b'S A F E T Y E Q U I P M E N TSafety EquipmentA s boat operator, your fun on the water depends on your Be worn by anyone operating or riding on a PWC.behavior. It is your responsibility to have the safety Be worn by anyone being pulled behind a boat (such as equipment required by law, to keep it on board intubing or skiing).good condition, and know how to properly use it. YOU ARE IN Be worn by anyone in a manually propelled vessel from COMMAND! October 1 through May 31 (must be Type I, II, II, V or V-hybrid). Connecticut Life Jacket and Personal FlotationRemember:Device (PFD) LawsSki belts are not legal life jackets.More than 90% of the drowning related boating fatalities Inflatable life jackets may not be used by persons may have been avoided by wearing a life jacket. engaged in high-speed water sports (such as riding PWCs orThere must be a wearable life jacket on board for eachwater skiing) and may not be used by persons weighing under person aboard every vessel. 90 lbs. or under 16 years of age. Each life jacket must be readily accessible.Inflatable life jackets may be a Type III or V. Check theEach life jacket must fit the intended wearer. label to determine if it must be worn to count as a personalIf the vessel is required to have a Type IV throwable PFDflotation device.(see page 32), it must be immediately available.All vessels 16 feet and over, except kayaks and canoes, must also carry a Type IV throwable device in addition to the Life jackets must: required number of wearable life jackets. Be U.S. Coast Guard approved.Navigation rules (part of Federal Law) require all vesselsHave a legible label. (including manually propelled vessels) to have audible signalingBe of the correct size and fit for the wearer. A life jacketdevices. (See table on page 32.)should fit comfortably snug and never cover your face or ride up Every vessel of 12 meters (39.36 ft.) or less in length past your ears. must have some means of making an efficient sound signal. Be in serviceable condition (all straps and buckles must be in good condition and able to perform their jobs; all seamsFire Extinguishersand material must be intact).Fires involving burning wood, fabrics and paper (Type A) canBe worn by children under 13 years old on any ves- be put out with water.sel that is underway unless the child is below deck or Most boat fires consist of burning flammable liquids such in an enclosed cabin. as oil or gasoline (Type B). Check the table at the beginning of this section to determine how many Type B-1 fire extin-PHOTO CREDIT - JEFF MARTIN282020 Connecticut BOATERS GUIDE'