Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Be careful. Watch for boats. Keep an eye out for Jet skiers. Swim with a buddy. Swim in groups. Never swim alone.

These are safety tips known by all open water swimmers.

If you have a coach, trainer, parent or friend who is willing to head down to the shoreline with you, you may want to invest in a Pakboat, a folding or inflatable canoe or kayak that you can pack for travel and take anywhere. The Pakboats are light, sturdy, easy to assemble and disassemble, and are remarkably compact. The roomy Pakboats, the brainchild of Alv and Linda Elvestad, enable you to swim safely with an escort anytime, anywhere.

“They are great. We take our Pakboat everywhere,” said Jack Fabian, coach and father of Eva Fabian, one of America’s top open water swimmers who has traveled to Brazil, Argentina, Florida and California this year. “I take it with me on the plane or in the car and assemble right on the beach or lake. It’s really light and the swimmers can swim safely knowing that I am right escorting them all the way. It is great exercise for the coach, too.”

With the coach traveling next to their swimmers, the advantages are numerous. They can periodically take stroke counts, comment on stroke technique, provide hydration and feeding as well as provide the navigation so appreciated by swimmers. The confidence and enjoyment of the swimmers increases significantly when Pakboats are part of the equation.

Sounds like a great present and must-have for the seriously committed marathon swimmer, especially for those who like to travel and swim in new areas.

Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association