Why paddlers need extra care
Kayaks and canoes are some of the most accessible boats there are. They are light, quiet and need no engine, and that ease is part of the risk. They sit low in the water, they can tip, and the people paddling them are often close to shore and feeling safe.
A US Coast Guard press release on paddle craft safety, issued in June 2025, gives the national picture for 2023: most recreational boating deaths that year were drownings, 87 percent of the people who drowned were not wearing life jackets, and canoes and kayaks accounted for a disproportionately high share of the deaths. The Coast Guard's life jacket page adds a detail that runs against intuition: most boating drownings happen on nice days.
This guide covers the habits that the Coast Guard, the National Weather Service and park staff keep returning to. It is not a paddling course. Capsize recovery, rescues and reading moving water are skills to learn in person from a qualified instructor.
Wear the life jacket
The single most repeated piece of advice is to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket, not just to carry one. The Coast Guard's life jacket page says that a recreational vessel must have an approved wearable life jacket for each person on board, and that, even where the law does not require it, one should be worn at all times when the boat is underway. A life jacket works only when you are wearing it.
The reasoning is practical. The Isle Royale National Park paddling page points out that a life jacket is extremely difficult to put on once you are in the water. A capsize is sudden, and cold water, waves or an injury can leave no time or strength to reach a jacket strapped to the deck.
For children, the Coast Guard's page states that federal law requires children under 13 to wear an approved life jacket while a vessel is underway, except when below deck or in an enclosed cabin, and that state laws may differ. Check the rules for the state and the water you will paddle on; the land or water manager may also have its own.
The Coast Guard's own rule of thumb
The best life jacket is the one you will wear. A comfortable jacket that stays on all day does more than a better one left in the boat.
Fit, type and condition
The Coast Guard's life jacket page gives a short set of checks:
- Size. Check the label for the user's weight and chest size. Adult jackets may not work for children; child sizes exist.
- Fit. A foam life jacket worn correctly fits snugly and does not ride up above the wearer's chin or ears. Try it in the water to make sure your airway stays clear.
- Swimming ability. Some styles are not meant for weak swimmers or non-swimmers. Read the label and be honest about who will wear it.
- Condition. Test foam jackets for wear and buoyancy at least once a year, and discard any that are waterlogged, faded or damaged.
- Inflatables. Inflatable jackets must have a full cylinder and all status indicators showing green, or they are not serviceable. The Coast Guard says they are not appropriate for weak swimmers or non-swimmers.
Life jackets are rated by type or by performance level, and the label says what each is intended for. The Coast Guard's 2025 release notes that some styles are less bulky and well suited to paddling, which matters because a jacket that restricts the paddle stroke is a jacket that gets taken off.
Cold water and cold shock
The National Weather Service's cold water page starts with a warning that catches many paddlers out: warm air does not mean warm water. On a sunny day the water in lakes, rivers and the sea can still be cold enough to be dangerous.
The main danger in the first minutes is cold shock. Sudden immersion can cause an involuntary gasp and rapid breathing, along with sharp changes in heart rate and blood pressure. The Weather Service notes that the gasp and fast breathing alone raise the risk of drowning, even for confident swimmers in calm water. It also gives two figures that are worth remembering:
- The gasp reflex can be triggered by water as warm as 77°F (25°C).
- Cold shock can be as severe in water at 50°F (10°C) to 60°F (15.6°C) as it is at 35°F (1.7°C).
After the first minutes, cold water gradually takes away the use of the hands, arms and legs, which makes self-rescue and staying afloat without help very hard. Hypothermia, which the Weather Service says begins when core body temperature drops to 95°F (35°C), comes later still. A life jacket matters at every stage: it keeps your head up through the gasp, and it keeps you afloat once your muscles stop working.
Isle Royale's page describes how a large cold lake can turn: fog and sudden squalls can raise waves big enough to swamp a canoe or kayak, and safe landing spots can be scarce. Cold water and sudden wind are a dangerous combination, which is why that park asks paddlers to check the marine forecast and be ready to change their schedule.
Dress for the water
The Weather Service's advice is to dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature, and to check both the weather and the water temperature before you go. It lists options such as a wet suit or dry suit, and says that if the water is too cold for your protection, staying off it until it warms up is a reasonable choice. The Coast Guard's 2025 release encourages wetsuits or dry suits for paddling in water below 65°F (18.3°C).
Isle Royale's paddling page adds layered clothing under a windproof outer layer, and a reminder that cold water reduces your ability to swim, so knowing how you handle yourself fully clothed in cold water is part of being ready.
File a float plan
A float plan is a trip plan for the water. The Coast Guard's float plan page argues that it is just as useful for the owner of a small kayak as for a large boat, and lists canoeists, kayakers, rafters and stand up paddlers among the people who should prepare one. Without it, you are counting on a friend or family member to remember the detailed information rescuers need.
The Weather Service's cold water page suggests what to include: details about the trip, the boat, the people on board, the vehicle and trailer you left at the launch, the communication equipment you carry and emergency contacts. The Coast Guard also recommends including a recent photo of the boat. Leave the plan with someone you trust, agree what they should do if you are overdue, and tell them when you are back.
Ways to call for help
The Coast Guard's 2025 checklist recommends carrying two waterproof ways to communicate, giving a VHF-FM radio, a personal locator beacon or a waterproof phone as examples, so that you can still call for help if you are separated from your boat. Isle Royale's page notes that a portable marine radio typically reaches only a few miles, and suggests a personal locator beacon on longer trips.
The same checklist adds four more habits: label your boat so that a found boat can be matched to its owner without a needless search, check the forecast, tides and currents before leaving shore, stay sober, and get trained. Isle Royale's suggested gear list includes a spare paddle, a bailer or sponge, waterproof matches, dry storage, extra food in case bad weather holds you on shore, and a waterproof chart as a backup to GPS.
If you end up in the water
The Weather Service's cold water page passes on Coast Guard guidance for an unplanned swim. Stay calm and get out of the water as soon as you safely can, using anything that floats. If you can swim to safety, do so calmly. If you cannot, conserve energy and heat: draw your knees up, keep your legs together and your arms against your sides, a posture known as the Heat Escape Lessening Position, and if there are others in the water, huddle together.
For someone pulled from cold water, the page lists first aid steps developed by the Red Cross: call 911, move the person gently to a warm place, check their breathing, remove wet clothing and warm them slowly, warming the core of the body first rather than the hands and feet. Rewarming too fast can be dangerous. This is exactly the kind of skill a first aid course teaches properly.
Example: a lake morning
Worked example
This is an illustration and describes no real people or place. Two paddlers plan a morning on a large lake in early summer.
- The air forecast is warm, but the lake is still cold, so they choose wetsuits rather than shorts.
- Each wears a fitted life jacket from the launch onwards. They check the inflatable one's cylinder and indicators first.
- They leave a float plan with a friend: route, launch point, both boats with photos, the car at the launch, a marine radio and a phone in a waterproof case, and a return time.
- They plan a route that stays close to shore, with places to land if the wind picks up.
- When whitecaps appear mid-morning, they land at the nearest safe spot and wait, as their plan allowed.