THE BOAT DOCTOR

Q:I have some life jackets that I bought for my older children some years back. These will now fit my younger children. However, one has a big tear in the fabric, and the other has a strap that is pulled loose. What kind of thread should I use to make repairs?

Jackson Howe

Bangor, Maine

A:My advice—and I understand the expense of raising kids and owning boats as much as anyone— is to destroy the old life jackets and purchase new ones. No one’s life is worth risking for the price. I say to destroy them to eliminate the possibility that a picker will salvage them from the dump or the curb in front of your house.