It’s easy to be complacent when it comes to wearing life jackets on a narrowboat on the inland waterways. For weak or non-swimmers and children the case for wearing a buoyancy aid is easy to answer but for the majority of adults a life jacket is sometimes not even a consideration.

This is easy to understand when we are gently cruising down the canal on a warm summers day on our narrow boat. However, the dynamic all changes at the next lock where lack of concentration or the design of the lock gear violently throws your narrowboat around sufficiently to tip you into the boiling waters of the filling lock. You hit your head and fall unconscious……

Less dramatically, those of you that regularly cruise the larger river systems will be all too well aware of the strong undercurrents that may not be obvious on the surface of the water but which can move the narrow boat substantially.

These are extreme examples maybe, but if they get you thinking about “what if” with regards to safety, then that can only be a good thing.

So if you do find yourself in the water, depending upon the conditions, wearing a buoyancy aid or life jacket could save your life. The key here is that it has to be fitted correctly, be of the correct size & type, be properly maintained and you need to know how to use it.

Incidentally, there are life jackets available for your cherished dog or cat that you  may wish to take onboard with you.