This year marks the 15^th anniversary that the Sea Tow Foundation has received grant funding from the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund, as administered by the US Coast Guard to support their Life Jacket Loaner Program which is now the largest of its kind in the world. This year, that funding allowed the Sea Tow Foundation to purchase more than 5,600 life jackets in sizes ranging from infant to adult extra-large for establishing new life jacket loaner stations around the country and replenishing existing stations.

Every year, the Sea Tow Foundation opens a new grant application cycle, allowing marine businesses, communities, and organizations to request Life Jacket Loaner Station building kits and/or life jackets. In the 2023 application cycle, a record-breaking 258 applications were submitted requesting a total of 20,852 life jackets. The quantity of life jackets that the Sea Tow Foundation can award through donations and grant funding was a quarter of that, and the Sea Tow Foundation purchases the life jackets from Onyx/Absolute Outdoor nearly a year in advance of their use so that there is time to have them manufactured, custom-printed, and shipped. After reviewing the applications, 140 groups were selected to receive life jackets from the Sea Tow Foundation. Additionally, 50 grant-funded Life Jacket Loaner Stand building kits will be sent out.

Due to the immense volume of applications for their nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Program, the Sea Tow Foundation knew that not every group that applied would be able to receive life jackets and that the decision-making process would be difficult. Because of this, the Sea Tow Foundation asked the boating industry to donate new or gently-used life jackets to meet the demands and safeguard the lives of boaters. In response, Onyx/Absolute Outdoor graciously donated 447 brand-new life jackets that will ensure that 15 additional groups will be able to host Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Stations across 13 states.

Are you interested in donating new or gently used life jackets? Learn more here.

Video Blog

The Sea Tow Foundation^TM accepts donations of new and gently used life jackets in our Life Jacket Drive Program. Before adding the donated life jackets to the life jacket loaner stands, they go through a 5-point inspection using a checklist to ensure that they are safe and ready to be used.

The following video walks you through the checklist and shows what to look for when inspecting a life jacket and how to know if you find something wrong with a life jacket. Click here to download the checklist.

If your life jacket does not meet even one of the items on the checklist, you should discard the life jacket and ensure that it is not going to be used by anyone. This can be done by cutting it into pieces before putting it in the trash. And, the Sea Tow Foundation also reused the discarded life jackets and repurposed them into a craft project in one of our craft blogs.

To donate a life jacket free of charge, please fill out this form.

You can also check out our other blog entitled “What to Do with Your Kid’s Outgrown Life Jackets” for additional information.

If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.

It’s that time of year again – the time where northern boaters either remove their boats from the water for the winter or prepare for them to continue to be in use during freezing conditions and southern and western boaters perform regular maintenance before the High Season starts.

Not only is winterization an important part of maintaining your boat and ensuring it’s around for many seasons to come, it’s also important from a safety standpoint, keeping you and your loved ones, as well as your favorite waterways, safe and sound.

Here are five winterization tips from the Sea Tow Foundation:

·       Drain water – This may seem like common sense for many boaters, but you’d be surprised how many skip this critical winterization step. If you store your boat on land or in the water in cold weather,  it’s important to drain all water lines and use marine-specific anti-freeze to prevent critical engine and other components from freezing as the temperatures drop. Even states with warmer climates can see a handful of below freezing days or nights so this is important for these boaters as well. Also take the time to check the boat plug and window seals to ensure they are ready for the cold weather as well.

·       Properly dispose of all fluids and other hazardous materials – Proper winterization always includes changing your boat’s oil. Some boaters will also swap out batteries, check belts and hoses for leaks and follow other specific steps when getting their boat ready for winter in the cold regions or warmer climates. Remember to properly dispose of oil and batteries, as they can all be extremely harmful to the environment. If you’re not sure where  you can dispose of these in your area, check with your marina or local authorities like the U.S. Coast Guard or police marine unit.

·       Clean and inspect all life jackets  – In order to be sure your life jackets are effective and able to work when needed, it’s important to properly clean them before storing them over the winter months or continuing to use them in the warmer climates. Mold and mildew can be a problem, but the Sea Tow Foundation has some simple steps that you can take to clean and dry them. And if you have any life jackets that no longer fit your boat’s passengers, you can always donate them to a local Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Drive!

·       Boat cleaning the eco-friendly way – Life jackets aren’t the only things on your boat that can become dirty. If you’re not careful, you may find mold all throughout your vessel, so it is important to scrub the boat with eco-friendly cleaners that won’t harm the environment before shrink wrapping the boat if you are planning to store the boat on land. If the boat is being used throughout the winter, it is still a good idea to give it a good cleaning before continued use.

·       Double check all safety equipment – Now is the perfect time to double check all of your boat’s safety equipment. This includes your VHF radio,  air horn, safety flares, lines, throwable buoys, boat hooks, fire extinguishers, and the first aid kit.  Make sure that nothing is expired or needs to be replaced or replenished. If so, take the time to get these items before the end of the year.  

What other tips do you have when it comes to boat winterization? Share your favorite tips in the comments below!

Tips for Cleaning Life Jackets

Spring is a great time to clean your life jackets before getting ready to use them. Sometimes life jackets get put away for the winter and haven’t had a chance to dry out completely which can cause mold or mildew to grow. And southern locations where it is hot and humid throughout most of the year may find life jackets with spots on them. While this doesn’t look very pretty, it does not mean that the life jacket needs to be thrown away. They just need a chance to be cleaned and dried completely before use.

The following tips from our friends at Onyx Outdoor can be used to clean a life jacket of mold or mildew so that it can be safely used again. Just make sure you have a couple of days of dry weather in your forecast before starting.

1. Use water and mild soap along with a soft brush or clean cloth to scrub the areas where the stains are located.
2. Rinse with clean water.
3. If you still notice stains, you may need to repeat the process a few times.
4. When the life jacket is completely clean, hang it up to dry out of direct sunlight and do not put it back in use or into a storage container until it is completely dry.

Update added May 18, 2020

The following guidelines are provided by the Life Jacket Association on how to properly disinfect life jackets from the COVID-19 Virus.

1.      Use a 60-90% alcohol spray solution and spray the life jacket including the buckles, straps and zippers.

2.      While wearing gloves, hand wash the life jackets with hot water and mild soap. Rinse with clean water.

3.      Do not use bleach or put life jackets in a washing machine.

4.      Allow life jackets to dry completely for 72 hours (3 days) before reusing. Spreading them out in the sunshine and fresh air is the best option to dry them out completely.