How to Surf With a Life Vest
Despite the possibility of drowning, surfers are rarely seen wearing life vests. The surfboards themselves act as an excellent flotation device, and remain strapped to the surfer's ankle with a leg rope. Surfers must be able to read the ocean and work with the currents, and inexperienced surfers should not attempt to get in the water on their own, with or without a life vest. Although it is not common, surfing with a life vest is possible and could increase safety for weaker swimmers.
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Instructions
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Choose a life vest that you are comfortable with. Impact vests are more lightweight and better designed for maximum flexibility, but they are not U.S. Coast Guard approved for life saving. These vests are more suited to protect you against impact from the water or surfboard.
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If you are already an experienced surfer, expect to encounter more difficulty when you surf with a life vest. Beginners and experienced surfers should be reasonably strong swimmers to compensate for the restricted movement that comes along with wearing a life vest.
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Wearing your vest, paddle out on your board as you normally would. Depending on how bulky your vest is, you may find it harder to get out to sea. Focus on making long, steady strokes until you have achieved your desired location in the ocean.
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Practice catching waves while wearing your life vest. Try paddling in front of a wave slightly earlier than you would normally, to make up for a slower pace.
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When you have caught a wave, push up quickly until you have 'popped up' to a standing position. Your body should be facing perpendicular to the shore, sideways on the board.
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If you start to feel tired, paddle back to shore. If you become too tired to swim, the life vest will keep you afloat, but it will not prevent you from being swept out to sea.
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Tips & Warnings
Tow-in surfing is a type of surfing that requires participants to wear a life vest, as they are being towed out to sea by someone in a boat or jetski. These surfers can face waves as large as 25 feet, and are not hindered by the life jacket as they do not paddle out to catch the waves.
It will be more difficult to duck dive while wearing a life vest. The extra buoyancy will create resistance when you try to push your board underwater and duck under a wave.
Paddleboards, or Stand Up Paddleboards (SUP) are a type of surfing in which the user stands on the board and uses a paddle to catch waves. The United States Coast Guard considers these boards a type of vessel, and requires users to wear life vests.
