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Do you make guests wear PFDs?

7K views 49 replies 41 participants last post by  flyingwelshman 
#1 ·
I never have but it occurs to me that land people may not know the risks the same wsy I do. The captain of an airplane dictates when you buckle up....

most of the time I'm on a sailboat I am known as a sailor and thus am allowed to choose. Only on one friends boat that I've been on are pfds mandatory at all times in a conditions. She handed nice inflatable ones to everyone as they boarded which was a nice touch I thought.

What do you do? Yes, no, or depends on conditions?
 
#2 ·
I give people the option if the weather is pretty good, if there is any chance of snortyness, it is compulsory, and if they leave the cockpit underway, also compulsory. Only exceptions are other sailors that I trust know the risks for themselves and can make a decision accordingly.
 
#5 ·
Not on our current boat, unless they are under 13, then it is law. It's all but impossible to trip and fall out of our cockpit. It's rare that we would take guests out in the kind of nasty conditions that my wife and I put them on.

We would put them on, if we needed to leave the cockpit, but that would only be to address a problem. All lines are in the cockpit.
 
#6 ·
If I decide (or the Admiral) that it is time to put on my life vest, everyone puts on one. If I'm not wearing one I don't expect others to wear one (subject to the age requirement).
 
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#7 ·
As long as they are adults, they can choose. I do however highlight that I choose to wear mine *all the time* while under way. Without being doom and gloom, I do try to summarize the risks in the choice so they can make an informed decision. I emphasize that if they decide to leave the confines of the cockpit I highly recommend wearing a PFD. The wife and I have an agreed upon boundary of 15 knots sustained.

By the way an interesting book to read on the topic is "Accidentally Overboard". Pretty clear that many accidents happen when weather is calm and just having a PFD drastically increases the odds of staying alive.

Josh
 
#9 · (Edited)
Not if they can swim. We always point to the cockpit locker and tell people where the life preservers are before setting out.

If it gets rough we might tell everyone to put on pfd's. Only had to do that once.


If its rough enough that we have to put on pfd's when we set out - we stay at the dock.
 
#10 ·
We NEVER leave the dock unless all aboard are wearing PFD. All guests get instructions on how to operate PFD. We have pulled crew from other boats during races, wind and water were light but the victims were still in shock.

Seems every year somebody goes out alone on Lake Ontario, the boat arrives but crewless.
 
#11 ·
Most people fall overboard when getting on or off a boat.

When I am teaching sailing, everyone must wear a PFD to embark, or disembark. After that, if the weather is agreeable, and if they are over 16, wearing a PFD is their choice. Most people leave them on.

On my boat, the only times that I require the use of a PFD are if the weather is getting snotty (20+Kts or 4+ foot swells), anytime that we reef, or if we are out after dark. I frequently am on deck (raising or lowering the main, setting or retrieving the anchor) without wearing a PFD.
 
#12 ·
One more thing - ALWAYS when in the inflatable dink.
 
#13 ·
If I am wearing one then they have to.

But, by jingo, by crikey, if I am wearing one they sure as hell would already been praying to the powers, swabbing out the liferaft and drinking the medicinal rum!

When crossing a river bar in Australia I always wear one, and I think its illegal to cross abar there without a lifejacket on.


As for children I HATE kids!!!


:)
 
#14 ·
Hello Med,
Just like a car, PFD's on. or we don't leave. There has never been a question about it. Especially with newbies, as they are not sure footed and familiar with the boat, nor have they found really good balance. Of course I have to wear mine.

It gives the Captain one less variable to be concerned about or distracted with.

PS: love Anancortes, went to high school there in the 60"s. Just the best place on the planet.
 
#41 ·
Hello Med,
Just like a car, PFD's on. or we don't leave. There has never been a question about it. Especially with newbies, as they are not sure footed and familiar with the boat, nor have they found really good balance. Of course I have to wear mine.

It gives the Captain one less variable to be concerned about or distracted with.

PS: love Anancortes, went to high school there in the 60"s. Just the best place on the planet.
This is pretty much my philosophy, too. I prefer to err on the side of caution, and I always put mine on while we're still in the slip and wear it until we get back and are fully secured in the slip again.

Call me a worry-wart if you want...:D
 
#15 ·
I have no confidence that my guests would ever be able to expeditiously complete a man over board maneuver, and since there is no guarantee that one will hit the water in a condition to be able to swim, and since I often sail alone with a tiller pilot, I always wear my PFD.
I always instruct my guests with the whole safety brief and tell them to select a PFD and adjust it to their body giving them a choice of an inflatable or standard model. I also tell them they don't have to wear it until I tell them to do so and anytime they leave the cockpit.
I think my wearing one intimidates them into wearing one.
John
 
#17 ·
Yeah, always. The water is cold in the PNW, and there is a good chance that someone would go into shock once they hit the water.

Sadly I have a nice inflatable one and all the other ones are the crappy foam type - I intend to get at least one more nice inflatable.
 
#19 ·
Here on San Francisco Bay the water is cold, the currents swift and the wind sometimes unpredictable. My rule is everyone wears a lifejacket before we leave the dock. If we go outside the Golden Gate, jacklines are rigged and everyone is tethered when above decks. I supply high-quality inflatable PFD's for everyone and tethers for up to three.
 
#20 ·
Yes. Nice days when I have passengers (that won't help do any sailing) and they outnumber my inflatables, I'll allow them to just have the Orange ones out but not on, but anyone that is going to do anything but just ride gets a PFD
 
#21 ·
Just as I wouldn't drive without a seat belt on, I don't get on a boat without mine (Mustang HIT). The only exception that I have made is rowing on small (warm) lakes, in calm conditions, but the children still wear them there.

They really aren't uncomfortable, so why wouldn't you wear one?
 
#22 ·
If they can not swim 50 yards and tread water for 10 mins then they wear one in the dinghy.

Otherwise it is up to them but even guests who arrive with their own inflatable PFDs tend not to wear them after a day or two.

I have PFDs and everyone one board knows where they are.
 
#30 ·
If they can not swim 50 yards and tread water for 10 mins then they wear one in the dinghy.

Otherwise it is up to them but even guests who arrive with their own inflatable PFDs tend not to wear them after a day or two.

I have PFDs and everyone one board knows where they are.
See I think this depends on the size of boat. I note that all the smaller-boat owners insist on PFDs being worn and mostly wear one themselves. Larger-boat owners appear not to.

Our boat is also 44ft and we never wear PFDs. We have them but for me, they're there to use if we have to go into the water (other than for a swim). Our guests get a quick lesson on the where, the how and the option to wear and that's it. I have never in 4 decades had a guest say "Would you mind if I wear one?". I have also in 4 decades never had a person fall off the boat.

When I hear people say "never go without one", my first thought is a three week passage from the US to the Marquesas - the day some law says I have to sit around my boat for three weeks wearing a PFD, the boat goes on the market.
 
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#23 ·
My safety briefing starts with, "Drowning remains the number one cause of boating fatalities..." when I get to "alcohol is often a factor" there is usually someone I can give the 'stink eye' to. ;)

I tell them where they are (USCG requirement, no?) and let them decide.

I almost always wear mine, plus the Admiral and I provide nice auto inflate vests. We make it easy, but not compulsory.

If they want to go forward, I become more insistent.

Ken
 
#24 ·
On passage to caribbean we were three and took turns singling. I wore my hydrostatic mustang. "Racer boy " wore his spin lock ( think he slept with it on). "Captain courageous " refused to put one on even when told my protocol on my boat is they are worn if alone on watch, going forward, at night or in weather. He gave a story of being injured in past due to being restricted in motion by jack line and tether while trying to control a blown genny. I thought it bogus but given he said/did other things I thought bogus but he had tens of thousands of miles deferred his life to his decision.
In general always have enough tethers/ harnesses for all crew. Rule is as above. Fair weather day sailing no harnesses but no drinking anytime the boat is moving and no peeing over the rail.
 
#25 ·
We always wear them on the dock - lots of people fall in on the way back from the bar.
On board always when outside but not allowed to wear them inside, just keep them handy.
 
#27 ·
I also hand my guests and race crew an inflatable if they do not bring one. Puget Sound is rather cold all year, hypothermia can set in with in 5-10 mins. I would rather bring a dead still floating body home, than wonder where the dead body is in some crabs belly, shark or other bottom feeding creature.

Boat is small enough, that an accidental boom hit, you are overboard!

Marty
 
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