Page 13 - Experience Oregon Boating Handbook

A boater considering an inflatable life jacket should make
sure that it has a U.S. Coast Guard approval number on the
label and that the jacket is used in accordance with the label
for it to be considered in compliance. U.S. Coast Guard-
approved inflatables are authorized for wear by persons 16
years of age and older.
Inflatable life jackets require annual maintenance and
inspection.
Type I -Offshore
Intended for use offshore or potentially
rough seas where quick rescue may not be
likely. It has a greater flotation value than
other types and is designed to turn an
unconscious person face up. It is reversible
and is available in two sizes, adult (90 lbs.
or more) and child (less than 90 lbs).
Type II -Inland
Designed for general boating activities
and is suitable for protected areas,
where rough water is not likely to be
found or for activities were quick rescue
is available. Not suitable for extended
survival in rougher cold water.
This type of jacket is less buoyant than
Type I, and is designed to turn an unconscious person to a
vertical or slightly face-up position. These life jackets are
available in several sizes.
Type III -General
Intended for general boating
activities or specialized activities such
as canoeing, skiing or fishing due to the
freedom of movement it allows. Type
III PFDs are suitable for protected areas
where rough water is not likely or where
quick rescue is available.
This type of life jacket is less buoyant than a Type II PFD.
It is designed to provide a stable face-up position in calm
water for a conscious person floating with their head tilted
back. It is not intended to turn or maintain an unconscious
wearer, face-up. These life jackets are available in many
sizes, styles, and colors that appeal to all
ages and work well with varying boating
activities.
Type IV -Throwable Device (float
cussion)
Intended to be thrown to a person who has
fallen overboard. This device is designed to be grasped and
held by the user until they can be rescued. Not suitable for
rough or cold water survival. This type of a float cussion is
useless to an unconscious or exhausted person and is not
recommended for non-swimmers or children.
Float Cushions should never be worn on the back. This
will force the person’s face underwater. A person overboard
should put their arms through the straps and hold the
cussion to their chest, which will keep their head out of the
water.
Type V -Special Use Devices
This type of life jacket is designed and
approved for restricted uses or activities such
as sailboarding or commercial whitewater
rafting. If it is approved and identified for
commercial use only, it does not satisfy
requirements for recreational watercraft.
The label on the life jacket indicates the restrictions or
limitations that apply and its performance type. This type of life
jacket is only acceptable when used for the activity for which it
is designed and labelled.
A hybrid inflatable life jacket is also a Type V. This type of
inflatable has 7.5 pounds of inherent buoyancy when deflated
and inflates up to 22 pounds. To count for life jacket carriage
requirements, the hybrid inflatable must be worn except when
the boat is not underway or when the boater is in an enclosed
space, such as the cabin.
Fire Extinguishers
Each fire extinguisher is classified by letter and
Roman numeral, according to its size and the type of
fire it is meant to extinguish. The following is a listing
of the fire types and their corresponding letter:
A. Fires of ordinary combustible materials.
B. Gasoline, oil and grease fires.
C. Electrical fires.
Extinguishers approved for motorboats are hand-portable, of
either B-1 or B-2 classification.
An approved extinguisher bears the label of a testing
laboratory and will include either U.S. Coast Guard approval
number or specify “Marine type USCG.”
Boaters should be familiar with how to use their extinguisher.
Check the charge, and be sure the powder is loose and not
packed. Check fire extinguishers regularly.
Some additional points:
1. Keep a shipboard fire downwind. Turn the boat so that the
flames and smoke blow away from the boat rather than over it.
2. Do not test a fire extinguisher. This breaks the seals and
causes leakage. ALL extinguishers should be serviced at least
every two years. See label for additional servicing information.
3. Store extinguishers where fire is NOT likely to break out.
An extinguisher mounted over the galley stove or inside
the engine compartment may be impossible to reach when
needed.
4. An extinguisher stored horizontally is less susceptible to
packing or caking that is caused by vibration and settling.
5. Point the extinguisher nozzle at the source of the fire (beneath
the flames) and sweep back and forth. Keep in mind that a
type B-I extinguisher empties in less than 10 seconds!
6. Save some of the charge for a re-flash or, better yet, carry a
spare extinguisher.
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