Minnesota’s life jacket laws changed 12 years ago and now require that owners of most boats 16 feet and longer, except canoes and kayaks, carry one U.S. Coast Guard approved, throwable flotation device on board in addition to every passenger having a readily accessible life jacket. But according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) boating safety officials, many people are ignoring the laws.

“A throwable device simply means a boater’s flotation seat cushion in most cases,” said Tim Smalley, DNR boating safety specialist. “It’s cheap, it’s simple and it can save lives. The device needs to have the Coast Guard approval label attached and must be immediately available to throw to someone in distress. It may not be zipped into a bag or in a closed compartment.”

Other types of approved throwable flotation devices include ring buoys and horseshoe shaped buoys seen on some large sailboats.

Smalley said another problem is some boaters think all they need are seat cushions, not life vests. Years ago, throwable seat cushions fulfilled the requirement for flotation devices on smaller boats. That changed in 1996.

Minnesota law requires all boats, regardless of length (including canoes, kayaks and duck boats) to have readily accessible Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III or V wearable life jacket for each person on board. Type IV throwable devices, such as boater’s cushions, are no longer acceptable as wearable.

Some good news: DNR conservation officers are seeing almost 100 percent compliance for the requirement that kids under age 10 wear a life vest, according to Smalley.

More information on boating safety and the life jacket law is available by calling the DNR Information Center at (651) 259-6157 or toll free at 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367), or by sending an e-mail to boatandwater@dnr.state.mn.us.