The summer season is fast approaching, with the promise of all the activities some folks with leisure time like to do. One being boating and other water sports.
Unfortunately, such activities too often result in tragedy. The Ohio Division of Watercraft says that last year, at least 19 (Remember that number.) people died in 17 boating accidents in the state. (The stats for the entire year haven't been posted yet.)
Not unexpectedly, 14 of the deaths were drownings and a few were laid to hypothermia or injuries. Half a dozen of the accidents occurred when the watercraft capsized ... five involved someone falling overboard. A category called "Hazardous Waters" was the contributing factor in ten of the deaths and it may surprise you to know that alcohol was listed as a contributing factor in only one of the deaths.
In ten of the fatal accidents, the watercraft involved was a powerboat and in five, it was a canoe or kayak.
Interestingly, there were no Personal Watercraft involved in any fatal accidents. Kind of flies in the face of the image of some drunk tearing around on a Jet Ski, but that probably does happen.
The tragic part of the statistics shows up under the PFD category. PFD stands for Personal Flotation Device and includes life jackets and flotation cushions.
The ODNR says that 15 people died because they were not wearing a PFD or were not wearing it correctly. Three other people drowned because they were on boats that didn't have any PFD's on board.
A chilling number is the one who died because there were not enough PFD's for each of the souls on board.
How many is that?
So, it's a good idea to wear a PFD. You knew that, didn't you?
The ODNR notes that Ohio law requires that a life jacket be worn by anyone who is on a personal watercraft, water skiing or being towed. It also requires that children less than ten years old on boats less than 18 feet long be wearing a life jacket.
The agency also recommends that life jackets be worn by people who are not strong swimmers or are out on the boat alone. They urge the same when the water is dangerously cold (October through May), when the water is rough or stormy, when you are boating at night, when you are in a swift current and in any emergency situation.
On our boat, which is 23 feet long, all children and anyone going to the bow to work on a sail must wear a fastened life jacket. I usually wear one even back in the cockpit, since it saves the time wasted remembering to come back and put it on if I have to go forward.
All PFD's have to be in serviceable condition and they have to be available. Stuffed in a bag belowdecks doesn't count.
The PFD Manufacturer's Association recently held a conference in Miami to talk about ways to increase the use of life jackets on the water. Of course, it would be to their advantage to have an across-the-board requirement, but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt about their motivation. Laws already require the devices be available, so they'll sell 'em. They want to get people to wear them.
An article in the latest issue of Practical Sailor magazine discusses the matter. It notes that there is no Federal requirement in the U.S that you or your passengers wear life jackets. It does say that you have to have them on board, they have to work and you have to be able to get to them. In Canada last year, a federal "wearing" law was proposed but has not been enacted.
Here in the U.S., the issue of PFD use is handled individually by each state. Most are like Ohio's.
But the cutoff age can range from five years to 12 years of age. Ironically, a ten year old doesn't need to wear a life jacket in Rhode Island but has to in Massachusetts, Connecticut or New York.
In New Hampshire, a six-year-old can go sailing alone without a life jacket. It's a lot like requirements for seatbelts in cars and trucks or helmets for motorcyclists.
Besides, it's easier to wear the thing than to be tripping over it all day.