Sound reasons abound for wearing a life jacket while boating, but boaters sometimes offer excuses for not wearing a life jacket during the summer months - they're hot, bulky, uncomfortable, etc. Fortunately for winter boaters, cold weather survival gear boasts integrated life saving floatation in coats and suits that provide warmth and protection from cold air and water temperatures.
Don't be tempted to skip proper cold weather clothing and gear. It is important in the winter months to wear a life jacket,but don't stop there. If you boat during winter months, here are the must-have's for your boating excursions.
1. Flotation Coat
Floatation coats are insulated coats that include floatation. They provide warmth and at the same time double as a life jacket that will float a person who falls in the water. Float coats are recommended for boaters who boat year round in moderate temperatures but where the water stays cold. If you boat in extreme cold temperatures, a floatation coat will not provide enough hypothermia protection if you fall into the water.2. Immersion or Survival Suit
Winter boating calls for hardy gear. I recommend an immersion suit, otherwise known as a survival suit, like a Mustang Survival suit. Survival suits keep you warm and protected from the elements, and provide floatation and hypothermia protection if you are submersed in the water. Wearing a survival suit can increase your survival time in cold water before hypothermia sets in.3. Dry Suit
Professional rescuers often wear dry suits because they are waterproof. Dry suits can be instantly drawn tight to prevent water from entering, however, hypothermia prevention depends entirely upon properly layering the clothing worn beneath the dry suit.4. Dress in Thermal Layers
Just like in any winter sport, dress in layers to provide maximum protection and warmth. Whether you wear a floatation coat, an immersion suit or a dry suit, dress in thermal layers. Wool is one of the best types of material to use, but other synthetic materials are available. Be sure to include a hat to protect your head from heat loss.5. A Personal Position Locator Beacon
Otherwise known as a PLB, a personal position locator beacon is a scaled down version of the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). When immersed in water or manually activated both an EPIRB and A PLB transmits a signal that allows rescuers to pinpoint your location. While they can be expensive, about $500, it's worth weighing the cost of your life against a few hundred dollars for something that could save it.6. A Personal Emergency Locator Light
An emergency light you wear and activate if you are in the water can attract the attention of rescuers, providing a much larger and more visible target than your head in the water. The bright, flashing light can be visible for great distances, depending on the make and model of the light, which increases your chances of being spotted by rescuers or a passing boater.7. A Whistle
Cheap and simple, it may surprise many boaters to see a whistle on a list of must have survival gear. Again, attracting attention in any way will increase your chances of surviving in the water. Rescuers are trained to turn off the boat engines and listen for a period of time while they are on search and rescue missions, or a nearby boater may hear the signal. Either way, blowing a whistle at regular intervals may save your life.8. Flares
Store hand held and/or parachute flares in your immersion suit pockets, secured with a lanyard. Be familiar with how to use the flares to signal distress.
