Brunswick Donates 868 Life Jackets for Loaner Program

After receiving an overwhelming number of applications for their nationwide Life Jacket Loaner Program, the Sea Tow Foundation called on the boating industry to donate life jackets to help fulfill all of the requests and save boaters’ lives across the country. Brunswick Corporation answered the call and has donated 868 life jackets to be repurposed in the Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program.   

The Sea Tow Foundation’s Life Jacket Loaner Program is the largest of its kind in the world, with over 1,000 stands located across all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. Established to prevent drowning, each of these stands has life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult extra-large that boaters can borrow and return free of charge to ensure that they have a safe day on the water. In the 2023 boating season applications, the Sea Tow Foundation received more than 250 applications from 46 states – a record number – creating a gap of 15,000 life jackets between what communities and organizations need and what the Sea Tow Foundation is able to provide through grants and donations.  

Brunswick’s donated life jackets came specifically from Land ‘N’ Sea warehouses located in Pompano Beach, Florida; Houston, Texas; Detroit, Michigan and Eagan, Minnesota. Land ‘N’ Sea is one of over 60 of Brunswick’s brands and is a full-service, wholesale distributor servicing the boating and recreational vehicle industry. All 868 of the life jackets are from their brand, Seachoice , which is a private label exclusive to Land ‘N’ Sea .   

The 868 Land ‘N’ Sea life jackets are being distributed for immediate use in Florida and Texas and will be ready to use during the upcoming boating season in Michigan and Minnesota. In Pompano Beach, Florida, 63 life jackets will be used at Pelican Harbor Marina at a loaner station hosted by Miami-Dade County Parks. In Houston, Texas, 7 life jackets will be used at a loaner station hosted by the Four W’s Fishing Team.   

383 life jackets will be used at loaner stations in Michigan hosted by the Ashleigh Iserman Boating Safety Foundation, Manistee Area Leadership Program and the City of Algonac. In Minnesota, 409 life jackets will be distributed to loaner stations hosted by Friends of Pool 2, SWELL Wakesurf, Hub’s Yacht Club and Marina and USACE – Pokegama Dam.