Among Friends

[Shogirl]

In Oklahoma, it's a state law that every person in a watercraft must wear an approved Personal Flotation Device (life jacket). 

[Eileen in Virginia]

I think they should. We sometimes take the baseball boat from Alexandria to Nats Stadium in DC. The boats are usually full, with an enclosed lower deck and a roofed, open-sided upper deck. The captain always announces that life vests are stored under the bench seats, but that gets about as much attention as the safety announcement on an airplane. Many of the passengers are or have been drinking, especially on the return trip. If there was a problem, many passengers probably wouldn’t be able to get to the life vests. The Potomac River’s very deceiving, with deadly currents just beneath a calm surface. Duck boats are popular with tourists here, especially in the Spring and Summer. We have friends who keep a boat on the river. They don’t leave the pier until everyone onboard is wearing a life vest. 

[qualitygal]

MI has laws about preservers in boats too, even if fishing.  Must have.

[gmkb]

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@chiclet wrote:
When I went on a few cruises, I thought why don't each room have a couple of jackets in it so you can get to one easily. 

Not being a boater, I cannot comment on other items in your post.  But we have been on many cruises, and without exception,  each room has a life jacket for everyone.  You will recall you put these on to go to the drill day one and return them to your room for the remainder of your cruise.  

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[SXMGirl]

I believe that every commercial boat should be required by law/insurance to have everyone on board to wear a life vest.  Even if the weather looks good, a storm can blow up at any time.  I also recently saw an item that fits around the wrist that will inflate if you are sinking.  Might be a good idea for both boaters and swimmers.

I owned a boat for many years, and safety of everyone is the most important thing.  Wearing a life vest is not always the most comfortable; but, just like a seat belt, it can usually save your life.

[Vivian]

Apparently, the victims of the duck boat tragedy were told that they need not put on life vests. What is wrong with people? Can’t they acknowledge that accidents can happen? It is unconscionable that 17 people died because they trusted the idiots who went out despite weather warnings and who told passengers not to worry about life jackets. Yes, people should have used more common sense but the price they paid is way beyond what they deserved.

[jackthebear]

I was not aware that a Duck boat was a lake going craft, doesn't look that sturdy to me.

[libbyannE]

In many places, they are required. I was surprised that the Tablerock Lake duck boat operators did not require passengers to wear them simply because of liability concerns. When I was growing up, we had a weekend home at Lake of the Ozarks, and we always wore life jackets. Our parents insisted. When I was little, we were on a friend's boat on the Mississippi when another boat crashed into us and my brother went flying off the boat. The life jacket saved him.

[kitty60]

I guess every state is different.  Our state requires you have them for everyone but they do not need to be worn.  I think they should be required to be worn.  In an emergency not all people think rationally.  I had a neigbor who would not let her son on a biccyle without a helmet as she feared a brain injury but never put a life vest on him in their small boat even when he was young!  I thought that was just as important.  Something could happen to an adult and they would be unable to assist a child but if they had it on there would be a chance for the child to survive.

[Kachina624]

@chiclet.  There are drawbacks to wearing life jackets; theyre very hot especially when sitting in a boat in the sun.  They also limit mobility.  If you've been on a cruise, you should have gone to a safety briefing and learned that there are life jackets in every cabin for every passenger.  There are state boating regulations that usually require a life jacket for every passenger in small recreational water craft.