Point Sir's crew spotted a father and son, from
Oregon City, Ore., floating in the water two and a half miles south of
the Columbia River's mouth and called Coast Guard Group/Air Station
Astoria, Ore., at 9:52 a.m.

The pair had been in a 20-foot jet drive boat when it was swamped by a
wave and capsized. The Point Sir lowered their small boat to recover
the two men. The 32-year-old son was responsive when pulled aboard but
attempts to rescucitate the father were unsuccessful.

Group/Air Station Astoria launched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to hoist
the son from the deck of the research vessel and transported him back
to the air station where emergency medical technicians were waiting.
Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, Wash., launched a 47-foot
motor lifeboat to recover the father from the research vessel.

The father and son were not wearing lifejackets at the time the vessel
became swamped but did manage to don lifejackets before their boat
capsized. The father's lifejacket was too tight and was cut before
going into the water in an attempt to make it fit better.

River bar waves at the time of the capsizing were approximately four
feet tall.

Video of the hoist is availible at Coast Guard Group/Air Station
Astoria by calling (503) 861-6214.


###

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service
within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and
security of America.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Make sure they fit. Wear them in a small, open boat when conditions are
crappy.

Here's a tragic story about two guys out in a little 20-foot jet boat.
(low freeboard riverboat?) Four foot river bar waves, (not "rollers")
in an area known to be more hazardous than average. One of the waves
swamps the jetboat, so at that point they finally think it might be a
good idea to don the lifejackets. Problem: One of the two lifejackets
is way too small(kids jacket?) for one of the boaters, so they sliced
it up with a knife to get it around the guy.

Apparently they had no radio, and sent no mayday. The first the CG knew
of the situation was when a research vessel came across the two
floating near the Columbia River bar. The guy in the modified life
jacket drowned and could not be revived.

Its always tragic when somebody dies in a boating accident, even when
an individual's own stupidity or lack or preparation is a factor.


snip USCG link

Great advice and link Chuck.

We always have type II life jackets aboard that are properly sized for each
of us, along with 5 or 6 generic (one size fits all) type II, a heads up
infant and toddler jacket, 1 or type I throwable and 2 type III for water
skiing and tubing. They take up a lot of room on this 20 footer we just
purchased (not a problem with the 32 footer we had previously) but we know
that the safety equipment has top priority for storage considerations and
ease of access.

We will now make sure our guests select one that fits them. In the past,
we had only advised them where the life jackets were. I have had some big
guys on board in the past and I never thought about making sure we have a
life jacket that fits them......lesson learned. ;-)

Thanks Chuck.

I try to set an example by wearing mine (as captain). If somebody is a
weak swimmer, I insist they do. ANYBODY who goes out of the cockpit
wears one. ANYBODY on the foredeck also wears a harness with tie-in. I
have inflateable life jackets. At night, everybody wears them if he is
outside. At night, everybody ties in. If I wear mine, they cant whine.