Large Person Limits on Life Jackets?

[Willie Bee]

Does anyone have any documented answer to the maximum weight limit for a Type 1 adult life jacket? The regs require a type 1 life jacket to fit everyone on board, but there is no max. limit on the jackets. I'm finding out some boats were boarded last year by the coast guard and they ask to see the life jackets for some larger people on the boat. The manufactures I contacted only make a child for under 90lbs and a adult for over 90lbs per the coast guard regs, but no type 1 for larger people. I would think the manufactures would have tested the weight limits and as long as you could squeeze into the jacket it would hold you up. I hate to refuse people and tell them they are to big to go fishing, but it looks like that maybe in our future. The airlines have enough trouble with this.

Anyone else run into this yet?

[monkeypuke]

Hello Keith,

Never thought of xxxlarge life jackets. There are large sizes available but they are type iii. Do a search for stearns deckmate ii. I guess as long as it would fit a large person, it would be better then one a large person can't get on. Let me know what you find out.

[fishchallenger]

If the overweight person have a lot of fat then it would float more than a normal person... so a life jacket with 30 lbs of floating power would be more than enough.

If the extra weight is muscle then that have the same density as water, so will not affect buyancy.

An adult life jacket identified as > 90 kg should be Ok for all adults.

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