Can you see me now?

Whether it’s a jacket, sweater, shirt, or foul weather gear, upper body clothing and lifejackets worn on a boat should be a bright, visible color. Black, gray, brown, blue, green, camouflage, and even white can be hard to see on a person in the water. The crewmembers take precautions not to fall overboard, but if someone does, it helps if he or she is wearing a very visible color, such as orange, red, or yellow. Clothing worn at night on deck should have reflective tape patches on the shoulders, chest, and around the wrists of a jacket, so a spotlight can see people working on deck or if they fall into the water. You can add reflective tape to some fabrics (use SOLAS-approved tape; buy it at a boating store), or use this as a good excuse to buy some brightly-colored, new boating duds that already have reflective safety patches