Should Life Jackets Be Mandatory For All Age Boaters?

Last year, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone signed into law a mandatory requirement for all boaters to take safety courses. Boaters have until the start of the 2014 boating season to take the course, which will be available through several organizations, including the U.S. Coast Guard.

One important aspect of boater safety is the wearing of an approved life vest.

According to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation all children under 12-years-old have to wear an appropriately sized life jacket unless they are in a fully enclosed cabin. Also, anyone, regardless of age, who is operating or riding a personal watercraft like a Jet Ski or Wave Runner must wear a life vest or if you are being towed behind a boat, e.g. water skiers and tubers. The law also requires anyone in a boat smaller than 21 feet on the water between Nov. 1 and May 1 to wear a life jacket.

As boating season kicks off, Patch wants to know how you feel about the issue of wearing life jackets for people of any age.

Many people think of the traditional design of life jackets that were uncomfortable, orange vests that limited movement and often made the wearer hot out in the sun on the water. Nowadays, life vests come in a variety of styles, some of them remaining lightweight and only inflating if the person is submerged in water.

We asked readers on Facebook what they thought. Here is what some had to say:

Alex Vavas: They are a bit cumbersome, but the life vests that inflate when they hit the water are great.

Mary Glennon Pullis: If you are an adult who knows how to swim, no. Children under 12 while boat is in operation is just smart.

Melissa Arleo: I'm a boater. Grew up on the water. My parents made us take the Coast Guard Safety course, from which my sister And I learned alot. I carry that knowledge with me to this day. Not many know the rules of the water which is frustrating as a boater and very unsafe. As far as life jackets, I think 10 and under is reasonable, but to have a boat full of adults in life jackets is silly , not practicable and unnecessary unless of course tubing or water skiing. Learning the rules of the water should be mandatory.

James Gagnon: There are many types of crafts on the waters around Long Island and mandatory life vest requirements are not always practical. Awareness and Safety courses are paramount and as a diver I would ad that Dive Flag awareness is absent and a ticking time bomb. Too many people operate boats unchecked and run full throttle through inlets completely unaware of regulations.

Rob BoRo Rovegna: We don't need a bigger Nanny State.

Ty Smith: As a longtime dockhand at Danfords, working with boaters, on a megayacht, and dealing with hundreds of them every summer I think its safe to say that lifejackets are not the issue. Although some ignorant parents will try to hide their kids in the cabin if they don't have proper life jackets (incident on July 4th last year in Cold Spring Harbor?) I would have to say that boat operators are ignorant, inexperienced and unaware of almost all nautical laws and conduct as Mr. Gagnon mentioned. There needs to be some type of boating license in place to make sure operators understand the basics of navigating the water. Driving and owning a nautical vessel is a privilege and it should be respected by operators and owners. I've seen hundreds if not thousands of operators unable to perform the most basic of maneuvers, especially docking and fueling (which can be very dangerous if gone array.) As horrible as this may come off, i'm glad the economy is rooting out certain boat owners that may be on a financial border, and end up getting rid of the boat. I find that those types of boaters pose the biggest threat to the marine enviroment, other boaters and themselves.

Charlie Masone: I wear my PFD when sailing alone, when sailing with others I don't but its always at hand to don before moving about the boat. When the wind pipes up I always wear it. I don't need the government telling me what to do.

Tell us. How important is it to you personally to wear a life jacket? Do you think it should be a law for everyone to wear a life jacket regardless of age when on the water?