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Lifejacket design competition, because no one wears 'em

By Rain Noe - November 9, 2010

in Object Culture | Competition

A rectangle with a hole in it. It's hard to believe someone's designed those, isn't it?

What isn't hard to believe is that boaters don't often wear lifejackets, largely, research indicates, because they're uncomfortable. And 80% of people who drown don't have a lifejacket on.

So, here's your chance to break out the design skills to solve this. The BoatUS Foundation is holding a lifejacket design competition, with one blue-sky aspect and one reality-grounded aspect: You can use whatever type of material or design you envision, no matter how radical--but you must build a working prototype.

The BoatUS Foundation believes that innovation and the application of new technology might entice more boaters to wear life jackets. If you are a creative thinker and have an idea for a new and innovative life jacket your ingenuity may help save lives. We don't have any rules as to what types of materials or designs are allowable. The Foundation wants you to come up with as many new, imaginative and out-of-the-box ideas as you can.

The Winning prize for the most innovative new design is $5,000. Best of all, your design is not required to meet US Coast Guard requirements to qualify or to win!

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Paul H

13 years ago

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perhaps one of the reasons why lifejacket design is stifled is because the costs involved to get your lifejacket/PFD tested and approved are so prohibitive.
Example....the cost to get a simple inflatable lifejacket tested and approved in the USA is circa 900% more expensive than in Europe at Test Houses and Notified Bodies that have a wealth of experience and are conducted by marine competent personnel.
Go onto Google and search for "EN396 lifejackets", "EN395 lifejackets", EN399 Lifejackets", "ISO 12402 Lifejackets", "AS1512 LIfejackets", "AS4758 LIfejackets".......there is a plethera of good products already designed and approved the world over at affordable prices that are stylish to wear and of a design that has proven themselves to serve safety to the wearer well for many years.
The "issue" here about getting people to wear them is to me anyway, "back to front"...the issue is providing a mechanism to enable such existing products to get approved easily...then they would be available...and perhaps then more members of the boating fraternity would be happier to wear the more comfortable lifejackets that are already in use in other parts of the world!
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Bob Johnson

14 years ago

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These surveys done I would be more curious about them. I suspect they aren't worn not just because they are uncomfortable. Life jackets have never been 'cool.' Plus if you are boating it's usually quite warm out and you are tanning and wanting to enjoy the breeze. I think the wakeboarding black and more sporty lifejackets look great but why would I want to keep a cold sopping wet lifejacket on after I am done boarding.
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Jeff

14 years ago

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Seymour Powell did a new Lifejacket design way back in the 90's (when 'Better by Design' was shown on UK TV).

It was worn like a jacket and vastly improved the existing design (which was critised after the Estonia disaster).

Lifesaver rejected the concept because it wasn't 'cost effective'.
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Johnny Hop

14 years ago

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"And 80% of people who drown don't have a lifejacket on."
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20% of people who drown have a lifejacket on? Citation please.

Did I just not get the joke? I am looking for a joke.

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