ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS: NEW LIFE JACKET LAW A BENEVOLENT BOTHER

Fishermen and other users of small boats may have lost a bit of freedom when a new U.S. Coast Guard rule on life jackets recently went into effect, but it will prove worthwhile to those who survive their outing because of it.

As of May 1, law requires that any boat under 16 feet in length have on board one approved wearable flotation device (a life jacket) for each passenger. It applies to all small boats, including canoes and kayaks, powered or unpowered.

Under the old law, one now defunct, regulations could be satisfied with a throwable flotation device, such as a boat cushion. Those don't meet specs any more. It takes one that you wear.

The law doesn't require boaters to wear their life jackets; they merely have to have them on board.

This is federal law and, as such, is subject to be enforced only by federal officers, the Coast Guard. It would not be enforced by a state officer in whatever state one happens to be boating.

It is expected in water patrol circles that state laws in the future will be revised to conform with the federal regulation.

This is a law that's going to be flaunted, especially before state laws and enforcement, come in line with it. That's a pity, too, because the more people who observed the regulation, the fewer that would die needlessly. There's probably greater need for life jackets in small boats than in many larger craft. Especially if people would actually put their life jackets on, a lot more of them would survive what should be minor mishaps.

It's baffling to repeatedly see reports of people dying because of minor slip-ups in small boats. A guy can't swim a lick. He doesn't have a life jacket, much less wearing one. He makes a misstep, gets rocked by a wave or loses his balance while standing and answering nature's call. He goes into the water and promptly drowns.

(Public safety officials say an inordinate number of male drowning victims are found with pants unzipped. Having to go from a small boat proves to be a killer for numerous non-swimmers.)

If my johnboat were suspended a mile above the earth and I couldn't fly, I'd want a parachute strapped onto my carcass.

Afloat, if I couldn't swim and realized death lurked as close as the water lapping against the gunwales, I'd sure want a life jacket -- not just in the boat, but buckled on my torso.

Yes, the new law is a bother, but one more people could live with.

~Steve Vantreese is outdoors editor of The Paducah Sun.