Re: [Paddlewise] Plastic garbage bags

From: Steve Jernigan <jernigan_at_chester.uccs.edu>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 09:03:27 -0600
At 05:15 PM 08/25/1999 EDT, TGP33_at_aol.com wrote:
>Has anyone ever used a plastic garbage bag as an emergency floatation
device? 
>It's already folded, all you have to do is wave it arould until it fills up 
>enough, squeeze the opening, keep it in front of you and dog paddle to the 
>shore. I tried it on a lake and it worked fine. It's no substitute for a
vest 
>but it can come in handy.

Hi All!
Never tried that one, but, for what it's worth, you can achieve reasonably
effective floatation by removing your pants (assuming you aren't wearing
shorts), knotting the cuffs, and waving them thru the air so as to inflate
the legs. Wet fabric holds air for quite a while, some better than others.
My Supplex trousers work particularly well, but even worn Levis will float
you for a few minutes before you have to re-fill them.
I wonder how many of you a)remember his trick, and b)have practised it. God
bless the Boy Scouts!
ByeBye! S.
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Received on Thu Aug 26 1999 - 08:04:41 PDT

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