Do you ALWAYS wear a life jacket?

[ashley0323]

Just curious. Do you always wear a life jacket, no matter what? What about the kids, do you require them to wear them? Personally, I wear mine about 50% of the time, not that I "need" it, but I am trying to show my kids that its the right thing for them to do. They are only four and five. My kids are not allowed near the water at all without a life jacket. If they are within 5 feet of water, they wear one.

 

[killeroy154]

In Tennessee anyone 12 and under is required by law to wear an approved pfd when on board any water craft. I wear mine when I am moving in my boats. If it is hot out I take mine off when not running the big motor on my boat. I try to always wear it when I am in the canoe. Sometimes it seems silly when the water is shallow and slow.

 

[missyify]

Usually only on the kayaks. As for regular swimming, they will typically have water wings but they always have an adult. They can get into trouble no matter what they have on, especially where we live (rip currents and what not). Well, at any rate, we try to teach them to have respect for all bodies of water, fire, nature in general, etc because there might find themselves in a situation one day without immediate help. Dry drowning makes me pretty paranoid.

As for myself, I always wear my life jacket in my kayak.


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[HikingHans]

Honestly, no I don't, though I should. I am in good shape and can swim well, but still. My children, if they are anywhere near water, always wear life jackets though.

 

[Jasmin Cottontail]

I don't actually wear life jackets in light of the fact that I don't swim in the sea (although I would love to). I only swim at the pool so think there's no need for one especially if it isn't that deep.

 

[Northern Dancer]

...it's mandatory for all water craft in our neck of the woods. Though there are many canoeists not wearing a life vest it is also true that there are many drownings. I wouldn't be wearing one when swimming normally. BUT - you are nuts if you don't when you are in a canoe. It's one of the simplest methods to save your life. There are other threads on our site that talk about this "problem".

Even my dog wears one.​

 

[2sweed]

I always wear one when out on the water in any type of boat. In fact I wore one while learning how to swim. No way to sink wearing a good life jacket.

 

[Alexandoy]

When fishing or swimming in the river, I don't wear a life jacket although I only go to the water when there is someone with me. But in the sea, a life jacket is imperative whether I am fishing or simply on the boat. The sea is deep and you don't know what can happen if the boat will capsize. To be on the safe side, a life jacket will give you peace of mind with the feeling of security against drowning.

 

[rz3300]

I hardly ever do really, but it is okay I am not being unsafe or anything. The only real time I am out on the boat anymore is really just simple fishing out in the canoe or another boat. We take them wish, but I rarely put it on.

 

[to7update]

If it's something that won't take long and on shallow waters, I don't think it's necessary, but if it's an activity that will take long and it's on deep waters I think we should wear one, for our own safety. Sadly some years ago, a friend of mine drowned on a lake because he was fishing without a life jacket. Seems ridiculous, but he could not swim and he could never return to the boat.

 

[Northern Dancer]

...it's the law in our neck of the woods; it's also your safety.

 

[to7update]

Yeah, if we think of it, it's just some minutes to put a life jacked on and it can save our life. It totally changed my perspective about it, as even if we consider ourselves good swimmers, we don't know what can happen, so we are better off wearing one.

 

[killeroy154]

I have concidered one of these.

self inflatable also.

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[to7update]

That is actually looking very good @killeroy154, and the fact that it's inflatable makes that doesn't occupy a lot of space when we don't need it. Seems good quality, so I am guessing it doesn't come cheap?