AS SEEN IN THE SPRING 2003 ISSUE

As an avid boater and a fisherman for many years, when it comes to safety, I, like many others sometimes do not give it much thought. However I recently came across a product that just makes good sense. The StayAlive life jacket is a common sense approach to boating safety. It's a revolutionary new concept that is sure to save lives.

What separates the StayAlive life jacket from other life jackets is that the wearer now has access to all his mandated safety gear, which is all attached to the life jacket itself. If an emergency should occur time is often short and stress levels are sky high. Once in the water, what more could you do? More often than not you would float around with your PFD (personal flotation device) on but with nothing else to aid rescuers in finding you and your family. I don’t know about you, but in the event of an emergency I don’t want to spend anymore time in the water than I have to. The StayAlive life jacket is designed so you only need one per boat. This is accomplished by the use of a lanyard system, which allows you to clip the others in your group together.

Invented by Dan Williams, who was a Florida Marine Patrol officer throughout the Florida Keys for over ten years. This idea was conceived from his years of boating experience, which included search and rescue. Williams saw a pattern emerge while searching for distressed boaters after they were forced into the water.

The people involved almost always had their PFD’s on when found but nothing else to assist rescuers in finding them. Williams explained that under the best scenarios it is extremely difficult to find people floating in the water, even with aircraft support. You just can't see them. During night time hours or with bad weather conditions, most people were not found until the next day. Often, the survivors themselves would comment on how they spotted the plane while it passed right by. Unfortunately there were also instances when the individuals were found too late. Exposure to the elements for too long, will kill!

“One day four years ago, while on a search and rescue mission looking for survivors, the StayAlive concept was born” says Williams. The idea was to attach all your boating safety equipment into panels on the life jacket itself.

Now you could be able to use your flares, whistle, flashlight, mirror, and other safety items while in the water — thus greatly increasing your visibility. That same night, Williams went home and sketched the idea on a piece of paper. Along with the support of his wife C a s s a n d r a , Williams took one small step at a time until fabricating a one of a kind Coast Guard approved “StayAlive” life jacket. The StayAlive life jacket contains a dozen water survival tools inside the panels. Including 3 water proof flares, reflecting mirror, buddy lanyard, inflatable signaling device, collapsible bailer, waterproof flashlight, two phosphorescent light sticks, 45 feet of line, and a distress flag. All of these items are attached in such a fashion that when the unit is worn, it's hard to tell the StayAlive jacket apart from any other PFD. It’s not big nor is it bulky. The entire package only weighs 3.12 pounds. While all items are important, a few deserve special attention. The inflatable signaling device was designed by Williams specifically for the StayAlive unit. It is a very simple but effective tool which is blown up with only two breaths.

This is a pole like device that once inflated should be waived above the head in choppy sea conditions, greatly increasing your visibility in rough conditions. There is reflective tape molded on the end so the same tool can be used at night when a searchlight is being waved over. The lanyard system is extremely important due to the fact that people drift at different rates while in the water. Use the lanyard to clip waste band to waste band keeping the group together. This can be done using the existing PFD’s you already have on board. Remember you only need one StayAlive life jacket per boat. The back of the StayAlive unit also has a pocket that holds the 3ft by 3ft bright orange distress flag.

This is designed to float on the surface behind the wearer, allowing for a very large visual which will assist rescue aircraft in spotting you. The StayAlive life jacket carries all of your mandated safety gear except a type 4, throwable flotation device and a fire extinguisher. If you should be boarded for a safety examination there is no need to look all over your boat for your safety gear. Hand the officer your StayAlive and the two items just mentioned. There are many more benefits to the StayAlive life jacket.

For more info please visit their website at: www.StayAliveInc.com. The big question. How much does it cost? Before I tell you, ask yourself a simple question. How much are the lives of everyone on board worth? The price for a fully equipped StayAlive life jacket is only $199.00 The StayAlive life jacket is more than a purchase; it is an investment that I would highly recommend you consider.

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