to make teens wear lifejackets?

[Knitwit101]

My 15 yr old teen and his friends want to use our paddleboard this weekend. I've told him that's fine, but when they are on the board they have to wear a life jacket. And a parent needs to be on the beach to supervise.

He's raging because they are 15 and can walk down and go in the sea without a parent any day of the week.

AIBU in saying that if they are using our paddleboard they will be supervised and wearing lifejackets?

They can do what they like the rest of the time, but I feel like if it's our equipment it's our responsibility to keep them safe.

And would you want contact numbers for parents? Or is that a step too far? I'm confident about my lifejacket decision, less so about the phone numbers.

Damn teens, they mess with your mind and make you doubt yourself. Or at least mine do. They are world champions at arguing their case.

Buoyancy aid whilst on paddle board.
I’d not supervise them whilst there: Id tell him I trusted him & his friends to follow the rules in borrowing the board. Then add that you’d probably pop down to have a shot yourself at some point, and he’d not be trusted again if they weren’t doing as agreed.

That’s assuming there are no dodgy tides and currents, they can swim well, etc etc.

I agree with Saz.

On a paddle board they won't know if they have gone out of their depth, and it is easy for wind/tide/current to get them into trouble. So definitely buoyancy aids.

Well they're in the sea so there is always the potential for unexpected currents. Would be different if they were on a lake.

I would not be happy to think of a bunch of 15 yr old boys on a paddleboard in the sea without an adult around.
We hear stupid stories all the time of teenagers getting rescued because they've floated too far out on their flamingo inflatables.
One of us would have to drive them down with the board anyway.

I feel like if it's our equipment it's our responsibility to keep them safe.
Agreed.

Get phone numbers - you never know when you might need them.

I wouldn't supervise them but I would insist on a buoyancy aid.
Assuming they are reasonable swimmers and have paddled before.

I would possibly hang around at a distance if you are driving them down.
If there is only one board then they won't be able to go very far a group.

There have been at least three fatalities in water in the UK recently, two involving teen boys. I'd be explaining that and sticking to my guns.

Absolutely they’d have to wear what you suggest and yes, I would probably be nearby.

Your equipment, your rules.

Lifejacket and buoyancy aid are different things. Anyone who doesn't know the difference isnt competent to be on open water.

Technically they are children and the law is clear that there is a higher duty of care towards children. Since they are your paddle boards and you are giving them permission to use them, if they had an accident and anything happened (which is pretty common with teenage boys messing around) then they may be able to sue you for breaching your duty of care towards ensuring their safety. Its tricky because while they are almost adults, in the eyes of the law, they aren't, and while they are using your equipment, you may be seen as being responsible for them

I would contact the friend's parents to make sure they know and consent; and to impress upon them that their son MUST wear a lifejacket otherwise he can't take part. It's not negotiable.

To your son. |I'd say "lifejackets are not negotiable and I've told his parents so. Any more argument from you and there will be no paddle boarding at all for either of you.

I’d insist less on phone numbers than bouyancy aids. Much like if you were giving a 15yo a lift you wouldn’t insist on a parent’s phone number but wouldn’t set off without seatbelts.

But it would be a sneaky chance to get phone numbers with the carrot or paddle board, which might be useful if parties etc are happening...

I would go and supervise just because from his attitude I wouldn’t be sure I could trust him to wear it when there.

Lifejacket and buoyancy aid are different things. Anyone who doesn't know the difference isnt competent to be on open water

I'm dyslexic, I struggle with vowels beside each other so avoided the buoyancy word in my post so some pedant didn't pick me up on my spelling.

Anyhow, teenager has now said that if he has to wear one like a big kid then he's not going. So that solves that problem.

As a fellow dyslexic I had to have several stabs at it before my spell check was able to identify what I was trying to say!

Also you may well have lifejackets.

We as my name suggests do our water sports on a lake so don't.

Anyone any age should wear a lifejacket in that scenario.

We all did water sports in the sea several times a week as teens in the free and easy 70s. All wore buoyancy aids or life jackets, and we weren’t supervised by adults because at 13+ we were responsible for our own safety.
No aid, no activity. He’s being a prat. How does he feel about seat belts?

Just to be clear my dc do wear buoyancy aids, just not life jackets.

I wouldn't let dc on the water without them, I also wear them myself because I'm not an accomplished swimmer.

Life jackets are big and bulky, and are (mostly) designed to keep your head above water in an emergency. For paddle boarding, a buoyancy aid would suffice - they're more slimline, a bit "cooler" looking and will allow them to swim more easily if they're in the water (if they fall off the board, etc). It's also really nice just to bob around in the water wearing a buoyancy aid, I do this on a fairly regular basis as it's so relaxing 🤣

I would definitely put my foot down and insist on a buoyancy aid. Absolutely no point risking anything, especially as they're in the sea.

@lakesummer

Just to be clear my dc do wear buoyancy aids, just not life jackets.

I wouldn't let dc on the water without them, I also wear them myself because I'm not an accomplished swimmer.

Having seen several deep water sailors knocked overboard by the boom, two unconscious and having helped good swimmers out if capsized boats, being a good swimmer isn’t often much help if you are taken unawares. Or get a unexpected current. Courses, clubs and professionals have rules about compulsory safety kit for good reason. Every summer the stupid and cocky are either rescued or die due to their belief in their own immortality.

if they're using, and are correctly tethered to, an inflatable paddleboard, then that's a pretty big buoyancy aid. When I had a lesson we didn't have to wear anything other than lightweight sports clothing.

When I had a lesson we didn't have to wear anything other than lightweight sports clothing.

I've never worn much more than a string bikini. Perhaps the OP could suggest that as an alternative.

Buoyancy aid. Give them a waterproof phone case too. In our house it's not negotiable, water activities= buoyancy aid/ life jacket.

Not many booms on a paddle board @Sumerisicumenin

I guess I'm in the minority but that all sounds ott to me. As pp has pointed out, a paddle board is a pretty good buoyancy aid and if they have to be watched by mum then I can quite see why they arent keen.

www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/it-was-pitch-black-rescued-teenager-describes-night-afloat-with-her-cousin-in-galway-bay-1.4330185

This is why you are right to insist on lifejackets and supervision. If your DS is still throwing tantrums he is definitely too young to be unsupervised.....

@BarbarianMum

Not many booms on a paddle board *@Sumerisicumenin*

I guess I'm in the minority but that all sounds ott to me. As pp has pointed out, a paddle board is a pretty good buoyancy aid and if they have to be watched by mum then I can quite see why they arent keen.

Maybe you’re right. Most of us survived our exploits. But I’d still expect a buoyancy aid to be worn, as a basic safety measure. My three are adults now, confident in the sea and on inland water. With the correct kit.