Life Jackets, Ballast, and a big crew

[SONIC]

So I'm planning on taking a big crew out this weekend. 12 or 14 people.
What the hell am I going to do for jackets?

Any clever ideas as far as small stowable jackets?
I think once I put 12 jackets in there with ballast etc I'm going to be pushing the limits on storage. Factor in beer for that many people and I don't think I've got the room!

[sandm]

we always keep 5 of the orange ones up in front of the helm in that storage cubby. that way we only have to bring a few jackets that fit most sizes and we swap wet jackets.

same boat as you tomorrow. entertaining 8 guys from the east for a bachelor party on mead for the day. there's 8 of them and me. I'm bringing 4 jackets that fit most and the other 5 are of the orange variety that we have stuffed away.

[Zackdogg]

We have this exact convo about PnP, all the time, on our boat. We have 2 huge storage lockers that guys fill with water for PnP, and I can’t figure out where they put all the crap. We have one locker full of vests, and the other is full of beer, towels, and bumpers. Worse case, there’s nothing wrong with a cooler in the middle of the floor, and the quick access is convenient!! Guess you could just tell everyone to wear their vest the whole time, to free up storage.


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[SONIC]

Yeah I've got 4 of orange ones stuffed away but that takes most of a hold. Maybe I can stuff the anchor compartment with them lol.
Going to look like a magician with the never ending handkerchief when TWRA pulls us over.

I was looking into inflatables, but it seems they have to be on the user to count as a USCG vest?

[SONIC]

We have this exact convo about PnP, all the time, on our boat. We have 2 huge storage lockers that guys fill with water for PnP, and I can’t figure out where they put all the crap. We have one locker full of vests, and the other is full of beer, towels, and bumpers. Worse case, there’s nothing wrong with a cooler in the middle of the floor, and the quick access is convenient!! Guess you could just tell everyone to wear their vest the whole time, to free up storage.


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That's definitely the downside to an older boat without sub floor ballast. The majority of my storage is full of water most of the time!

[BCRider]

I can fit about a dozen life jackets in the locker in front of the drivers helm in my VE. You'd be surprised how many you can get once you compact them and stuff them up the sides and around the heater and such. I usually have at least 8 up there plus my large bumpers, rolled up 400lbs fat sac, and dry bag with spare rope, deflated Babz, bailer and a few other things.

[SONIC]

I can fit about a dozen life jackets in the locker in front of the drivers helm in my VE. You'd be surprised how many you can get once you compact them and stuff them up the sides and around the heater and such. I usually have at least 8 up there plus my large bumpers, rolled up 400lbs fat sac, and dry bag with spare rope, deflated Babz, bailer and a few other things.

That's the only dry storage we've got in this boat though so the wife always claims it for people's gear.
I can stuff a bunch of them in the passenger side locker but it will likely overheat my amps if we're blasting music.

Someone needs to come up with a USCG vest that compresses into a smaller form factor for storage.
To be honest in the event of a sinking we're likely going to grab the floaty noodles and wait for rescue anyway lol, in our lakes we're never very far from shore or people.

I may see if I can't find a canvas bag to hold a bunch of the orange ones and toss it on top of the bimini at the start of the day.

With that many people I doubt I'll need any bow ballast so I'll probably just shove as many as I can under the front seats, I think 12 will fit.

[UNSTUCK]

Your area may be different, but I understand our area's rules say that life jackets must be out and ready to put on. We can get in trouble if they are stowed in a locker or even wrapped around the tower and buckled. So they are always out taking up seat space. That being said, we have TONS of storage space in the RZX. We dont store anything in the rear lockers as the PNP takes it up. We have a large soft cooler that we keep in the walk through locker. We have never ran out of room in the observers locker for bags of towels/clothes and dry food. We almost never use the bow storage under the cushions either. The bench storage behind the driver seat is taken up by all our tow ropes and tow gear. The opposite side is taken up with bumpers and boat ropes, paddles, ect. We have had up to 11 people in 3 families join us. Never a storage issue.

[mikemcclain8]

So I'm planning on taking a big crew out this weekend. 12 or 14 people.
What the hell am I going to do for jackets?

Any clever ideas as far as small stowable jackets?
I think once I put 12 jackets in there with ballast etc I'm going to be pushing the limits on storage. Factor in beer for that many people and I don't think I've got the room!

Just FYI, we require all kids under 18 to wear the jacket while on the boat. Then, it's just a matter of storing enough for the adults. I use the orange ones stored up front under the cushions and stack a few behind the driver (22i). Not really helpful if the stuff hits the fan, but keeps me from getting a ticket from Missouri Water Patrol.

[Bamer]

I throw a few on top of Bimini and strap down with surf boards, one on top of each wakeboard in the rack. The boots fits through arm holes well. Make a small pile in bow area( non-surf side). Maybe pile in cabin(non-surf side). This way you don’t have to tell people to move to surf side. Lol

Can strap some to tower.


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[sandm]

we don't have kids and rarely ever have them on the boat. my opinion has always been it's up to the 'rents whether or not they wear them IF they are between 12 and 18. below 12, the couple times we have had them on the boat we mandate jackets. don't get many that come with us tho as we don't have nor want to buy kids jackets and anyone that has come with us don't own boats so usually don't have a jacket. did have a friend that became a regular for a few years and he invested in a good jacket for his teen daughter when she came.
I've never been hassled for having them in lockers and been boarded/inspected by sherriffs in idaho and coast guard in wisconsin(bay of green bay). they don't take their boots off tho. that irritated me.


back to the op, just get in your wayback machine back to 1970, buy a dozen of these and you are good to go

[crabo227]

Yeah I've got 4 of orange ones stuffed away but that takes most of a hold. Maybe I can stuff the anchor compartment with them lol.
Going to look like a magician with the never ending handkerchief when TWRA pulls us over.

I was looking into inflatables, but it seems they have to be on the user to count as a USCG vest?

TWRA? If you're in Tennesse, I'm pretty sure as long as you have enough jackets rated for adults on board you will be good. I can't remember exactly what the law reads but I seemed to remember that they must be readily available. They have never given me any issues as long as I have enough on board.

[SONIC]

Here In TN they are supposed to be "accessible" but iv'e been pulled many times and they are always OK with in lockers and even 4 of the orange ones in the original plastic bag.
It would suck having to have them strewn all over the boat all the time!
Same in SC where I grew up boating, we kept them all well tucked away unless the water gets rough, then we get them out and accessible.

[crabo227]

Where in TN are ya?

[SONIC]

Where in TN are ya?

Middle TN, a little south of Nashville.
Usually on Normandy or Tim's Ford