PADRAIC O BROLCHAIN,
Sir, - In reply to Ena Phelan's letter (August 20th), I am totally in agreement that a careless attitude seems to prevail with the non-wearing of lifejackets.
The guilt is not exclusively that of boat hirers; many privatley operated boats are also to be seen jacket-less.
Many tragedies could have been averted if this quite simple precaution had been taken. It is particularly true of the Shannon, where people feel it to be "safe" as the shore is usually quite close.
However, a person's bouyancy is considerably lower in fresh water than in the sea, which can cause even experienced swimmers to panic when immersed unexpectedly.
The point made about an 11-year-old steering the boat, is, however, not as big an issue. In my experience most 11-year-olds are considerably better than their elders at boat handling. They certainly learn more quickly, and are more cautious. - Yours, etc.,
PADRAIC O BROLCHAIN, Monkstown, Dublin