10/14/2022
Sometimes there is a culture among boaters and fishermen that encourages not wearing a life jacket. You’ve heard it 1000 times,“As long as you have it in the boat you’re good, they can’t give you a ticket.” That is true for everyone over the age of 8. In a regular vessel, as long as everyone has one available to them, it fits properly, and is in good condition. It’s perfectly legal in the state of Alabama. But here are some things to think about.
While you might not be breaking the law here’s something to think about. If you’re up on plane rounding a bend at 30-40mph, and a steering cable or some of the steering linkage/system breaks, what’s gonna happen? The boat’s gonna go one way, and everyone in it is gonna fly out going the other way. This does and has happened before and unfortunately you’ll probably never see it coming.
You may be thinking, “Well I’m an excellent swimmer and I’ve been swimming in this river my whole life.” But you can’t swim if you’re unconscious, or have a broken leg or arm, or broken collar bone. While not all types of PFD’s will turn an unconscious person over, they will keep you afloat at the surface and give you a better chance of being found and rescued after an accident. You may also think, “If the boat starts to sink, I’ll grab my life jacket.” Well you can’t get to it if it’s stuffed under your seat and it’s a sudden accident. Not to mention if you’ve been drinking, alcohol and water don’t mix it makes everything 10x’s worse.
Of all the drowning recoveries we’ve ever been a part of, none of them were wearing a life jacket. The accidents and drownings, 9 times out of 10, are caused by some unforeseen circumstances that come out of nowhere. By the time you realize what’s happening, it’s too late. That’s IF you even realize it. While not all fatalities on the water are caused by drowning most of them are, and most of them are preventable. It is a simple act and takes just a small amount of effort to put on a life jacket, and doing so may be the difference between life and death.
I know a lot of life jackets are hot and uncomfortable, I hate the puffy ones with the big plastic clips in the front. They are so hot. But they make the auto-inflate type with a couple nylon straps with one clip. They are super comfortable, certain brands are light, easy to service, and very affordable (around $70). Bass pro makes one that’s affordable and perfect for most adults. It makes no sense to buy an $80,000 Blazer or Allison that runs 80MPH, but won’t spend $100 on a comfortable PFD that you’ll wear.
It’s not worth your life. The water is very unforgiving and if you lose that respect for it, that’s when it gets you. Don’t think it can’t happen to you because it can and will if you’re not careful. You’ve heard about car accidents where sometimes a seatbelt may do more damage than help, but a life jacket won’t hurt you.
So, always wear a life jacket while out enjoying the beautiful waterways we’ve been blessed with, and don’t drink alcohol and operate a vessel or drink to excess as a passenger.
