BEND, OR — The Oregon State Marine Board is pushing a campaign recommending that all boaters and passengers not only have a life jacket on board, but wear it at all times. U.S. Coast Guard statistics show that drowning was the number one reported cause of death in recreational boating fatalities last year. Eighty-four percent of those who drowned were not wearing life jackets; prompting boating safety advocates to continue to push for consistent life jacket wear on the water for all activities – for adults, children and even pets.
How to choose the right life jacket:
- To get started, check the manufacturer’s ratings for your size and weight.
- Make sure the life jacket is zipped or buckled.
- Do the “Touch-Down Test,” by raising your arms straight up over your head with the life jacket on. Grab the jacket from the shoulders and life up. The shoulder straps should not come up past your ear lobes. Try tightening the buckles once again, and repeat. If the jacket still rises above the ears. Go down a size.
- If the buckles overlap once they’re connected, then the jacket is too big. Go down a size.
- Many life jacket styles are short-wasted, so don’t go by length to determine the proper fit. The most important factor is how the jacket rises because this is how it will float you in the water.
- If the life Jacket rides up over your chin or face, it does not fit properly. A snug fit, not a restrictive one, signals a properly fitting life jacket.
For more information about life jackets, boating and water safety , visit the Oregon Marine Board’s Website.
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