Life Jacket
January 16, 2025
A life jacket, or personal flotation device (PFD), is wearable safety equipment designed to keep a person afloat if they fall overboard or abandon a vessel. In boating and sailing it provides buoyancy, helps maintain an airway above water, and may include inflation, reflective tape, a whistle, light, spray hood, crotch straps, or an integrated safety harness.
Its value depends on correct fit, regular inspection, and being worn before conditions deteriorate. Life jackets are especially important in cold water, at night, single-handed, or when rough Sea State, strong Wind Gust activity, or limited visibility increases man-overboard risk. They also improve survival time while crew initiate Search And Rescue procedures.
PredictWind forecasts, routing, and departure planning help skippers anticipate conditions where life jackets, harnesses, and jacklines should be mandatory on deck. Combined with onboard procedures and GPS Tracking, they support faster response and safer decision-making.
