Life Vests (so that's why you wear them!)

[linedoctor]

We've been boating through the Ballard locks for over 20 years. My wife has always religiously worn her life vest while handling lines; I've been pretty lax, if that's what you call never vesting up. Yesterday on the way back from a very nice weekend on the sound, we entered the large locks and were tying up to a 34 footer that was already on the wall. My wife handed the bowline to our new neighbor and had just walked past the plothouse door to secure the stern when I heard a bang and a splash.

The end of the story is that the auto inflate vest worked perfectly, and although she landed between two pretty good sized boats in a packed locks, with me in gear, she' was a little bruised and wet but otherwise fine.

It took 20 years to need the vest but it sure paid off! While we finished locking through I noticed almost no one else around us had their vests on. I'll be wearing mine from now on. Will you?

 

[Irish Mist]

Thanks for sharing

 

[Brian B]

Good to hear that your wife was OK. We have made it a rule on the boat that when anyone has to go onto the bow we wear a vest. We also wear them when we use the dinghy.
I also do what if situations, what if there was a fire, what if it was taking on water, what if there was a MOB, medical emergency etc. Hopefully an emergency situation will be handled with less panic.

 

[walldog]

We've been boating through the Ballard locks for over 20 years. My wife has always religiously worn her life vest while handling lines; I've been pretty lax, if that's what you call never vesting up. Yesterday on the way back from a very nice weekend on the sound, we entered the large locks and were tying up to a 34 footer that was already on the wall. My wife handed the bowline to our new neighbor and had just walked past the plothouse door to secure the stern when I heard a bang and a splash.

The end of the story is that the auto inflate vest worked perfectly, and although she landed between two pretty good sized boats in a packed locks, with me in gear, she' was a little bruised and wet but otherwise fine.

It took 20 years to need the vest but it sure paid off! While we finished locking through I noticed almost no one else around us had their vests on. I'll be wearing mine from now on. Will you?

Dave, Willie and I are so glad that JoAnn is OK. As your wife, my wife always wears her live vest when you exits the cabin to handle lines. She insists that I wear mine. I know it is a good practice, but sometimes I slip by her without, no more.

To answer your question, YES. Thanks for sharing. Ya'll take care of each other.

Herb,

 

[Stella Maris]

Dave,
So glad to hear JoAnna is okay. Not only is it scary that she went overboard but, to do it in the crowded locks with vessels stilll moving is really scary.

Since we have started boating in the PNW, I make it a habit to wear my PFD anytime I am handling lines as well as steering from the flybridge.

Maureen and I have been boating for well over 35 years now. I have actually gone overboard twice, both times while not wearing a PFD. I got lucky.

In the cold waters of the PNW, the number one cause of drowning is the gasp reflex. That is when you hit the cold water and shock your body. Your immediate reaction is to take a big gasp. Well, if you are underwater, it is not going to be pretty. At least with your PFD, you are going to come right to the surface. While you may be gasping, you are at least floating. You have a much great chance of survival.

After speaking with Lyman about his adventure of bringing their new "Zuma" up the coast from San Diego, he filled me in on many of the requirements that the professional captain that he hired to assist required. One required item was a strobe on each PFD. That way if you go overboard in the dark or on a stormy day, you are easier to spot. Our PFD's are now equiped with water activated strobes.

Again, so glad it worked out the way it did.

David and Maureen

 

[NorthernFocus]

Probably the biggest single deterent (asside from testosterone poinsoning) to people wearing their vests routinely is their being bulky/uncomfortable. It helps a lot to get good quality, comfortalbe vests at least for the primary crew members. Even if that means wearing a ski vest rather than an offshore style that has more buoyancy. Better a smaller vest worn when needed than a bigger one hanging in a locker and a crew member in the drink. The inflatable harness styles are probably least intrusive. We use a double kayak as our dingy so simply use the kayak vests all the time. The point is do whatever works but just do it!

A strobe and a plastic whistle attached to the vest are typical offshore gear. In bear country or if you get separated hiking/picking berries, the whistle is nice to have along. Which makes it self evident that most times we keep our vests on after we go ashore in the dingy. As a general rule where we boat it is preferential to stay ON the water rather than to get IN the water.

 

[Bruce Moore]

We've become very comfortable with this routine. The last two things we do before we cast off are put on our PFDs and our duplex headsets (we take the headsets off when we're clear). The first two things we do after we're secure are take off our headsets (we've put them back on to moor) and our PFDs. There are some conditions under which we don't use our headsets. We never get underway without our PFDs.

Underway, we don't even notice our PFDs. They may come off for a moment to change a layer of clothing. That's it.

Cheers

 

[Stevan47]

I see your point and I concur entirely. I insist that anyone on my vessel wears an inflatable life vest. Maybe it is the habit born of 40 -odd years serving in the Navy (RAN) and being a cranky old Chief! Notwithstanding, it is too late to don the life jacket when the '**** hits the fan'. From prior experience, nothing is ever within reach when the DC201(or worse) commences! Whenever we launch, everyone on board wears a life jacket on 'Rhapsody', or they disembark beforehand. I haven't had a complaint yet, although some people reckon they feel 'weird' as no one else seems to be wearing them on other boats. Interestingly, in Australia, it is not compulsory to wear life jackets - you just need to have them onboard. Unlike the US and Canadian Coastguard, who (I believe) ruthlessly carry out 'boarding checks' of domestic vessels, we in Australia have yet to catch up with the rest of the world in this regard. It's tghe laidback attitude we have, I am told!Hopefully, it will become mandatory soon (just like seatbelts in motor vehicles). Regards to all, Stevan