Paddle boarding is a fun activity for the whole family, but safety has to be top priority says the Coast Guard.

This comes after a man died while paddle boarding without a life vest last week on Lake Champlain, and dozens of deaths in our region last year.

The message is simple: wearing a life vest could save your life.

"Last year in 2016, the Northeast sector, we had 55 fatalities,” said Lucas Weston, a petty officer with the U.S. Coast Guard. “That's a 60 percent increase from 2015.”

Weston says 45 of those people who drowned in 2016 were not wearing their life jackets.

"That goes to show you if you're wearing a life jacket, you have a much better chance of surviving," said Weston.

It’s a timely message, as water enthusiasts say paddle boarding is a trend that’s grown over the past few years.

"I've seen a giant increase in stand-up paddle board sales compared to our kayak and canoe sales, so it actually takes up a larger majority of our sales-floor stuff," said Kenzie Fuqua of Outdoor Gear Exchange.

Fuqua says a life jacket is something they stress when they make a sale.

"Whenever we're selling any kind of paddle craft we make sure that we sell a PFD [personal flotation device] because it is regulation by the Coast Guard," said Fuqoua.

Federal regulations require you to have a light and a sound making device like a whistle when paddling at night.