Lifejackets
NSW Maritime advises it is a must to
have a lifejacket available for all people
on board and it must be in good condition,
ready at hand and of the correct size.
Lifejackets are available in a wide range
of sizes to suit adults down to young
children. For infants where a
correctly-sized lifejacket is not
available, NSW Maritime recommends parents
to keep the child close at all times while
afloat and to have their own lifejacket
ready for instant use or to put it on at
times of heightened risk. Heightened risk
includes occasions when conditions get
rough or a storm or squall approaches.
While it is only compulsory to wear a
lifejacket in NSW while crossing coastal
bars, riding a jetski or in a paddle craft
or windsurfer more than 400m from shore,
Maritime recommends children and poor
swimmers wear on at all times when in the
open areas of a boat which is underway.
Children must also be kept within the
bounds of the vessel and should never sit
with their legs or arms dangling over the
sides of a powerboat that is underway.
The activity known as 'teak surfing'
where people, usually children, hang onto
the duckboard or transom of a powerboat
that is underway is dangerous and must not
be encouraged. Not only is a child close to
the propeller in such a situation, they are
also likely to be exposed to carbon
monoxide poisoning via exhaust
fumes.
Know when to wear your
lifejacket
Boating should be enjoyable, relaxing
and fun but when safety and common sense
take a back seat, things can go wrong with
rapid speed.
The combination of a craft inappropriate
for the conditions, changing weather and
the absence of a lifejacket can be a fatal
mix.
In this State, approximately 15 to 20
people lose their lives each year in
recreational boating accidents and most are
from drownings.
The majority of incidents involved
either capsized boats or people falling
overboard.
A lifejacket could make a difference to
a person surviving such accidents, which
typically occur in craft of less than 5.5m
in length.
An awareness campaign featuring the
slogan Boat Smart from the Start - know
when to wear your lifejacket has been
developed for the boating season.
Each year, NSW Maritime boating officers
conduct approximately 36,000 spot vessels
checks on the water and compliance with
lifejacket requirements is often of
concern.
Safety inspections revealed lifejackets
on some craft were either missing, in poor
condition or inaccessible should they be
needed in a hurry.
The lifejacket issue boils down to two
facts: it is compulsory to carry an
appropriate jacket for each person and
people need to know when to use them.
When do I need to wear a
lifejacket?
It is not a lifejacket if you are not
wearing it.
Do not wait for an emergency to wear
your lifejacket. It is like wearing a
seatbelt - not much use putting it on after
an accident. It is important to remember
that conditions on the water can change
rapidly and in an unpredictable
fashion.
In general, you should wear your
lifejacket when:
If you have children on board, or people
who are poor swimmers encourage them to
wear their lifejacket at all times. Ensure
each person has a jacket of appropriate
size and type - check with your local
authority if unsure.
What type of lifejacket is
suitable?
NSW Maritime boating officers conduct
regular safety checks and one of the key
pieces of
safety equipment they look for are
lifejackets. So make sure you have the
correct lifejacket for the activity and
conditions you intend to boat in.
There are three types of lifejackets
approved for recreational boating.
Type 1 Lifejacket
There are two types: fixed buoyancy and
those, which are self- or manually
inflatable. This type of jacket is
generally easily identifiable due to the
buoyant collar, which offers protection
from drowning by maintaining a person in a
safe floating position in the
water. Type 1 lifejackets are:
- Compulsory for all persons on board
vessels on the open seas;
- Recommended for remote inland water
where search and rescue times may be
long and conditions rough; and
- Recommended that passengers of
small vessels wear a lifejacket
whenever conditions are rough
Type 2 Lifejacket
This lifejacket is known as a buoyancy
vest.
It is suitable for aquatic sports where
boating activities are usually observable
by others and rescue times are likely to be
short. They are not designed to maintain a
person in a safe floating position.
Suitable for activities such as:
Type 3 Lifejacket
This lifejacket is also known as a
buoyancy vest.
It has similar buoyancy characteristics
as the type 2 lifejacket but comes in a
wider range of colours. Water Skiers and
PWC riders favour these jackets.
They are not recommended for general
boating use because the colours are less
visible in search and rescue
operations.
How many lifejackets do I need on
board?
You need one lifejacket for every person
on board. Make sure that they are stamped
with the Australian Standards logo and are
in good condition and accessible.
Why do I need a lifejacket?
Lifejackets save lives, it is that
simple. Should your vessel capsize or you
or a passenger fall overboard a lifejacket
will keep them afloat until rescued.
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