I was looking at a thread on SA, about an Aussie law mandating wearing PFDs on all boats under a certain length. It got me to thinking about my sailing safety habits. I rarely wear a lifejacket. I own several (from fanny pack to type IV offshore) for various types of sailing but unless it is mandated by the SIs, or the conditions are really ugly, I don,t put them on.

I have been known to require my crew to vest up when needed on the big boats, and I am religious about using a harness when offshore at night but for some reason I don't vest up even sailing singlehanded. Most of the sailing I do is singlehanded. I prefer it that way(get along better with the crew!). I've sailed a Lido 14 all over the Bay and have only worn a PFD twice (after 1000 mi.s). On both occasions I capsized but the conditions were real ugly and I saw it comming. I've singlehanded big boats all over the gulf coast and can count on one hand the number of times I wore a Jacket. JC says I'm crazy. Too many things can happen. He may be right. I've been dismasted a few times, had broken rudders, busted boards, pilot failure crash jibes, busted halyards,tillers,steering quadrants, ect. any one of which could have resulted with me in the water. But they didn't and I think it may be that I am very aware of all the bad things that can happen and so anticipate them better (or it could be I'm damned lucky). I think we develop a "sailors intuition" which allows us to feel the danger comming (or maybe I'm insane).

Our sport really isn't all that dangerous when compared to 50 years ago. The equipment is a lot better, the boats are a lot safer, and we're not sailing clipper ships to China. I think some of the attraction of sailing is the ever present risk of things going wrong. I like to deal with the unexpected. I like a little bit of danger.

I'm wondering what you guys think about this issue and whether you , like JC, think I'm an idiot (not generally but specifically) for not wearing a vest. Should the Coasties (or the RCs) mandate it. Is this an area for Big Brother to save us from ourselves or should the common sense our mothers gave us continue to be our guide. I quit running with scissors years ago. Maybe it's time to change my sailing atyle. Nah.