How to Fit a Life Vest

Most states require every person on any type of watercraft to have a life vest (personal flotation device is the preferred term) on board the vessel or be wearing one. A Coast Guard-approved life vest will have the Coast Guard approval stamp as well as the life vest's size on the PFD's tag. However, an approved life vest is useless if the instructions for its wear are not worn correctly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Type I life vest
• Type II life vest
• Type III life vest
• Special purpose life vest

1. Check the life vest’s tag to ensure it is the correct size. Most adult vests will be tagged “all-person fit,” which means it will fit a person with a chest size of 30 to 56 inches. Life vests can be made to fit a smaller person by adjusting the side and shoulder straps, but can not be made to fit a larger person.

2. Put on the life vest and close the front enclosures. Pull the straps located on the shoulders and sides through the buckle, to make them tight. Adjust the shoulder straps to where the vest sits comfortably underneath your arms and does not dig into them.The vest should fit snugly to your body.

3. Test the fit of the life vest by holding your arms straight up into the air as if you are signaling a touchdown in football. Move your head to the right and left. If the life vest hits you in the chin, adjust the side straps to pull it more snug to your body. Pull the strap through the buckle, to make it tighter. A proper fitting life vest should remain in place as you do this action.

4. Situate another person behind you and have them pull up on the shoulders of the life vest. It should not move more than an inch or so. If the vest moves more than three inches, retighten the side straps to make it fit tighter on your body and hold the vest in place.

5. Repeat these last two steps if you are fitting a child size life vest on a child. Make sure the vest is fitted securely on the child. Tighten both the side and shoulder straps if the vest moves too much or hits the child’s chin. Test the fit again.

Tips & Warnings

• Type I life vests are for boating conditions that might be rough and you being quickly rescued is probably not an option. These life vests will turn an unconscious person face-up. Type II life vests are used if you will be boating in calm waters and your chances of being rescued are quite good. These are less buoyant than type I and will turn a person slightly face-up in the water. Type III life vests are basically like a type II, but they will provide more stability and hold a person in the face-up position longer. Type V or special purpose life vests are used if you are doing an activity such as whitewater rafting. They allow you to wear the life vest with your movements being somewhat restricted.
• Never wash your life vest in the washing machine. Follow the care instructions attached to the life vest’s label.
• There should be a crotch strap attached to a life vest for infants or small children. The vest should also contain a grab loop and an oversized floating collar. The Coast Guard recommends testing the infant inside of the life vest, before taking the child out into the water.

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on 9/30/2009 Great information on Life Vests for water fun. Safety is very important espeically with children.