Maintenance. Inflatable life jackets require more frequent maintenance than inherently buoyant life jackets. Check the status of the inflator to be certain cartridge is properly installed. Check for leaks every two months; inflate life jacket orally and leave it overnight to check for leaks.
Q. Do babies need to wear life jackets on boats?
Under California law, every child under 13 years of age on a moving recreational vessel of any length must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket in serviceable condition and of a type and size appropriate for the conditions and the activity.
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Q. Does a throwable count as a life jacket?
Life jackets must be Coast Guard-approved, in serviceable condition and the appropriate size for the intended user. Additionally, a boat 16′ in length or greater, except canoes and kayaks) must have a throwable flotation device.
Q. How many years is a life jacket good for?
If you keep it clean, store it dry and use it appropriately, a good PFD should last you 10 years or more.
Q. Can a life jacket save you from a riptide?
Get help from a lifeguard. If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 911. Throw the rip current victim something that floats – a life jacket, a cooler, an inflatable ball. Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.
Q. What to do if you get caught in a current?
Stay afloat, yell for help, swim parallel to the shore. Do not exhaust yourself fighting the current. Beachgoers sometimes see scary looking warning signs telling them to watch out for rip currents. “Rip” in this case could stand for “rest in peace,” because these currents can be deadly.
Q. What happens if you get caught in a riptide?
If you’re caught in a rip current, the first thing to do is remain calm. A rip current won’t pull you underwater. It’ll just pull you away from shore. If you feel that you’re able to swim, do so parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current and then swim back to shore at an angle.
