I am curious how many triathletes use a swim buoy or something similar while training in open water. I didn’t start using one until last year (been doing triathlons for 20 years). I am using one just in case the worst happens but also is convenient for fixing goggles, waiting for a buddy in the water, etc. I made a short video about using a swim buoy and put it on my site. Do you train with a swim buoy?
http://viewtherace.com/blog/entry/open-water-triathlon-swim-training
Good lord,next we will have folks asking to use those things in races!Might be a good idea for rank beginners but a “must have” item,I don’t think so.
Maybe compare using a swim buoy to wearing a bike helmet? Not necessary but there if the worst happens?
These are becoming a “must have” here on the North shore of Long Island. To many boats, to many close calls. You won’t even know it’s there. Getting cut in half by a propeller will certainly ruin your training!
Maybe compare using a swim buoy to wearing a bike helmet? Not necessary but there if the worst happens?
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Sure but I think the problem with todays crown of newbie swimmers is that they aren’t comfortable in the water.Enabling them by using aids like this won’t help and what then when they face a crowded race without their bouy…If they want to wait for their friends or fix their goggles you would be better served to teach them how to tread water.
now as a “be seen” safety device or for rank beginners maybe.
Maybe compare using a swim buoy to wearing a bike helmet? Not necessary but there if the worst happens?
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now as a “be seen” safety device or for rank beginners maybe.
How does not being a rank beginner make you more visible to a drunk boater?
Maybe compare using a swim buoy to wearing a bike helmet? Not necessary but there if the worst happens?
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now as a “be seen” safety device or for rank beginners maybe.
How does not being a rank beginner make you more visible to a drunk boater?
Clearly you didn’t see the word “or” in there somewhere…maybe you should read the post again.
…and fwiw, I suggest that you get your open water training done in the morning before the boaters have woken up.It is much safer that way.
I didn’t see the “or”. Sorry about that. The boaters start early here, and come in late. Like 5-6am in the morning late!
I am getting one and very comfortable in the water. As a matter of fact placing my order tonight. I am a newbie for sure so I am not denying that and will always consider advice from experienced triathletes but this is a matter of safety. I was swimming over Memorial weekend in a lake which is primarily a fishing lake so the boaters are not used to looking for swimmers even close to the shoreline. Not to mention I almost was hit by a jet ski. Some friends saw me swimming and pointed out that it was VERY hard to see me in the water. I am not worried about floating really as my wetsuit adds enough to keep me comfortable in the water. I doubt that this would really hold you up if something serious happened anyways. It is purely for visibility. There is no reason not to wear something if boat/PWC traffic is a concern. The other side benefit that I could see is that you could put a little weight/personal belongings in it and get a bit of an extra workout with it.
If you are swimming in a pond where boat traffic is not allowed or swimming in a beach area then there is really no reason to have one.
I didn’t see the “or”. Sorry about that. The boaters start early here, and come in late. Like 5-6am in the morning late!
Holy shit,I find jetskiers are the worst…luckily at the moment I only have to worry about surfers and sharks.
I have been wanting to find a little tow along way to store nutrition so I can get some long swims in and make good my threat of doing Ultraman Canada unsupported.
If you want to use one then hey go for it and have fun out there swimming.Maybe it would get more people feeling safer out there but my only concern is the “crutch factor” of relying on it for newbies who are jumping in the deep end of long course tri’s.
I’ve been thinking (a dangerous thing to let me do). Initially in jest but then started to think a bit more. What about those helium filled foil balloons. They should create next to no effect on you swimming, tie them to your zipper or around your waist. Get a large heart or something brightly coloured. And yes, with a large one (or 2), you could likely have a couple of gels carried aloft as well.
Well this may be a potential solution for OWS swims to warn boaters I then went to the next step.
Spectators would love to see where “their” swimmer was during an IM. So, not unlike colorful Jockies, allowing competitors to have a brightly coloured balloon attached to them during the swim would allow easier identification. But then I got to thinking, a nice IM with 2500 folks starting at once would be a very interesting sight. And I realize that all those folks getting tangled up in each others balloon lines would definitely occur and thus really screw things up. Still, I had an interesting mental image of thousands of brightly coloured foil helium balloons heading out around the buoys.
I agree. The swim buoy should not be used to “see if I can make it across the lake” and if I can’t I have my crutch. It is simply there if the worst happens…like a bike helmet. This is my second season using one and I have never needed it. But you never know. I also have been cycling for 25 years and have only really needed my bike helmet twice. I am comparing it to that.
I’ve been thinking (a dangerous thing to let me do). Initially in jest but then started to think a bit more. What about those helium filled foil balloons. They should create next to no effect on you swimming, tie them to your zipper or around your waist. Get a large heart or something brightly coloured. And yes, with a large one (or 2), you could likely have a couple of gels carried aloft as well.
Well this may be a potential solution for OWS swims to warn boaters I then went to the next step.
Spectators would love to see where “their” swimmer was during an IM. So, not unlike colorful Jockies, allowing competitors to have a brightly coloured balloon attached to them during the swim would allow easier identification. But then I got to thinking, a nice IM with 2500 folks starting at once would be a very interesting sight. And I realize that all those folks getting tangled up in each others balloon lines would definitely occur and thus really screw things up. Still, I had an interesting mental image of thousands of brightly coloured foil helium balloons heading out around the buoys.
…and if you want to include your family in your training you could just tow one of those banana boat things behind you.
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Maybe a wetsuit could provide flotation while swimming in open water?
This is in addition to the wetsuit. Basically it is whether you wear a wetsuit or not.
these work great!
That is something different.
You Canadians are such innovators. Jonnyo was ahead of you on that one though, and his even had a navigation system built in. Couldn’t find the original product release but here’s a follow up: http://jonnyoworld.blogspot.ca/2009/07/wurteles.html.
I’ve been thinking (a dangerous thing to let me do). Initially in jest but then started to think a bit more. What about those helium filled foil balloons. They should create next to no effect on you swimming, tie them to your zipper or around your waist. Get a large heart or something brightly coloured. And yes, with a large one (or 2), you could likely have a couple of gels carried aloft as well.
Well this may be a potential solution for OWS swims to warn boaters I then went to the next step.
Spectators would love to see where “their” swimmer was during an IM. So, not unlike colorful Jockies, allowing competitors to have a brightly coloured balloon attached to them during the swim would allow easier identification. But then I got to thinking, a nice IM with 2500 folks starting at once would be a very interesting sight. And I realize that all those folks getting tangled up in each others balloon lines would definitely occur and thus really screw things up. Still, I had an interesting mental image of thousands of brightly coloured foil helium balloons heading out around the buoys.
Totally gonna guess here but I suspect I’m going to be right - the balloon will likely get caught in your arms (or legs) to be used. The balloon is subject to wind buffeting it, so sometimes it’ll float in front of your head, right into your armswing, and other times right into your legs. Given how often my wetsuit zipper pull gets caught in my arms when I don’t roll it up and velcro secure it , I’d expect the balloon to cause some major chaos nomatter where it was attached, according to where the wind is blowing.
Of course, this is all speculation on my part, so if anyone has done this successfully, I’d be happy to concede.