life jackets

[streve]

Hi Guys, just after some clarification for a friend.

We often fish at night, my boat is over 6meters so i have no issues with wearing life jackets at night. But my mates boat is 4.7 meters so the rules seem to stipulate he needs to have a life jacket on anytime at night when operating the boat. So does sitting in an anchored boat fishing constitute operating a boat? And what about when he sleeps, does he need a life jacket on while he is seelping on his boat?

9 out of 10 times he is out at night his boat is tied to mine and we fish side by side. Does that mean during the night he can be sat 1meter away from me yet he needs a life jacket and i dont?

Maybe im not understanding the rules properly and if we dont get a good answer here we will approach maratime. But with all the wisdom around on this site im sure someone will know the rules back to front.

Thanks guys (and gals)

[Catchin Jack]

If he is in his boat at night he must wear life jacket, regardless if he is anchored or tied to your boat.

[GreyNurse]

It's not only the rules, but it's just plain common sense to wear a lifey at night. Especially if he sleeps on his boat. While asleep anything can happen and reaction times need to be quick.

Is there a reason for his not wanting to wear a life jacket? I know some can be bulky and restrictive in smaller craft. But have a look at the life jacket video on the home page. Those guys are wearing an inflatable collar. They're good value, have an option to use the emergency CO2 bottle for instant inflation in an emergency, or you can use the mouthpiece to inflate them. There's even a device available now that can be fitted after market that auto inflates the collar at a depth of 1 meter. This was designed out of concern that you cannot pull the emergency inflate cord if you are knocked out and overboard. They are the least restrictive of all the PFD's. I have one and I forget I'm even wearing it. Well, until I reach into my pocket for a durry, but that's another issue.

Too many lives have been lost through complacency about life jackets. It's that "it's not going to happen to me" attitude that we have to be wary of.

That's why the rules were invented, so we can go home at the end of a session and bore everyone silly with our fishy stories.

Cheers,

Nursie

[zook2001]

The Maritime website just says "boating" technically speaking he should be keeping watch and ready to start the boat at any time which entails wearing a lifejacket, its the same argument as being a sleep in the back of your car, you have to be fit to drive.

[Juggs]

on your own and at night is considered "heightened risk" so even in a 12m boat you have to have a life jacket on at all times

[Catchin Jack]

Only relates to boats under 4.8m at night actually.

http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safety_equipment/lifejackets.html