Getting into a lifejacket while treading water is much harder than expected, Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff discovered.
Four Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff tried this for themselves when they jumped into a pool fully clothed and attempted to get into one of these lifesaving devices yesterday.
The Navigation Safety Bylaw is currently being reviewed and the draft new version, which is currently open for submissions, includes a proposal that lifejackets must be worn at all times in vessels 6m or under unless the skipper advises otherwise.
As part of this review, four council staffers aged between 30 and 60 thought they would see for themselves just how challenging it was.
Representing the age group that made up 90 percent of recreational boating fatalities in New Zealand, they jumped into a 4.8m deep pool in their fishing gear, treaded water for three minutes, swum 30m, then attempted to get into a lifejacket.