Life Jacket Wear Rates When Boaters
Encounter An Increasing Number of Risks
Thomas W. Mangione
Senior Research Scientist
JSI Research & Training Institute
Life Jacket Association Conference
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
June, 2018

Methods
• Data from National Life Jacket Observation Study
from 1999 to 2017
• ~800,000 Boaters and ~250,000 boats observed
during this period
• 124 Sites in 30 states
• Observations conducted by 2 person teams,
on shore, with high powered, image-stabilizing,
binoculars

Analyses to Determine Whether Boaters
Respond to Encountered Risks by Using Life
Jackets More Often
• In addition to observing life jacket wear, gender and age of
boaters, the observers recorded a variety of environmental
and situational factors which could be considered “more
risky”
• Thirteen risky conditions were captured
• Although we did look at the influence of each individual risk
factor, the most interesting findings emerge by counting up
number of risks and looking at how wear rates change.

Risk Factors Not Captured
• Alcohol/Drug Use
• Inexperience (boating and boat type)
• Lack of training
• Swimming Ability
• Any family history with boating fatalities

Condition
“RISKY” vs. “NON-RISKY”
Classification**
Justification
Water Temperature
COLD WATER (<65°F)
vs. WARM WATER (≥65°F)
Increased chances of hyperventilation, swimming fatigue, loss of
function, hypothermia
Air Temperature
COLD AIR (<70°F)
vs. WARM AIR (≥70°F)
Risks similar to cold water, particularly hypothermia
Visibility
POOR
vs. GOOD/FAIR
Difficulty navigating and operating boats, responding to obstacles or
other boats, finding boaters who have fallen overboard
Wave Height
CHOPPY/ROUGH
vs. CALM
Increased chances of capsizing, falling overboard, swimming fatigue
General Weather
RAINING/STORMY
vs. SUNNY/CLOUDY
Risks related to visibility and wave height.
Strength of Current
STRONG
vs. WEAK/MODERATE
Increased chances of loss of control, capsizing, falling overboard,
boater/swimming fatigue
Wind Speed
HIGH WIND
vs. LOW WIND
Increased chances of unpredictable weather changes, capsizing,
falling overboard
Children on Board
CHILD PRESENT
vs. NO CHILD
Increased chances of entering water (to rescue child), boater
distraction, unpredictable movements that contribute to capsizes or
falls overboard
Size of Boat
SMALL
vs. LARGE
Reduced stability, increased chances of capsizing and falling
overboard
Boater Activity
FISHING/RACING/WHITE WATER
vs. OTHER (pleasure)
Increased chances of standing, loss of balance, entering water,
capsizing, falling overboard
Boat Movement
MOTORING/PADDLING/SAILING
vs. OTHER (drifting/anchored)
Increased chances of loss of control, capsizing, falling overboard
Number of Boaters
SINGLE
vs. 2+ BOATERS
Less likely to be rescued if falling overboard (no one to throw
flotation, search and rescue, report accident)
Boater Position
PASSENGER
vs. OPERATOR
Passengers less aware of boating hazards

Risky conditions significantly associated with higher rates of adult life jacket use – SAILBOATS
Cabin Sailboat Day Sailor
Cold Water <65˚F  
Cold Air <70˚F 
Poor Visibility
Choppy Waves  
Rain / Storms 
Strong Current
Windy ≥ 6 knots  
Child on Board
Boat Size < 26 feet < 16 feet
Fishing or Racing Activity  
Sailing or Motoring Movement 
Single Boater 
Passenger Position
# of Significant Risks 8 6

Risky conditions significantly associated with higher rates of adult life jacket use
– SAILCRAFT
Sailboard Day Sailor Cabin Sailboat
Cold Water <65˚F  
Cold Air <70˚F  
Poor Visibility
Choppy Waves  
Rain / Storms 
Strong Current
Windy ≥6 knots  
Child on Board No test
Small Boat Size No test < 16 feet < 26 feet
Fishing/Racing Activities  
Movement sail/motor
Single Boater 
Passenger Position No test
Number of Significant
Risks
1 6 10

Risky conditions significantly associated with higher rates of adult life jacket use – PADDLECRAFT
Paddled
Inflatable / Raft
Rowboat Canoe Kayak Paddleboard
Cold Water <65˚F     
Cold Air <70˚F    
Poor Visibility  
Choppy Waves     
Rain / Storms   
Strong Current    
Windy ≥4 knots   
Child on Board   
Boat Size ≥ 16 feet < 16 feet < 16 feet ≥ 16 feet
Activity
(WW = White Water)
Fish/WW Fish/WW Fish/Race/WW
Movement paddle paddle/motor paddle/motor paddle/motor paddle
Number of Boaters single boater single boater 2+ boaters
Passenger Position
# of Significant Risks 11 6 12 11 4

Risky conditions significantly associated with higher rates of adult life jacket use – POWER BOATS
Skiff/Utility Pontoon Cabin Cruiser Runabout Powered Inflatable/Raft
Cold Water <65˚F     
Cold Air <70˚F     
Poor Visibility  
Choppy Waves  
Rain / Storms     
Strong Current     
Windy ≥6 knots   
Child on Board     
Boat Size < 16 feet < 21 feet < 26 feet < 16 feet ≥ 16 feet
Activity
(WW = White Water)
Fish/Race Fish/Race Fish/Race/WW Fish/Race/WW
Motor Movement 
Single Boater    
Passenger Position   
# of Significant Risks 10 10 11 11 7

Conclusions
• Boaters in all types of boats increase life jacket wear
behavior as the number of encountered risks
increases. (that is a good thing).
• The rate of increase varies from boat type to boat
type.
• However, many boating drownings occur in non-risky
conditions and therefore we need to keep reminding
boaters to ALWAYS wear their life jackets

A Second Study

How Life Jacket Loaner Boards
Impact Wear Rates When Boaters
Encounter Risky Conditions
Thomas W. Mangione, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc.

Funded by
Washington
State Parks
Boating
Program
• Washington State Boating
Program Project Officers
• Alonzo Wade
• Derek VanDyke
• Life jacket observations at 34
sites across Washington State
• 15 sites had active loaner boards at
access points near location of
observations
• 19 sites had no loaner boards at
access points

JSI’s 2014
Washington
State Life
Jacket Wear
Study
• July and August, 2014
• 10,434 boaters observed
• 4,380 at loaner board sites
• 6,054 at non-loaner board sites
• Observe from shore with high-
powered, image-stabilizing
binoculars
• Using same methods as National Life
Jacket Observation Study
• Record characteristics of site,
boat, boaters and life jacket use

Standard Loaner Board Promoted by Washington Boating Program

Some Non-standard Loaner Boards at Sites

Eight Risky
Conditions
Assessed
• Child present on boat
• Activity was fishing or towed
sport or high speed
• Boat size under 16 feet
• Strong current
• Water temperature under 70
degrees
• Air temperature under 70
degrees
• Wind speed 2 knots or greater
• Weather Not Sunny
(Wave height and visibility not
considered because of little variation)

Adult Wear Rates for Risky Conditions
at Loaner Board Sites and Non-Loaner Board Sites
Child On-Board 7.1% 14.7% +7.6%
Boat Activity 17.9% 27.0% +9.1%
Boat Size 50.8% 63.9% +13.1%
Current Strength 7.4% 19.5% +12.1%
Water Temperature 13.4% 21.2% +7.8%
Air Temperature 4.9% 19.7% +14.8%
Wind Speed 14.0% 18.1% +4.1%
Weather 5.7% 12.7% +7.0%
Non-Loaner Loaner
Risk Present Boards Boards Advantage

Adult Wear Rate Differences by NUMBER of Risky
Conditions at Loaner Board Sites and Non-Loaner
Board Sites
0 – 1 Risk 9.3% 9.7% + 0.4%
2 Risks 15.6% 18.2% + 2.6%
3 Risks 12.6% 18.6% + 6.0%
4 Risks 12.3% 25.8% + 13.5%
5 – 7 Risks 19.8% 42.3% + 22.5%
Non-Loaner Loaner
# of Risks Boards Boards Influence

0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
0-1
Risks
2 Risks 3 Risks 4 Risks 5-7
Risks
Non-Loaner
Boards
Loaner Boards
Differences
Adult Wear Rate Differences by NUMBER of Risky Conditions
at Loaner Board Sites and Non-Loaner Board Sites
Graphical Presentation

Discussion
Issues
Loaner Boards are associated with increased
wear rates for all age groups but significantly
higher for ADULT boaters.
However, the increased adult wear rates are
greater than the number of life jackets available
for use; therefore, loaner boards seem to also
provide a reminder function “to wear the life
jacket that you already have on your own boat.”
In general, boaters are more likely to wear life
jackets under encountered risky conditions but
this is particularly true when a loaner board is at
the site.