I recently crewed on a traditional "Chesapeak Log Canoe" for a race in StMicheals Md. Since every boat has a support/training boat that leads/follows them around the race course they have "special dispensation" that allows all the Life Jackets to be carried on the support vessel and not on the log canoe itself .... and Yes, it felt strange to me not to have my life jacket w/ me.

The owner/skipper of the 43'Tri I crew on regularly said he knew he had assembled a crew of experienced, serious racing sailors when we each arrived w/ our own foul weather gear(Gill/Helly/Lloyd ...etc), deck shoes, sailing gloves ..... and LIFE JACKETS !!!!! He had never before had "crew" bring their own "Life Jackets" .... I told him that was normal for us .... as we are all experienced BEACH CAT SAILORS!!!!!

I even take my life jacket on vacation to the Caribbean resorts ... and as my life jacket gets more and more sunfaded, I get less and less questions .... to the point now they just point at a boat and say "take that one" ....

My current Life Jacket is a (sunfaded) red Kokatat ... all my life jackets have always been red because it is a highly visible color and warm on cold days. I have never understood blue colored lifejackets .... you fall off the boat in the middle of this big blue body of water .... and what are you wearing .... a blue life jacket?????

Life Jackets need to do primarily two things: keep you afloat (face-up) and make you visible enough so as someone else can spot you and rescue you

Sail Flat, Sail Fast, Sail Safe
HarryMurphey
H18Mag/P19MX