Life Jackets

Did you know?

Nationally, 80% of people who drowned in boating accidents would have survived had they been wearing a life jacket. Wear it Utah!

Remember: Utah law says there must be at least one properly sized and serviceable U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person aboard a vessel. Life jackets must be readily accessible - not in an out-of-reach location or in original packaging.

An approved life jacket will provide life-saving buoyancy.

All life jackets must be fitted and used in accordance with the chest size, weight, activity, and use restrictions listed in the U.S. Coast Guard approval label.

How can you tell if a Life Jacket is U.S. Coast Guard-approved?

READ THE LABEL! There are two types of labels, traditional and harmonized. All approved life jackets will have a U.S. Coast Guard approval number on the label (see photos).

Traditional Life Jacket Label

Harmonized Life Jacket Label

* Non U.S. Coast Guard approved vests may ONLY be worn in sanctioned U.S. towing competitions and ONLY when approved. Remember, just because it helps you float does not mean it is an approved PFD. Many types of wakeboarding and watersport vests do not have adequate floatation. Always check your label.

According to US Coast Guard standards, life jackets should be serviceable and inspected often. Before using your life jacket or personal floatation device (PFD), inspect and make sure that:

The PFD is free of rips, tears, and holes in the fabric.
Seams, straps, and buckles should be in good condition.
The PFD is free of mildew odor and waterlogging.
Buoyant material isn’t showing any sign of shrinkage.
The U.S. Coast Guard-approved label is legible.

If a PFD does not meet serviceable requirements, it should not be used and should be cut up and thrown away.

A clean life jacket is more likely to function properly in an emergency, providing the necessary buoyancy to keep the wearer afloat. Removing dirt, debris, and salt buildup helps prevent wear and tear, prolongs the life of the life jacket, and ensures the buoyancy material remains in good condition.

How to clean and maintain inherently buoyant life jackets:

The amount of buoyancy (and life-saving value) your life jacket provides will decrease over time.

Before cleaning, inspect the life jacket for damages and ensure all straps, buckles, and zippers are in good working condition.
Rinse the entire surface of the life jacket with fresh water, paying special attention to seams, pockets, and other hard to reach areas.
- Hand wash with mild detergent if there is mold or mildew. Scrub gently over stubborn stains. Make sure to rinse thoroughly after removing any soap/detergent residue.
Air-dry the life jacket away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Make sure all connections, straps, buckles, and zippers are aligned and in good working condition, and reassemble the inflation mechanism for inflatable life jackets.
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Avoid folding or creasing the life jacket.

How to maintain inflatable life jackets:

Inflatable life jackets require more frequent maintenance than inherently buoyant life jackets.

Check life jacket for rips, tears, holes, broken buckles, etc.
Orally inflate life jacket to capacity.
Visually Inspect CO2 Trigger and Cartridge
- Make sure it has not been discharged, inspect the inflator for corrosion and serviceability.
- If you have an automatic unit, inspect/replace dissolving pill' if equipped with one.
Leave Jacket Inflated for 16-24 Hours
- Inflate to ensure that it holds air. You can also immerse the jacket to check for leaks in the jacket or manual inflation tube.
If Jacket Holds Air, Repack and Use Jacket

Frequent inspection of your jacket can save your life! For specific information, refer to your life jacket owner's manual.

Who Needs to Wear a Life Jacket?

Children 12 years and under are required to wear life jackets at all times when aboard a vessel. All other participants must have a life jacket readily available aboard the vessel.
Participants engaged in towing activities, anyone on a PWC, river sections that are not designated as flatwater are required to wear a life jacket.
Any boat 16’ and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must carry a throwable PFD called a Type IV
Twiggy the Squirrel

Throwable devices must be immediately available for use such as in the cockpit or near the helm

Even squirrels need a life jacket!

How to Fit a Life Jacket

A properly fitted life jacket should be comfortable, visible/identifiable, and comply with regulations. Always choose a life jacket in accordance with your sizing group (infant, child, youth, and adult). A properly sized life jacket ensures adequate buoyancy. An ill-fitting life jacket may slip off or fail to keep the wearer’s head above the water. Always try on a life jacket before purchase.

When sizing for adults, the chest measurement is most important
For infants, children, and youth, body weight takes precedence

To test a life jackets fit:

Have someone pull up on the shoulders. If it rides up past your nose/head/ears, tighten the straps, if it still moves, the life jacket may be too large
It’s important to prioritize comfort alongside proper fit to ensure the life jacket is actually worn

We get a lot of questions about fitting life jackets on children. Check out the video below for a great demonstration!

Standup paddleboards (SUP), kayaks, and canoes are becoming more popular on Utah’s waters. Familiarize yourself with the rules of the water before heading out!

Each vessel must have at least one U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable or inflatable life jacket for each person on board.
SUP leashes are not required, but highly recommended by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation.
Kids 12 years of age and younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times.
Although not required, we recommend paddle sport personnel also carry a spare paddle, bail bucket, and whistle.

Remember: your craft does not need to be registered in Utah unless a motor or sail is attached.

Imagine this: You’re out paddleboarding on a reservoir when the wind picks up. You fall off your board and the board is instantly swept far out of reach, leaving you to swim through cold water to retrieve it. How do you prevent something like this from happening?

A leash connects you to your board with a strap. It keeps the paddleboarder from being separated from their board, which is their primary flotation device. A leash is a KEY piece of safety equipment in most, but not all environments.

* Note - While wearing a leash is not required by Utah law, we strongly encourage you to wear the correct leash for your specific water activity. It is important to understand that a leash is not a substitute for a life jacket and does not prevent drowning, so we encourage everyone to wear a lifejacket while out on the Utah waterways.

Know what type of leash to use on different Utah water bodies:

Flat water, lakes and reservoirs - a coiled or hybrid leash can save you from being separated from your board.
Moving water, rivers or whitewater - you run the risk of your leash getting snagged on rocks, branches, or the shore.
- If you make an informed and educated decision to wear a leash in these environments, make sure to wear a waist-mounted leash that has a quick-release mechanism that is reachable with both hands.

Types of leashes:

The coils keep the leash short and out of the water, reducing drag and chances of snags. When a paddler falls, the leash stretches out and then rebounds the board back to you.

Leashes can be attached to your ankle, calf, or waist, with either velcro or a quick release. If you choose to wear a leash in moving/whitewater conditions, make sure to wear one that has a waist-mounted quick release.

Cuff Placement:

Leashes that attach to your ankle/calf are suitable for use in bodies of water with no risk of snagging or entrapment on obstacles. This usually applies to lakes and reservoirs. Ankle cuffs are generally more common, though leashes worn on the calf can help keep the leash out of the way when racing.

Quick release leashes worn on the waist, or attached to your life jacket should be used in moving/flowing water such as rivers. If the board gets stuck, or you get pinned between your board and an obstacle, a quick-release belt that is easily accessible with both hands can get you out of a dangerous situation.

Make sure you are familiar and comfortable with a quick release belt before going out.

Check out this video below to learn more about leashes and lifejackets:

What is missing?

Can you guess what is missing from the tubers on the right? If you guessed life jackets, you’re right!

On rivers, every person on any vessel, including inner tubes, must wear a properly sized and approved life jacket.

Users of non-standard manually propelled vessels, such as air mattresses and inner tubes, are required to comply with life jacket laws when being used on any river or when more than 50 feet away from shore (except in a marked swimming area).

For persons 13 years or older, life jackets may be loosened or removed only while on designated flat-water river sections. Contact the Utah State Parks Boating Program for a listing of designated flatwater river sections in Utah.

Here are some tips for tubers

Make sure to wear a life jacket and have a whistle handy.
Buy a nice tube made of thicker rubber with an abrasion cover.
Don’t litter! No glass or styrofoam on the water!
Wear shoes to protect your feet from sharp objects.

The Different Types of Life Jackets

There are four basic life jacket design types: Inherent, Inflatable, Hybrid, and Special Purpose.

There are two main classes of PFDs.

Those which provide face up in-water support to the user regardless of physical conditions (lifejackets).
Those which require the user to make swimming and other postural movements to position the user with the face out of the water (buoyancy aid).

Wearable PFDs are categorized by performance Type and/or performance Level.

Type I, II, III, V
Level 50, 70, 100, 150

The number in performance Level Devices (Level 70) indicates the minimum buoyancy of the device. Buoyancy of Level Devices is measured in Newton (N). 70 Newtons equals 15.74 pounds of buoyancy.

Traditional US Coast Guard labels use a type system: Type I, II, III, IV, and V.

Type I:

Life jackets designed for where rescues may take some time. Effective for all waters, especially open, rough, or remote waters.
Provides the most buoyancy of any type of PFD. Designed to turn unconscious wearers face up in the water.

Type II:

Intended for calm, inland waters or where there is a good chance of quick rescue.
Designed to turn some unconscious wearers to a face-up position in the water, but not as reliable as Type I life jackets.

Type III:

The most common type of life jacket. Intended for conscious users in calm, inland waters for recreational activities where help is close. These are designed to be more comfortable for extended wear and allow for more mobility.
Designed so conscious wearers can place themselves in a face-up position in the water. The wearer may have to tilt their head back to avoid turning face-down in the water

Type IV – Throwable Devices:

Not designed to be worn.
Designed to be thrown to a person in the water and grasped and held by the user until rescued.
Must be immediately accessible. (See R651-215-5)

Type V – Special Use Devices

Intended for specific activities and may be carried instead of another PFD if used according to the approval conditions on its label.

The different types of life jackets | Boatus Foundation

Harmonized standard life jackets allow for the approval of a single device across the US and Canada. These incorporate levels and icons to explain the approval classes: 50, 70, 100, 150, 275.

50:
- Not Coast Guard Approved. No turning ability. Recommended for users with strong swimming skills and suitable for use close to shore with immediate rescue available.
70:
- No turning ability. Intended to be used close to shore in calm or sheltered waters with help nearby.
- Type III life jackets are considered a level 70 device
100:
- Intended to be used in calm or sheltered water where rescue isn’t immediate with some turning ability.
150:
- Intended to be used in offshore waters with waves with turning ability
275:
- Used in offshore emergency situations usually used with the weight of extra tools, equipment, or clothing.

Label Icons:

Harmonized Life Jacket Levels | US Coast Guard

Note the waves, background, and presence/absence of a hand in the icon.

The waves indicate the water conditions (calm, some waves, rough)
The backgrounds indicate the distance from shore (near a dock, near land, or open water)
The outstretched hand indicates if help is nearby - with the hand indicating that the chance of immediate rescue is high

Additional Icons:

Use restriction icons on harmonized life jacket labels

Use Restrictions | US Coast Guard

From left to right: Warning to read important label information, not approved for use on a PWC, Not approved for use with towed water sports, Not approved for use while tubing, Not approved for use in white water conditions.

Turning ability symbol on harmonized life jacket labels

Turning ability | US Coast Guard

These icons provide information regarding if the life jacket has any turning ability for an unconscious wearer.

Inflatable lifejackets may be more comfortable to wear. But inflatable lifejackets require the user to pay careful attention to the condition of the device. Note: The wearer must be 16 years or older to wear an inflatable life jacket.

Some models automatically inflate when submerged in the water, though all models can be manually or inflated by mouth. If you plan to wear an inflatable life jacket, read the approval label for age, use restrictions and proper care. ·

There are two types of inflatable life jackets:

Manual– Chamber inflates only when the “jerk to inflate” tab is pulled OR by blowing into the tube.
Automatic– Chamber inflates automatically when submerged in water OR when “jerk to inflate” tab is pulled OR by breathing into the oral tube.

Inflatable lifejackets must have a full cylinder and all status indicators on the inflator must be green, or the device is NOT serviceable, and does NOT satisfy the requirement to carry lifejackets.

Inflatable life jackets have these components:

An air-holding chamber.
Inflation tube to add air to chamber orally, and deflate a chamber.
A source of compressed gas, usually CO2.

Whether you choose an inflatable life jacket or an inherently buoyant life jacket, choose to wear it! Your life depends on it!

Inflatable lifejackets may be more comfortable to wear. But inflatable lifejackets require the user to pay careful attention to the condition of the device. Note: The wearer must be 16 years or older to wear an inflatable life jacket.

Some models automatically inflate when submerged in the water, though all models can be manually or inflated by mouth. If you plan to wear an inflatable life jacket, read the approval label for age, use restrictions and proper care. ·

There are two types of inflatable life jackets:

Manual– Chamber inflates only when the “jerk to inflate” tab is pulled OR by blowing into the tube.
Automatic– Chamber inflates automatically when submerged in water OR when “jerk to inflate” tab is pulled OR by breathing into the oral tube.

Inflatable lifejackets must have a full cylinder and all status indicators on the inflator must be green, or the device is NOT serviceable, and does NOT satisfy the requirement to carry lifejackets.

Inflatable life jackets have these components:

An air-holding chamber.
Inflation tube to add air to chamber orally, and deflate a chamber.
A source of compressed gas, usually CO2.

Whether you choose an inflatable life jacket or an inherently buoyant life jacket, choose to wear it! Your life depends on it!

CONTACT US

General Questions
(801) 538-5500
[email protected]

Address
1594 W North Temple
Suite 100
Salt Lake City, UT 84116

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