What type of life vest do I need for a boat?

Important Life Jacket Requirements to Remember You need four adult-sized PFDs and two-child sized PFDs. If your boat is longer than 16 ft, you also need at least one Type 4, throwable PFD, on board. And if your PFD is in poor condition, for example if it has any rips or tears, it is not considered approved.

What is a Coast Guard approved life jacket?

Type V PFDs are considered special-use devices and intended for specific activities. To be acceptable by the USCG, they must be worn at all times and used for the activity specified on the label. Varieties include kayaking, waterskiing, windsurfing, deck suits and hybrid inflatable vests.

How many life vests do I need on my boat?

All recreational vessels must carry one wearable life jacket for each person on board . Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable (Type IV) device .

What is the difference between a life jacket and a personal flotation device?

The basic difference: A PFD is a garment designed to keep a conscious person afloat and to assist with buoyancy in the water. However nowadays a life jacket refers to any vest that aids in the flotation of a person who is still conscious.

Do infants need life jackets on boat?

According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety, an infant should not travel on a boat until they weigh at least 18 pounds and can wear a personal flotation device (PFD). Infant life jackets are intended to fit snug and do a great job of raising the infant’s head out of the water.

What is considered a safe speed on a boat?

A safe speed is a speed less than the maximum at which the operator can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and stop within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

Do life jackets flip you on your back?

Standard Type lifejackets are approved for all vessels, except SOLAS vessels. They: turn you on your back to keep your face out of the water, even if you are unconscious.