Canadian Boating May 2024 - 42

and a habit they carry well into adulthood.
* Use on personal watercraft.
* White water paddling activities.
Here are some suggestions on how to encourage PFD
wear from your teen:
Lead By Example: If you're not wearing your PFD chances
are your teen won't want to wear one either. It is just as
important for you as a parent to be wearing your PFD
each time you head out on the water.
The 'Cool Factor'- selecting the correct style PFD: PFDs
have come a long way since the 90's and truth be told,
you get what you pay for. If you're buying a cheap $20
PFD then very likely yes, it will be uncomfortable, bulky,
hot, restrict your range of motion and ride up.
Today's PFD technology has vastly improved and has
made wearing a PFD more comfortable than ever. Designs
have been modified with specific watersports and
constant wear in mind.
Softer foam and rounded edges help the PFD provide
exceptional comfort and mould to the wearer's body.
Large armholes and better foam distribution make it so
the wearer has unrestricted range of motion. No longer
do you have the PFD hitting you against the chin or
chaffing under your arms.
Encourage them to try it on to see how it feels before
they give you the " it's too bulky " or " it's too hot " excuses.
Chances are they won't appreciate the value until they
have it on and can feel the difference. Plus, if you pick
one with a pocket large enough to fit a cell phone in a
waterproof case, that may be motivation itself.
Purchasing a premium brand product can also make
teens feel less 'dorky'. It's the same reason they beg you
for the $200 sneakers with logos all over instead of the
$20 no name brand that does the same job. Your child's
life is worth the investment to buy a quality PFD that is
comfortable to wear all day long.
It is important to know that inflatable PFDs are NOT approved
under the following conditions:
* Anyone under 16 years of age.
* Anyone who weighs less than 36.6 kg or 80 lbs.
The 'Cool Factor'- Selecting a Colour: Colour, or lack of,
can be a huge part in why someone does or doesn't
want to wear something. While some teens may want to
stand out with bubble-gum pink or yellow, others may
want to be sleek and have everything be all black. Let
them pick the one they WANT to wear. If they're reaching
for the dark navy or black PFD over the bright orange or
yellow- let them. There's no point investing in the bright
orange for it to be used as a seat cushion if they want the
black or blue to up their cool factor. Though some parents
may argue over visibility on the water, a darker colour
like navy or black will still keep them afloat if anything
should happen.
Enroll them in a Course or Program: One of the first things
they teach you in any boating, paddling, or sailing course
is about safety- which includes proper PFD wear. There
are a lot of instructors who are teens or young adults
themselves. Perhaps learning from someone who is not
their parent and is more their age will drive home the
importance of wearing a PFD. Finding people they look
up to, such as a wakeboard or boating instructor, can
be huge for developing proper on-water habits such as
wearing a PFD.
Habits are not created or changed over night. It may
not happen every time you're out on the water but with
persistence and seeing people in PFDs they may start to
reach for it without putting up a fight.
Courtesy of SALUS Marine Wear
All SALUS Marine Wear products are available to CPSECP
members at 20% off the full retail price in the current
year's catalogue.
The 20% discount is only available when Salus products
are purchased through orderdesk@cps-ecp.ca and is
NOT available through any other Salus dealer or outlet.
Scan this code for a list of products.■
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42 CANADIAN BOATING | MAY 2024
Canadian Boating May 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Boating May 2024
