When not to wear a lifejacket?

We never wore life jackets when on rivers, but do so always when at sea. For us, it is not the size if the boat, but the potential risk we are taking. And I'm sure there will be many who say we should have worn them on rivers, some do.
 
We never wear life jackets, never have done, even on 3m inflatables as children. Obviously the boat has lifejackets on board, but they never get worn. We do all our boating in the med, dont know if I would have the same attitude if I boated in the UK where the water is significantly colder. But almost nobody down here wears jackets day to day, the few that do are invariably British flagged. It seems to be the one big difference between boating in the med and boating in the UK.

As a child (about 12 years old I think) I did fall overboard once, but I was fine, It was calm, water was warm, I could swim well.

The only time I wore a lifejacket as a matter of course, was when I helped a friend sail his 34 foot ketch from falmouth to gibraltar, and that was because I felt there was a significant chance of falling overboard on a sailing boat , we were sailing at night, and with only one other person on watch at any given time, and the water was cold, and invariably conditions were rough. Whereas with my powerboat (26 foot) I think the chances of falling overboard are close to zero, I'm not sailing at night, and I'm in the med where the water temp is never less than 20deg celcius for the times of year I boat at.

Having said all that I would wear a lifejacket if I thought conditions or the scenario required it, if I got caught out in a very very rough sea for example, or if the boat was damaged in a significant way.
 
I agree with julians. The conditions not the boat size matter. We never wear LJs on 60-80 feet boats in the Med, but I have them and we would wear them if the conditions dictated. For shorthanded nightsailing (for example) we would wear them if venturing outside, for example.

The bit I don't get is why so many people wear just LJs. If you're going to get togged up in safety gear because you consider there to be a big enough risk of falling overboard unseen, I totally do not see the point of JUST having a LJ and nothing else. If you decide the fall overboard unseen risk exists then you also need PLB, some form of alert like crewsaver, AIS transmitter, and the plotter track function left switched on. A lifejacket without those things verges on a chocolate teapot imo (that said, if sailing in good visibility with other crew on deck so that you will be seen if you fall overboard, then just a LJ might be perfectly fine)
 
+1 It's not the size of boat, its the personal risk factor.

I don't generally use one on rivers, except if I cruise alone or when doing locks at night. That would apply on a 16' boat or a 35' boat. The risk has not changed due to the size of the boat.
I would not normally wear one on a cross channel ferry, but if I had to get off one at sea, I would be wearing a life jacket!
 
wonky said:
So, I was wondering, what size boat you would need to be on before you stopped wearing a lifejacket?
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In order of increasing size:

Inflatable tender: very nearly always.
Sailing dinghy: always (buoyancy aid rather than lifejacket)
Mate's small RIB: always
Mate's 18' ski-boat: always
24' sailing yacht: at night and in rough weather
34' sailing yacht: usually at night, and in rough weather (but a slightly higher threshold than above)
150' sailing ship: only for abandon-ship drills :)

Pete
 
In the pub!
Seriously:
On our Rib - all the time
On our motorboat certainly when on deck, at night, if rough, and when teaching, not good to loose students and they often tend to be new and therefore not good at balance and doing something at the same time.
I am slightly amazed at the number of manual ones worn, if you fall in, and I have, it's pretty shocking and trying to remember to pull the toggle thingy is not always be easy.
Just my view.
 
Jonmendez said:
In the pub!
Seriously:
On our Rib - all the time
On our motorboat certainly when on deck, at night, if rough, and when teaching, not good to loose students and they often tend to be new and therefore not good at balance and doing something at the same time.
I am slightly amazed at the number of manual ones worn, if you fall in, and I have, it's pretty shocking and trying to remember to pull the toggle thingy is not always be easy.
Just my view.
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ok if you have an auto one & are below deck as she sinks, wot nxt
 
Then you have a problem, if you read my post I said I wear one when on deck when Motorboating I understand your point but consider sinking and being unable to get out rather less likely than just falling in!
 
Jonmendez said:
I am slightly amazed at the number of manual ones worn, if you fall in, and I have, it's pretty shocking and trying to remember to pull the toggle thingy is not always be easy.
Just my view.
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Agree entirely. It always seems to me that if I fall in, apart from the shock of the cold water it's entirely possible that I've fallen in because I've tripped for instance and might have hurt myself before going over the side. Worse case I guess I might have hit my head and be unconscious and therefore unable to pull the cord. I want something that gets me the right way up etc without me doing anything. All IMHO of course.
 
Typically I use and ask the crew to use LJs when on deck during docking. After seing a boat fire and how fast you have to abandon ship I store half of the life jackets on the flybridge
 
We have our life jackets out every time we leave our mooring, whether it is on the river or at sea. General rule is that they are worn whilst on deck working ropes etc and are immediately available in the cockpit whilst underway. Going on deck at sea is a no brainer (they are worn) and on the river it is discretionary on the current boat, which has wide decks and large guard rails.

It is very easy to be blasé about the risks but the number of deaths on the Broads alone over the years we have been boating is enough to illustrate that sensible safety precautions are a good thing.
 
Prhperio said:
Agree entirely. It always seems to me that if I fall in, apart from the shock of the cold water it's entirely possible that I've fallen in because I've tripped for instance and might have hurt myself before going over the side. Worse case I guess I might have hit my head and be unconscious and therefore unable to pull the cord. I want something that gets me the right way up etc without me doing anything. All IMHO of course.
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I totally agree.If you bang your head and you are rendered unconscious whilst doing ropes or fenders you wouldn't stand a chance.Why risk it ?
 
I remember when we 1st started a few years ago, we were on the pontoon having just come back in. Someone on the pontoon said the kids should have Jackets on & we obliged. About two minutes later Sam, while washing down the boat with a hose, took one step too many backwards, hit his head on the boat next door on his way down, sunk completely, & then the Jkt activated & he bobbed up for us to fish him out, slightly dazed. A lesson learnt, & we often wear Jackets where others don't these days, as you never know.
 
I agree with 'conditions dictate'. By default on the boat we don't wear life jackets, when in the dinghy the kids do regardless. Unless in the confines of a marina, when underway anyone going on deck generally puts a life jacket on.
 
conditions and boat dependant surely.

The only time I dont wear one is when I'm on land :), but then my boats open, tiny and fast so easy to go over the side whether it be my doing or someone else.
 
mad_boater said:
I totally agree.If you bang your head and you are rendered unconscious whilst doing ropes or fenders you wouldn't stand a chance.Why risk it ?
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I tend to assume that even an auto jacket isn't going to save someone who goes overboard while unconscious. The first tiny wave is going to go straight down an open and unguarded throat slumped a couple of inches above the water.

Auto jackets are still a good idea to get you buoyant despite shock and confusion, but I think the unconscious thing is a red herring.

Pete
 
When not to wear? When you choose not to. It's a simple as that, if you don't feel the need, then don't bother. No-one will force you, tho some may lecture you if there is a problem & someone comes to save you. But if not in Ireland or France, then you are assumed to be a sensible person able to make your own decisions & live or die as a consequence.

I only wear mine when I feel there is a risk of going over the side. But it isn't always possible to predict accidents.
 
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