According to maritime laws around the world, life jackets are an essential item for a day on the water. Despite their importance, myths about when they’re required and how they fit, lead to misunderstandings about their use resulting in injury and even fatality.
This article aims to bust common PFD myths, and provide the information you need to stay safe on the water using your PFD life jacket.
MYTH 1: LIFE JACKETS ARE FOR INEXPERIENCED BOATERS AND CHILDREN
Myth: Adults and experienced boaters don’t have to wear lifejackets because they have more hours on the water, making them better swimmers with increased situational awareness.
Fact: People of all ages and boating abilities should wear lifejackets when engaging in water activities. Adults and experts are equally susceptible to drowning as children are in the event of an accident. A life jacket is not an indication of your ability but instead reflects good water awareness and effective risk mitigation. A PFD can and should be used for kayaking, dinghy sailing, foiling and windsurfing, with most competition rules making them a standard requirement.
MYTH 2: FAIR CONDITIONS DON’T NECESSITATE A LIFE JACKET
Myth: When the water is flat and the weather is nice, you don’t have to wear a lifejacket because it’s safe.
Fact: Accidents can happen in any weather. Calm and clear conditions don’t eliminate the risk of falling overboard, boating emergencies or experiencing unexpected hazards like entanglement.
MYTH 3: BEING A STRONG SWIMMER MEANS YOU DON’T NEED A LIFE JACKET
Myth: Strong swimmers don’t need to wear lifejackets because they can handle themselves in the water and get out of trouble if needed.
Fact: Everyone, including strong swimmers and athletes, can encounter unexpected situations such as collisions, flash-rips or currents, fatigue and injury. Accidents or shock may inhibit a person’s ability to swim and float. Wearing a PFD life jacket will significantly improve the chances of successful rescue in an emergency, and make the wearer more visible.
MYTH 4: LIFE JACKETS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND INCONVENIENT
Myth: All lifejackets are uncomfortable, bulky and restrictive. You’ll be more comfortable without one.
Fact: Modern life jackets are designed to prioritise comfort and mobility. They come in various styles and sizes, offering a range of options that are lightweight, form-fitting, and flexible. The best life jacket is the one you barely notice you’re wearing!
PFDs are also a great place to store key items you may need within close reach. A compartment for a whistle or radio on your PFD allows hands-free storage of safety items on your body – which are great to have if you become separated from your boat. Vaikobi paddle life jackets also offer large pockets for water bladders up to 1.5L and hose tabs for convenient hydration.
MYTH 5: HAVING A LIFE JACKET ON YOUR VESSEL IS GOOD ENOUGH
Myth: Keeping a life jacket on board your vessel is safe enough because you can reach it if something goes wrong. It’s unnecessary to actually wear the PFD when you could have it nearby.
Fact: Wearing a life jacket significantly reduces the risk of drowning and increases the chance of survival in an emergency. When engaging in high-impact sports like paddling and sailing, the threat of capsize is real and imminent. In an emergency or a rapid overturning of a vessel, you may not have enough time to locate and fit a lifejacket before being thrown into the water. In the event of injury, you may not be physically able to reach or put on the PFD, even if location is successful. Life jackets can also become easily separated from the wearer or vessel if stowed incorrectly.
MYTH 6: WEARING AN UNSECURED LIFEJACKET IS FINE
Myth: Just wearing a life jacket is enough to keep you safe - even if it’s unzipped and the waist straps are loose.
Fact: For your PFD life jacket to work, it must be properly secured. Knowing how to fit your PFD will ensure you have the best-fitting life jacket for your chosen watersport. Always do up the bottom strap securely to prevent riding up past the ears or face. Hitting the water at speed can cause you to slip out of an ill-fitted PFD, rendering the life jacket redundant. Watch our video for more tips on how to fit your life jacket.
MYTH 7: LIFE JACKETS LAST FOREVER
Myth: Life jackets are durable enough that they will last a long time, if not forever.
Fact: Even the most durable life jackets deteriorate over time due to sun exposure, water exposure, moisture, wear and tear, and other environmental factors. It's important to regularly inspect them for damage and replace them when necessary. Conduct a buoyancy test before use and seasonally thereafter. Inflatable life jackets should be serviced yearly and foam lifejackets should generally be replaced every 2-3 years. Check out our article on whether life jackets have expiry dates.
MYTH 8: ALL PFDS ARE EQUAL
Myth: It doesn’t matter what kind of PFD life jacket you have or what you use it for, as long as you have one.
Fact: Not all PFDs are equal! The efficiency of a life jacket is dependent on your size, weight range and whether it is being used for its intended purpose. A lifejacket that does not fit your buoyancy requirements will not keep you afloat.
The type of PFD best suited to your watersport is also an important consideration. Inflatable PFDs aren’t recommended for children under 16 and should not be used for high-impact sports like dinghy sailing, foiling and surf skiing. So, what type of PFD is used for water sports like these? A 50N (ISO 12402-5 certified) foam life jacket is the perfect flotation aid for performance watersports. Globally, boating retailers have an expansive collection of level 50 lifejackets. For specialised paddling lifejackets with great thermoregulation check out the lightweight VXP and V3 Ocean PFDs. For comfortable harness integration (sailing, windsurfing, kiting and foiling) pick designs like the VXI Neo PFD with a harness webbing strap, or the VX Race PFD.
Inflatable lifejackets are best saved for yacht sailing or in situations where contact with the water is unexpected.
Got more questions about life jackets? Check out some of our other PFD blogs here.
