In lieu of having a real-live Swim Buddy or an escort paddler or kayaker, Rick Senn, Bruce Wigo and others are attacking an age-old open water swimming problem with different colors, shapes, sizes and price ranges.
While Rick has created the yellow-colored collar-shaped USA Triathlon-approved MySwimIt device, Bruce developed the orange-colored, oval flotation bag Swim Safety Device, approved by the International Swimming Hall of Fame. There is also the SafaSwim from New Zealand, a compact expandable lifeguard buoy-shaped red-colored personal flotation device, and the SwimSafe, another USA Triathlon-approved CO2 inflatable flotation device that is worn around your waist.
There is something for every need, taste and price range. Rick explains about the MySwimIt device, “MySwimIt is designed specifically for the open water swimmer. It empowers the swimmer to independently assist themselves in the open water if needed. Because it does not hinder or assist the swimmer when stowed, the safety device has been Race Approved by USA Triathlon and WTC. I wore one at the Ironman Florida, 2011. The peace of mind that is afforded the user of MySwimIt has eliminated the anxiety of open water swimming. Now everyone is in control of their own safety.“
And then there is Dennis Brown who is the holder of two United States patents for swimmer safety belts.
His 1993 patent (#5180321) describes “A belt of the invention is substantially hollow, and worn about the waist. The belt is able to be filled with a compressed gas from a cartridge coupled with it and puncturable by a pin whose placement is controlled by a pulling open of a belt buckle. A portion of the belt is adhesively secured in overlapping relationship, so as to unfold and expand outwardly under action of the compressed gas which fills it. The result is to increase the length of the belt when filled, thereby forming a tube riding under the armpits in holding a wearer vertically in the water, yet still allowing him or her to be able to swim about.”
His 1994 patent (#5368512) describes “A first belt of the invention–substantially hollow and worn about the waist–is able to be filled with a compressed gas from a cartridge coupled with it and actuable by a pin whose placement is controlled by a pulling open of a belt buckle or by a pulling on an included lanyard. A portion of this first belt is secured in overlapping relationship so as to unfold and expand outwardly under action of the compressed gas which fills it. A second belt of the invention–of conventional construction and also worn about the waist–underlies the first belt and is tethered to it. The end result is to increase the length of the first belt when filled with the compressed gas, thereby forming a tube riding under the armpits in holding a wearer vertically in the water–yet still allowing him or her to be able to swim about, while the tether prevents the tube thus formed from slipping over the shoulders and head of the wearer.”
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