Youth and Lifejackets
- Christopher Maier
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Navigating the sea of regulations can feel harder than a beat into 30 knots of breeze. We hear questions about Canadian law versus the Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) all the time.
This post breaks down some of what you need to carry, what your youth crew should wear, and how to bridge the gap between "legal" and "safe."
This post is a walk through some, hopefully logical reasoning. I must give credit to someone else who helped to convince us of this logic by pointing out how some contradictions could be resolved and some product examples that helped put the pieces together. Thank You!
We start by what the law says, what World Sailing says, and then some deductions/inferences.
What does the Law in Canada Say:
The regulations in Canada that specifies what must be carried on board a typical small sailing boat is the Small Vessel Regulations. For anything specified in these rules, it must meet a standard that is recognised in Canada (S7(1)). There is a schedule at the end of the regulations that lists those standards (Canadian General Standards (CAN/CGSB) and UL - Not ISO). These regulations specify a carriage requirement. Importantly this is not a requirement to wear. In other words, all Canadian boats are required to carry PFDs or Lifejackets that comply with the regulations regardless of what you wear.
The distinction between carriage and wearing is important, but it should never be seen as a reason not to wear your PFD. It will only work if it's on.
With all of the above said, The first thing to note is the "Safety Obligation" which is a general statement outlining the obligation of the operator/skipper/person in charge:
201 The operator of a pleasure craft shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the craft and of every person on board.
The Next important requirement is a general statement about PFDs and Lifejackets:
202 If a personal flotation device or lifejacket that must be carried on board a pleasure craft is to be worn by a person less than 16 years of age, it shall be inherently buoyant.
The final important section is the one that outlines all of the life-saving appliances that must be carried on board. The following is an extract of the section regarding PFDs and Lifejackets:
204 A pleasure craft shall carry on board (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;
A note on contradictory information: There are other documents out there that may contradict the above. The above is quoted from the Small Vessel Regulations accessed 14 April 2026. The regulations can be accessed here. Check them out for certainty.
The Safe boating guide (p. 5) also provides some good advice on what to trust:
REMEMBER: Because boating laws change from time to time, make sure you have the most current information. If the SAFE BOATING GUIDE differs from the regulations, always follow the regulatory text. To learn more about regulations, use the direct links...
Our Assessment: The above tells you what you must carry, not what you must wear. As the skipper, you are responsible for ensuring those on board your boat are safe. There is nothing in the regulations that we could find (do the research yourself) that an inflatable life jacket, if it is appropriately sized, cannot be worn by a youth so long as an inherently buoyant option is available on board as part of the mandatory carriage requirement. Although it is difficult to prove a negative, we could not find anything in the regulations that says it is impermissible for a youth to wear an inflatable. (Please let us know if you find that in the regulations).
What does the OSR say:
The Offshore Special Regulations are World Sailing rules to ensure that all offshore sailing meets a reasonable standard of safety for the conditions of the race and ensures that sailors do not compromise safety below a reasonable standard in the drive for performance.
The relevant OSR rule is 5.01, which is extracted below. The list of subsequent equipment follows after this:
5.01.1A gas inflatable lifejacket which shall comply with ISO 12402-3 (Level 150) and have been manufactured after 2011. It shall be fitted with the following, each complying with ISO 12402-3 or ISO 12402-8:
The above is applicable to all categories covered by the OSR, and it goes on to say that crotch straps, manual and automatic inflation options are both required. Sail Canada permits in addition to the above certain UL Approved options in the 150N buoyancy range that have all the gear requirements of the ISO jackets. Generally speaking, the ISO compliant jackets have all of the equipment listed in the OSR, but it is always important to double check. Things like AIS MOB beacons are designed to work with this type of jacket - and do not work well with inherently buoyant jackets.
The Problem with ISO
ISO standards are not easy to see unless you have purchased access to them. The other issue is that "ISO 12402-3 (Level 150)" gives the impression that the jacket must have 150N of buoyancy, which might be inappropriate for youth or junior sailors.
Those who have seen the ISO say that the standard is a performance equivalent standard. That would mean that the jacket must have performance equivalent to 150N as it scales down to youth sizes. This is hardly 'proof'. However, we can be assured by inference that this is the case.
Take the following youth lifejacket:
This looks like a standard scaled down jacket that many are already familiar with. Spinlock markets the jacket as:
Ultra lightweight and low profile - a junior inflatable lifejacket for children in the age range 8 to 15 years old weighing 20-50 kgs.
In the product information Spinlock says:
Junior 150N Category Lifejacket Harness (100N Actual)
Then, if you go to the official "Declaration of Conformity" you can see where they declare that the jacket conforms to the OSR's ISO standard and performance level 150. This is the case even though the jacket only has 100N of buoyancy.
Conclusion: By logical inference from reputable sources, youth lifejackets can conform to the OSR standard.
Youth and Offshore Racing:
From all of the above, we can conclude the following:
The Small Vessel Regulations require carriage of an approved PFD/Lifejacket for youth which shall be inherently buoyant. This does not stop a youth from wearing an appropriate higher standard PFD.
It's the obligation of a skipper to ensure that all on board are appropriately supplied with a PFD for the conditions of the voyage.
If it is appropriate for an adult to have an offshore lifejacket the same applies to youth and they should have an offshore jacket.
The OSRs set a reasonable standard for the voyage/race being sailed.
The OSR sets the ISO and Sail Canada permits a UL standard for jackets
The ISO standard is scalable to youth.
There are youth ISO compliant PFDs on the market.
Our Assessment: Youth can compete in offshore keelboat events with the rules as they stand.
Finally, here are some links to youth PFDs that may meet the standard:
Spinlock Deckvest Cento Junior:
Final Thoughts:
When making decisions about life-saving tools, it's important to focus on what is really important. In a person overboard situation there are some serious challenges. Those challenges are made more difficult in offshore and night situations. Remember the skipper's obligation.
Problems associated with the person overboard that can be improved with the right equipment:
Keeping the person over board's airway out of the water and out of the spray.
Finding the person - lights, illumination and AIS beacons that deploy automatically
Getting the person out of the water and over high freeboard (harnesses and lifting points).
Finally, it is important to do your own research, practice, and satisfy yourself that you have met the standards and that your crew and family are well looked after, and then maintain your equipment and skills.
A big thank you to all the amazing experts that contributed to our knowledge of this topic!
Disclaimer: The safety information and advice shared in this article are for general guidance and information only. Every skipper and vessel operator is solely and ultimately responsible for the safety of their crew, boat, and decisions made on the water. All skippers must ensure they are fully informed, exercise their own judgment, and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and race rules. Readers should do their own research and consult with qualified professionals as needed, as situations on the water can vary widely and may require different actions.
Comments