Offshoreonly.com - Life Jackets - Do People Wear Them?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by StillCrazy J&M (Post 3770288)

Everyone that ever rides on the boat puts a jacket on before we get on plane. Mustang MV5600 100mph jackets. http://www.machovec.com/catalog/mv5600.htm

+1, that's what I use. The 4600's are pretty much the same too.

This is for all of you who have kids. Something to think about.

Everyone always says "my kids wear them all of the time." Why? Answer-no one would want to have their kids perish on the water. Especially when a life jacket could help prevent the death.

Do you think your children would want you to perish on the water? Do you think your kids would want to grow up without Mom and Dad around? Why parents don't wear life jackets for THEIR CHILDRENS SAKE is beyond me.

Kill switch tether and Lifelines for all when on plane...always.

Once had someone ask if I knew how to swim.

Right now I am running my parents boat, a 17' Whaler with 70hp......I do not wear it onboard that boat, but I DO keep it in the storage compartment in case it is absolutely necessary. I was running in 2-4' waves coming back from City Island the other day and I made sure that my friend was holding on and safe, and that I kept the boat at a safe speed. One wave sent the boat hard down on my side (due to more weight from the battery, etc, and I stopped the boat and hooked up the kill lanyard.....just in case I was to be thrown from the boat. We got back to the dock safe and sound.

When it comes to poker runs, I ALWAYS have my life-jacket on as soon as I hop into the boat before the run, and take it off at the END of the run, in the no-wake zone heading back to the dock.

On my Chris Craft 23' Stinger, I will make sure there is a life-vest for every passenger onboard. I should install a kill-switch for the boat (1984 boat) and keep my life vest on while doing poker runs/running hard.

There are times where they absolutely need to be worn, and times when they don't have to be worn, but should.....after watching that Fountain accident video, I am more conscious of the safety of myself and passengers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeRacer (Post 3770392)

Well said, also, if YOU fly out of the boat and drown, or are fighting to stay afloat (in front of your kids) you would probably wish you had put on that jacket.

As I said earlier, There is NO "downside" to wearing one at all times.

All the time...religiously.

Never an exception! Before I get on plane the jackets and Kill switch tether are on.

Got a kill switch recommendation for an older boat?

life jackets are for *****s, I only wear them if i am messing around with mother nature in really rough seas, but i also have a slow boat compared to most people here.