A friend of mine tried to illustrate the importance of wearing a life jacket to his 4-year-old daughter in a dramatic fashion. As she was walking down the dock, he snuck up behind her and pushed her into the water. Splash! She'll probably be afraid of life jackets for the rest of her life.

While my friend's method may have been wrong-headed, his motives were well-intentioned. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, life jackets are the number-one way to save a life in the event of a sudden, unexpected capsize or a fall overboard – accidents that account for 85 percent of all boating accident fatalities nationwide.

The Coast Guard estimates that proper life jacket use could help prevent two-thirds of all drowning-related deaths in children. In fact, a Coast Guard-approved life jacket is probably the single most important piece of safety equipment you can have on board a boat.GARY BECKETTLife jackets use is governed by both state and federal laws. The federal law says children under 13 must wear a PFD when the boat is underway.

Of course, it can only save your child's life if he or she is actually wearing it.

IT'S THE LAW

As every boat owner knows, federal law mandates that all recreational boats carry enough Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) for every person on board. But children are a special case. Most states have a regulation requiring children to wear their PFDs on board. To cover the states that don't have such a requirement, a federal regulation was adopted in 2002 mandating that all children under 13 wear a PFD any time the boat is under way.

But some of the pre-existing state laws go farther. And "if a state already has a PFD law on the books, our officers will enforce what the state mandates," says Coast Guard Recreational Boating Safety Specialist Michael Baron, adding that the Coast Guard recommends every boater take a state boating education course to learn what the law requires in his or her area.

Regrettably, a life jacket is usually the last thing a child wants to wear on the water. Typically they are bulky, awkward and hot. They restrict the very freedom that we go boating to find in the first place. So how do you get your kid to wear a PFD?

The first step is to buy the right kind of life jacket. Make sure it is Coast Guard-approved for recreational boating, and not one of those inflatable vests drugstores sell for use in a swimming pool. While water wings and "floaties" are bright and kid-friendly, they don't have the level of flotation necessary to keep your child afloat should he or she accidently wind up in open water.

The new inflatable PFDs, which self-inflate on contact with H2O, might seem like an ideal solution, since they are skinny and light, and don't restrict movement. While they're considered a gift from heaven by fishermen, the Coast Guard does not consider them sufficient flotation for kids, requiring the wearer to be at least 16 years old. Children must wear standard, full-vest PFDs that fall in the Coast Guard Type I (Offshore), II (Near Shore) III (Flotation Aid) or V (Special Use) categories.GARY BECKETTChildren should be taught that life jackets are essential safety equipment for all boat activities.

All recreational boating accessories stores, from West Marine outlets to the chandlery at your local marina, carry PFDs. You can also order them online, but unless you are replacing a worn-out vest with an identical model, it's best to shop for them in person – and bring the child along.

A PERFECT FIT

Before you go, be sure you are up to date on your child's weight and chest size, because PFDs are sized by these two measurements rather than by age or clothing size. Start with the tag, which specifies whether it is an Infant, Child or Youth PFD and gives the measurement range. (If the tag has been torn off, don't worry – Coast Guard-approved life jackets also have the pertinent information written inside.)

For safety's safe, you will need to ensure that the PFD is a perfect fit. Resist the usual parental urge to buy a life jacket your child can "grow into." A large, loose PFD can be worse than no PFD at all if your child slips out of it while in the water. On the other hand, the life jacket shouldn't be so tight that it is a constant reminder of its uncomfortable, chafing presence.

So, how do you achieve this magical Goldilocks, "just right" fit? Put the life jacket on the child, adjust the straps for a snug fit, and buckle or zip it up. Then stand behind your child, grasp both of the jacket's shoulders with your hands and pull up. If too much space opens up between the part you're holding and the child's shoulders, or the vest rides up over the chin and face, it's a bad fit.

An Infant PFD, rated for a baby up to 30 pounds, has a strap that goes between the legs for extra security and extra flotation behind the head. Once again, it shouldn't fit loosely or ride up over the infant's face.

While most life jackets are the same basic shape, Type III PFDs have some styling variations that make them more comfortable for different water-sport activities. For example, if your family spends a lot of time water-skiing or wakeboarding, you can look for a Coast Guard-approved ski vest. Anything that makes the PFD more comfortable in action will make it less of a burden to your child.

Some life jackets are festooned with cartoon characters, which make them more fun to wear. Stearns has a clever product called the Swim & Doodle Vest. Your child is invited to draw on it with a set of washable markers. When the PFD gets wet, the colors wash away, wiping the "slate" clean for the next art project.

WATER-SPORT ESSENTIALS

It's important is let your child know that life jackets are essential sports equipment, just like a bicycle or ski helmet. Whenever they are in the boat, they must wear it. Many parents enforce the rule starting in the marina parking lot, since docks can pose as much of a hazard to young, active children as decks. Whether you let your child take off the PFD when the boat is at anchor is up you, but common sense applies. If the child can't swim, it's best to keep it on.

Naturally, it's also a great water safety tool; when my girls were small, they liked the security the life jacket gave them when they jumped off the swim platform into deep, murky water that was so different from the clear pool water.

Remember too that the number-one way to get your child to wear a life jacket without a fuss may be to wear one yourself. Buy yourself a breathable, comfortable PFD instead of the cheapest one you can find on the market, and lead by example. As Baron put it, "The Coast Guard recommends: always wear a life jacket, and require your passengers do the same."