# Jaws: Why DOES Quint say 'I'll never put on a life jacket again"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 10, 2022, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309 "2022-09-10T05:21:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/1 "2022-09-10T05:21:08Z")
And am I misremembering, but in the book, doesn’t him not having on a life jacket lead to his death? Maybe im misrembering… But to the original question, is he basically saying, “Fuck waiting around a week to die…if its my time, then its my time.”? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/2 "2022-09-10T05:23:30Z")
He doesn’t want to be hanging there, his legs dangling down, waiting to be eaten. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/3 "2022-09-10T05:26:35Z")
I think Quint meant he’d rather drown before the sharks tore him to pieces. IIRC, in the book, Quint is pulled down into the depths when the shark gives up the ghost — his foot gets caught in one of the barrel ropes. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/4 "2022-09-10T11:18:09Z")
I took it to mean that the whole process of waiting in the water, constantly terrified, watching friends being torn to pieces, was so traumatic that he’d rather drown quickly than prolong the torment. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/5 "2022-09-10T11:45:32Z")
I think it means he’s bad at statistics. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/6 "2022-09-10T12:37:04Z")
Old salts are always grasping at ridiculous excuses for not wearing a life vest without just coming out and saying they’re just uncomfortable. It’s like that guy who won’t wear a seatbelt because he’d be unable to escape a sinking car. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/7 "2022-09-10T13:01:11Z")
I can’t remember if this was from the famous scene at the boat table, or from a WWII memoir or such, but IIRC he swam over to a seemingly shell-shocked buddy after the Indy went down, shook him to get him out of his shock, only to see the poor sot flip over, revealing nothing left from the ribs down. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/8 "2022-09-10T13:18:44Z")
And another question about Quint (apologies if I’m misremembering - haven’t seen the whole movie in years): Why does he destroy the radio? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/9 "2022-09-10T13:46:40Z")
From the boat table speech, _Thursday mornin’, Chief, I bumped into a friend of mine, Herbie Robinson from Cleveland. Baseball player. Boson’s mate. I thought he was asleep. I reached over to wake him up. He bobbed up, down in the water, he was like a kinda top. Upended. Well, he’d been bitten in half below the waist._ ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/10 "2022-09-10T13:51:51Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Why does he destroy the radio? He wanted the shark for himself. Not just the reward money, but for personal revenge. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/11 "2022-09-10T14:01:19Z")
Also making it clear that ‘you bought your ticket and you’re on this ride til it’s over’. No ‘maydays’ for a rescue. Either the shark dies or I, and by extension we, die trying to kill it, there are no alternative outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/12 "2022-09-10T14:10:14Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > And another question about Quint (apologies if I’m misremembering - haven’t seen the whole movie in years): > > Why does he destroy the radio? It would’ve been too embarrassing to admit that the shark got the best of him. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/13 "2022-09-10T14:47:10Z")
And where did he go swimmin’ with bow-legged women? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/14 "2022-09-10T18:38:35Z")
I believe these ladies were from Spain. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/15 "2022-09-10T19:12:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > And where did he go swimmin’ with bow-legged women? Doesn’t matter where, just see ya’ got ya’ rubbers. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/16 "2022-09-10T20:40:35Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Why does he destroy the radio? Because he’s certifiable, you know that! He’s certifiable! > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Boson’s mate. I don’t know if that was a autocorrect error, but I believe you meant “bosun’s mate”. Presumably a boson’s mate would be a fermion? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/17 "2022-09-10T20:43:31Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I don’t know if that was a autocorrect error, but I believe you meant “bosun’s mate”. C&P from the first link that had the text. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/18 "2022-09-10T21:03:46Z")
So Quint sabotages the radio for sure, and he probably deliberately burned out the boats motor by overheating it when they were trying to lure the shark back to land. But did be also sabotage the engines by leaving their maintenance doors open so the salt water could pour in, or was that just an oversight on his part? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/19 "2022-09-10T21:28:58Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I believe these ladies were from Spain. Well, one of them was named Mary Lee I believe she died at the age of 103 They say for 15 years she kept her virginity Was that some kind of record for that vicinity? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309/20 "2022-09-10T21:57:22Z")
He didn’t sabotage the motors; he burned them out in a desperate attempt to drag the shark into shallow waters. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jaws-why-does-quint-say-ill-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again/971309.md?page=2)