(from the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron website – thanks to MKW for the suggestion)

May 11, 2012
In support of Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day (May 18) Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons (CPS) members and staff are encouraged to wear their lifejackets to work.

As the first long weekend of the summer approaches CPS would like to remind boaters to be safe on our waterways. Wearing your lifejacket is one of the easiest ways to ensure your safety on the water.

Across Canada, 89% of recreational boaters who drown each and every year were not wearing a lifejacket. Most of these drownings occur in small open power boats, accounting for 60% of these preventable deaths. A majority of these victims were males between the ages of 19 and 35, out for a day of fishing. An average of 140 unnecessary drownings occur every year.

Many boaters who drown believe they are good swimmers, so they feel that having a lifejacket on board and within easy reach is good enough. But what good is a lifejacket that is stored under a seat or under the bow going to be when the unexpected happens? Most drownings happen unexpectedly when small boats capsize or someone falls overboard. The lifejacket that you leave behind is not much use, especially in cold water.

When choosing a lifejacket follow these simple guidelines: Choose one that is suitable for the activity you are involved in and check the label to make sure that it is Canadian approved and is of the correct size. Finally, make sure it fits snugly.

If you don’t wear your lifejacket, it won’t work.

-Stats courtesy of the Canadian Safe Boating Council