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Cold water and your lifejacket

Wear your lifejacket the whole time you are on the water. A sudden fall into cold water can hit your breathing and your strength.

The official source wins. This page explains. The official pages at the bottom decide.

Why

  • A sudden fall into cold water can seriously affect your breathing, your nerves and your muscle strength. Transport Canada says a lifejacket is your best defence against cold-water shock.
  • A lifejacket keeps you afloat and gives some thermal protection. One left on the boat cannot help you once you are in the water.

What to do

  1. Put your lifejacket on before you get in the boat, and keep it on.

    Because it is dangerous to count on putting one on in the water, and cold water can make that very hard.

    Transport Canada: choosing lifejackets and PFDs

  2. Bring a lifejacket or PFD for each person on board, in a size that fits that person.

    Because Transport Canada says the law requires one on board for each person on a watercraft.

  3. Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.

  4. Check the weather forecast before you go, and keep watching for changes while you are out.

A fastened lifejacket, and a person wearing one. Fastened and worn the whole time. buckled
Fastened and worn the whole time.

The official words

In short, in our words

Transport Canada sets the rules for boating safety equipment, including lifejackets. Its page says a lifejacket or PFD must be on board for each person, and how to choose one.

Last checked against the pages above on . The lifejacket page says it was last modified on , the recreational boating safety page on and the boating safety tips page on .

Watch next

Background only. The rule lives at the source.

Is a PFD the same as a lifejacket? No. A PFD is lighter and may be more comfortable, but it usually offers less flotation than a lifejacket. Transport Canada explains the difference on its page on choosing lifejackets and PFDs.