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. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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. In the old Blue Jacket, the WW II sailor's manual I inherited from my brother, it suggested a sailor use his pants for emergency flotation: take them off, tie off each leg cuff, wave the pants over one's head and then gather the pants as tight as you can around the open waist end. It does work. A couple of years ago a sailor fell overboard from an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf area. He did the same thing for some 48 hours until rescued by a local fishing boat. You have to keep doing it every 15 minutes or so but it is better than nothing. I know of some swimmers who carry a condom in the small pocket of their bathing suit. It can be blow up and hugged for emergency flotation. I will avoid the obvious wise cracks about other uses leaving that to more childish minds...you know who you are. :-) But I have a question. Why have a plastic bag for such a purpose? Your PFD ain't going to fail if you are wearing it. When do you expect to be separated from your PFD? I can see a large plastic bag as a survival item to help ward off hypothermia or getting chilled while in the water. Get inside the bag and tuck the top in around your chest slipped under your PFD. It would reduce the amount of water that you are warming with your body. If you were wearing shorts and a T-shirt it would greatly reduce heat transfer from your body that is always warmer than the water around you. Not a bad idea for summer time or just on the edges of cold water season when you may be without cold water clothing on you. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I used my vest as a pillow, I was able to lay down in the K1C with my legs and feet out of the cockpit and just drift along. When I woke up I couldn't believe that I crashed out. I thought about what I did and saw the bag in my cockpit and then I figured I'd try it out. In boot camp they told us to make sure to keep your pants and ball cap wet when you use them as floats, it seals the air inside. It was part of the abandon ship training. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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. One of the instructors in our club gave us similar advice this winter - except he recommends carrying a big, orange, body-bag type emergency blanket thingy. Not the light aluminized mylar stuff, but a heavy orange plastic bag. He's tested it and didn't have to wave it around; the wind was enough to inflate it. I think Coghlans sells them. The plus is that it remains as an emergency shelter/blanket etc. He carries it in a pocket he's attached to the back of his PFD, along with matches etc. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Heavy Duty Black Garbage Bags are great. I carry one whenever I am in a single or light twin engine airplane. The idea is if you crash (which I did once) you pull the bag over your legs, as high up as you can. Then your cute wiggling legs are not as appealing to the sharks. Keeps a little body heat in too. Pat --- Michael Daly <michaeldaly_at_home.com> wrote: > 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. > > One of the instructors in our club gave us similar > advice this winter - > except he recommends carrying a big, orange, > body-bag type > emergency blanket thingy. Not the light aluminized > mylar stuff, > but a heavy orange plastic bag. He's tested it and > didn't have > to wave it around; the wind was enough to inflate > it. I think > Coghlans sells them. The plus is that it remains as > an > emergency shelter/blanket etc. He carries it in a > pocket he's > attached to the back of his PFD, along with matches > etc. > > Mike > > > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: > paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ > *************************************************************************** > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Fri, 27 Aug 1999, Pat Moss wrote: > Heavy Duty Black Garbage Bags are great. I carry one whenever I am in a > single or light twin engine airplane. The idea is if you crash (which I > did once) you pull the bag over your legs, as high up as you can. Then > your cute wiggling legs are not as appealing to the sharks. Keeps a > little body heat in too. What if one is too old to possess either cute wiggling legs or body heat? Trying to make some of us feel bad, aincha? (Or still thinking about that 12' shark that swam between our boats last month?) e Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
-Pat Moss wrote; >Heavy Duty Black Garbage Bags are great. I carry one whenever I am in a >single or light twin engine airplane. The idea is if you crash (which I >did once) you pull the bag over your legs, as high up as you can. Then >your cute wiggling legs are not as appealing to the sharks. Keeps a >little body heat in too. >Pat I've read where the Navy experimented using different color bags to deter sharks in the same manor Pat states. Black was determined to be the color sharks were less attracted to. Certain shades of yellow was dubbed yum yum yellow. Arthur *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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