True story:
My daughter's best friend lost her father in this accident in their grade 12 year, 1998.
Herring opening in January in the gulf Islands. The fish boat that Leo was on was fishing in Tricomali channel, off the south end of Ruxton Island. Flat calm, clear and cold. The owners had a second boat that suffered mechanical problems, so the quota for that boat was transferred to his. After midnight, they were loading the last of the set into the boat when it turned turtle and went quickly to the bottom. Four aboard. All got out, 2 with survival suits on , two without. the two with suits survived. The two without huddled together, and worked their way to shore. they were located in the morning, but only one survived.
The WCB inquiry determined that the survival suits were still on their hooks. The sinking was too fast for them to get them. Two of the crew did get theirs, only because they were closer to where they were stationed.
SSuits work. You need to have them on, or close enough so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.