SAFEST FORM OF BUOYANCY = LEVEL

Dangers of "Positive" or "Basic" flotation in boats

Dangerous, really? Yes, because this smaller amount of flotation is often placed under a vessel's floor or in the seats, so when that boat then takes on water, the buoyancy (air) is under or below the weight of the crew. Where does air want to go when it's underwater? The flotation rises the hull to one side, the water sloshes to the other side, the boat loses all balance, and the crew is tipped into the drink, while all your fishing & safety gear sinks. It's a traumatic story we hear frequently, and it happens very fast!

So why is "Basic" or "Positive" flotation used so often?

Well, Level flotation takes up more room inside, and is more expensive to build into a boat, so Basic/Positive flotation is used to keep space at a maximum and retail prices affordable. Basic/Positive flotation is meant to keep a compromised boat from sinking down to the depths. It just leaves the crew paddling and clinging to the bow (usually) until help arrives, so life-jackets are paramount to survival.

How is "Level" flotation better?

Level flotation is like a life-jacket for your boat. When the right amount of buoyancy is used in the right place, it will keep a flooded vessel, full of crew and equipment, balanced and safe. Kapten Boat Collars do this by placing the flotation around the outside of your vessel, giving it a life-raft quality that's similar to an inflatable boat, while taking up no room inside your boat.

All commercial boats in Australia must have level flotation by law, because it gives the crew of a swamped boat the best chance of avoiding injuries & exposures, like hypothermia, but also allows them a chance to motor ashore to safety.