Life Jacket? I don't need no stinkin' life jacket! - YES YOU DO!

A Personal Flotation Device (PFD) or life jacket is the single most important piece of equipment you need to bring on your boat. More than two-thirds of all boating fatalities are drowning incidents and 90% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. So buy a life jacket that you will wear it could save your life. How?:

How Do Life Jackets Save Lives?
When capsized in rough water.
When sinking in unexpectedly heavy sea conditions.
When thrown from the boat as a result of a collision.
When injured by rocks or submerged objects.
When unconscious from carbon monoxide fumes.
When tossed into freezing water.
When thrown off balance while fishing.
When unable to swim because of heavy or waterlogged clothing.
and the list goes on and on....

There several types of traditional foam flotation devices as well as new inflatable life jackets. Each is designed for different boating activities and water conditions and each has its own maximum buoyancy, performance level, and limitations. You should choose your life jacket based on your boating activities and conditions. Life jackets must be U.S. Coast Guard-approved in order to meet requirements.

There must be a properly fitting life jacket for each and every person aboard a recreational vessel. Life jackets must be Coast Guard-approved, in serviceable condition and the appropriate size for the intended user, and they are most effective when worn. On a vessel underway, children under 13 must wear an appropriate Coast Guard-approved PFD, unless they are below decks or in an enclosed cabin.

As per the New Jersey State Police:, the minimum requirements are:

*One wearable life jacket (Type I, II, III, or V) for each person on board and one throwable (Type IV) in each boat. Except canoes and kayaks, all boats 16 feet or more in length

*Canoes and kayaks of any length and all other boats less than 16 feet in length: One I, II, III, or V PFD for each person on board. Under state law, it is an infraction, punishable by a fine of up to $250, to operate a vessel unless every child 12 years of age or younger on board is wearing a Type I, II, III, or V Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (life jacket). The law does not apply to: the operator of a vessel on which every child under age 13 is in an enclosed cabin. Inflatable PFDs -

*Only certain brands are U.S. Coast Guard approved and some are only appropriate for adults. Proper use of inflatable PFDs, including appropriate age limits, vary by manufacturer. Please review the owner's manual and information pamphlet carefully before purchasing an inflatable PFD. While automatic inflation is not a required feature, inflatables must be equipped, at a minimum, with both manual (pull) and oral (blow) inflation systems.

Children and PFDs:
Child lifejacket approvals are based on the child's weight. Check the "User Weight" on the label, or the approval statement that will read something like "Approved for use on recreational boats and uninspected commercial vessels not carrying passengers for hire, by persons weighing __ lbs". They can be marked "less than 30", "30 to 50", "less than 50", or "50 to 90". Adult-sized life jackets will not work for children. Special life jackets are available. To work correctly, a life jacket must be worn, fit snugly, and not allow the child’s chin or ears to slip through.

Some Important Things to Remember:

*There must be at least one life jacket for each person aboard

*Life jackets must be properly sized for each person aboard

*One wearable life jacket (Type I, II, III, or V) for each person on board and one throwable (Type IV) in each boat are required to wear their life jacket under 12

*Participants engaged in certain water sports are required to wear a life jacket (typically skiing and personal watercraft operation

*Life jackets must be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard in order to meet requirements

*Life jackets are grouped into categories called “Types”. A life jacket will be a Type I, II, III or V

*These life jackets must be readily accessible and not in an out-of-reach location or in original packaging

*Any boat 16’ and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must carry a throwable PFD called a Type IV

*Throwable devices must be immediately available for use such as in the cockpit or near the helm

*An inflatable life jacket must be properly armed with an unused gas cylinder

*Inflatable life jackets are authorized for use on recreational boats by a person at least 16 years of age

*Certain life jackets are designed to keep your head above water and help you remain in a position which permits proper All states have regulations regarding life jacket wear by children.

*Life jackets should be tested for wear and buoyancy at least once each year. Waterlogged, faded, or leaky jackets should be discarded.

*Life jackets must be properly stowed.

*A life jacket especially a snug-fitting flotation coat or deck-suit style can help you survive in cold water.

Learn this and more at a NJSP approved Boat Safety Course For more information and for Boating Safety classes that are NJ State Police Approved and NASBLA Certified, go to www.BoatSafeUS.com. Our Instructors will provide you with a fun-filled and educational look at Boat Safety in New Jersey. All of our instructors at Boat Safe US, LLC are certified and approved to instruct by the NJ State Police Marine Division and our course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Instructor Positions Available!

Upcoming classes:

July 15 (Saturday) (1 Day) 8:00am-4:30pm, First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, 500 Hughes Street, Cape May, NJ 08204

July 15 (Saturday) (1 Day) 8:00am-4:30pm, St. Peter & St. Paul Church, 605 Washington Ave, Manville, NJ 08835

July 15 (Saturday) (1 Day) 8:00am-4:30pm, Point Pleasant VFW, 603 Saint Louis Avenue, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

July 16 (Sunday) (1 Day) 8:00am-4:30pm, Mt. Arlington Fire House, 409 Howard Blvd, Mt. Arlington, NJ 07856

July 17 (Monday) & July 19 (Wednesday) (2 Nights) 6:00pm-9:30pm, St. Peter & St. Paul Church, 605 Washington Ave, Manville, NJ 08835

July 17 (Monday) & July 18 (Tuesday) (2 Nights) 6:00pm-9:30pm, Marlton VFW Post 6295, 94 Tenth street, Marlton, NJ 08053

July 18 (Tuesday) & July 20 (Thursday) (2 Nights) 6:00pm-9:30pm, South Brunswick VFW, 11 Henderson Road, Kendall Park, NJ 08824

July 18 (Tuesday) & July 20 (Thursday) (2 Nights) 6:00pm-9:30pm, Keyport Matawan Elks, 249 Broadway, Keyport, NJ 07735