The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program is the largest of its kind in the world, with more than 1,300 stands across all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Established to prevent drowning, each stand has life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult extra-large that boaters can borrow and return free of charge to help ensure a safe day on the water. During the 2023 boating season, the Sea Tow Foundation received more than 250 Life Jacket Loaner Program applications from 46 states – a record number – which created a gap of 15,000 life jackets between what communities and organizations need and what the Sea Tow Foundation was able to provide through grants and donations.

As a result, the Sea Tow Foundation called on the boating industry to help support their Life Jacket Loaner Program and fill the gap by donating life jackets. Newell Brands, a leading global consumer goods company, answered the call by donating more than 10,000 Stearns and Coleman branded life jackets and floating cushions, which will help keep people safe across the country.

The quantity of donated life jackets and floating cushions went to the following:

• 1,200 life jackets were shipped to the Sea Tow Foundation for distribution to Life Jacket Loaner Station Hosts across the country.

• 1,700 life jackets were shipped to Sea Tow Venice in Florida as a central distribution point to help replenish supply and re-establish loaner stations hosted by them and other groups in Southwest Florida that were affected by Hurricane Ian last fall.

• 7,300 life jackets and floating cushions were made available for existing Sea Tow Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Station Hosts and boating safety groups to pick up from the Newell Brands warehouse in Kansas.

The Sea Tow Foundation has also facilitated a connection between Newell Brands and the nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations: Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Inc. and the Corps of Engineers Natural Resources Education Foundation to donate an additional 10,000 life jackets.

After receiving an overwhelming number of applications for our nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Program, we called on the boating industry to donate life jackets to help fulfill all of the requests and save boaters’ lives across the country. Brunswick Corporation, a global leader in the marine industry, answered the call and has generously donated 868 life jackets to be repurposed in the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program.

Brunswick’s donated life jackets came specifically from Land ‘N’ Sea warehouses located in Pompano Beach, Florida; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Michigan and Eagan, Minnesota. Land ‘N’ Sea is one of over 60 of Brunswick’s brands and is a full-service, wholesale distributor servicing the boating and recreational vehicle industry. All 868 of the life jackets are from their brand, Seachoice, which is a private label exclusive to Land ‘N’ Sea.

“Safety is our number one priority both on and off the water,” said Mike Conners, Land ‘N’ Sea President. “We are thrilled to participate in the Sea Tow Foundation’s mission to make the water safer for everyone and the donation of Seachoice life jackets to aid in their mission was a perfect way for us to continue to support our great friends at the Sea Tow Foundation.”

The 868 Land ‘N’ Sea life jackets are being distributed for immediate use in Florida and Texas and will be ready to use during the upcoming boating season in Michigan and Minnesota.

If you have brand new or gently used life jackets that you would like to donate to a life jacket loaner station near you, use the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Drive online form and we’ll be in touch about a local life jacket loaner station that is in need of more life jackets. You can also find out more in this video blog about how to inspect your gently used life jacket to know if it is in good shape to donate.

Photo Captions:

Top left: Bart Shanks from Hub’s Yacht Club and Marina in Minnesota with donated SeaChoice life jackets.

Top right: Willard Franklin III form Four W's Fishing Team in Houston, TX with a LandNSea employee.

Bottom left: Four W's participants wearing the donated life jackets in Houston, TX

Bottom right: The City of Algonac, MI showing their donated life jackets.

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!