Don’t forget, as of November 1, no owner or operator of a recreational vessel less than 26 feet shall permit its operation between November 1 and May 1 unless each person onboard is wearing a securely fastened United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved wearable personal flotation device of an appropriate size while such vessel is underway. A person inside the cabin of a cabin vessel shall be exempt from this requirement.
Implemented during the 2023-2024 season, the new regulation also includes rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. In short, a USCG approved life jacket is required to be worn at all times, outside of a cabin on a boat under 26 feet during the cold-water months, while in motion or underway.
The goal of this new regulation is to prevent hypothermia deaths and to decrease the risks placed upon first responders during winter search and rescue operations on the waters of New Jersey. In almost every instance of a vessel related drowning, the victim was not wearing a life vest. According to the New Jersey State Police, this PFD regulation is in the best interest of the safety of operators and passengers on all New Jersey’s waterways.
