Very well said. Of course, any of the safety devices be it swimit or saferswimmer or any other ones that are out there, will not protect you from everything. There is a dilemma with these safety device.
One problem is that inexperienced swimmers rely on these devices way too much and push their limits far beyond their capabilities since they think they are safer with these devices. On the other hand, these devices help someone overcome the fear of swimming in open water which is great.
I think it just comes down to the individual person’s attitude. Both of the inventions were created with a great purpose behind it and they work as intended. If someone chooses to believe the unbelievable :), that it will protect them from everything, they are asking for it anyway and sooner or later, safety device or not, it will catch up to them. Same goes for the people that choose not to use it. Perhaps that one time you were arrogant and think that nothing can happen to you, you experience some sort of a trauma and then it is too late to return back to the beach to get the safety float :). We all make decisions every day, so use common sense and don’t let marketing or your stubbornness get better of you 
As the inventor and developer of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s SaferSwimmer, I’d like to address a few of the comments in this thread. First, this is not something that is towed. It rides in the eddy or drag created by the swimmer’s back and is actually pushed forward and kept within the eddy by the leash. The original intent and genesis of the idea came in 1981 when I swam across Lake Zurich in my speedo. Almost run over by a fast moving boat, I was advised to get a red cap. It didn’t help. On another trip, I left one side and it was sunny and 80 degrees. When I landed it was freezing cold and I was without money or clothes. After making some prototypes that would address these two swims followed - allowing me to swim, without an hinderance or obstruction to my stroke. Then a little over two years ago - a friend of mine died in an open water swimming race for no apparent cause and I look back on my life as an open water swimmer, lifeguard coach and parent several incidents made me recognize this device could be used for greater good. Two of the incidents occurred to my son, Wolf Wigo, a 3 x Olympic water polo player - and recently the color commentator on NBC for the Olympic water polo broadcast. The first incident occurred when he was body surfing in Perth Australia. He had apparently eaten some bad muscles and had a first time attack of anaphylaxis and went into shock 100 yards off shore. Fortunately some of his teammates were there to save him. In another incident, he suffered shallow water blackout doing underwater training in a swimming pool. Then there was the death of Fran Crippen at World Championship open water race in the middle east… so recognizing that the water is a dangerous element, or can be, to some of the best watermen in the world, we developed or product. In my youth, when I would swim a mile offshore in New Jersey training for lifeguard races, I probably would have scoffed at this idea too. Like the veteran hockey players who refused to wear helmets or bikers who railed against helmets - but no longer. I comment Rick and others who are developing products that will make the Swimming Safer and hope that someday we can reduce the number of tragedies - which is the mission of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. And we are gratified that our device has been credited with saving several lives.
Ours may not be for everyone, but When considering personal safety and peace of mind for you and those who care about you consider the following advantages of this device:
- It makes you visible to boaters, jet skis, kite boarders or other potential human hazards while you are swimming;
- It can be used as a floatation device when you need it in the case of cramps, dizziness or injury and it can also be used to rescue others;
- It can also keep your “stuff” safe while your swimming or allows you to take along your “stuff” on one-way swims across rivers or lakes.
Unlike running, when a swimmer suffers a stroke, heart attack or unconsciousness you sink and disappear below the water. As a recent incident at Christmas Lake in Minnesota demonstrated, when observers saw the SaferSwimmer™** **Float not moving, it alerted them in time to revive and save the life a swimmer who otherwise could have been added to the not insignificant number of open water swimmers who have drowned in recent years. Most notably, the great American open water swimmer, Fran Crippen.
*A final point to consider is that 100% of profits support the operation and programs of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF). To order a SaferSwimmer or for information about ISHOF visit www.saferswimmer.com
The International Swimming Hall of Fame was established in 1965 as a not-for-profit educational organization in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Its mission is to promote the benefits and importance of swimming as a key to fitness, good health, improved quality of life and the water safety of all adults and children. http://www.ishof.org
I just wanted to thank you for this. I have ordered one and my parents are muling it down here (where I live the post is “iffy” to say the least and not to be trusted) and I hope to be using it soon. I swim in an area of boat traffic and am asthmatic. Wearing a pink and/or red cap and a white rashguard help for visibility, but not for asthma. Thanks again!
OWS alone is a big no no. Especially in a none designated swim area where there are boats.
That’s just plain stupid (alone or not). Dragging an orange buoy doesn’t fix stupid.
I swim alone in the ocean almost every time I swim in the ocean. I have various reasons for doing this (hard to find partners willing to swim in adverse conditions is one).
The only time I’ve ever been in danger while swimming (I’ve been close to drowning while surfing on several occasions) was while rescuing a distressed swimmer. She was in a state of panic and saw me as a flotation device.
Any old school Hawaiian lifeguard knows how I got her to stop pulling me down.
I never recommend that anyone swim alone in open water (even though all these triathlon swimming deaths happened with hundreds or thousands of others, including safety personnel right there).
I think you’re missing the point of such a safety device in triathlon.
You wouldn’t use this to substitute for inability to swim, even for a beginner. There are plenty of stats showing that triathlon swim deaths overwhelming due to someone who can’t swim, but from cardiac events in the water that render someone (even a world class swimmer) unable to swim and thus drown.
Even YOU would be completely helpless in similar cardiac situations. If it can take out Fran Crippen, it will almost definitely take you out as well, no matter how good a swimmer you are, and how well observed the course is.
The question is whether someone who goes into distress on the course would be aware or fast enough to pull the correct safety cord in time to get the flag up before they sank. If it were effective for such incidents, I’d absolutely get one. HOwever, I don’t think we’ll ever see that data - there are just too few swim deaths in triathlon to ever make statistical sense of it. So in the meanwhile, I’m going to go with that statistic (of rare deaths) and go without.
I haven’t used them personally so I can’t comment on their effectiveness. If you’re not entirely confident with your swim, most athletes find it best to start on the edge or outside of the pack. It helps avoid being run over by crazy swimmers.
As a Former U.S. Navy Rescue Swimmer and Current Ocean Lifeguard at the Jersey Shore. I think having it is not a bad thing, but if you are swimming with it inflated, thats a dumb idea. You won’t find me wearing flotation at a race and I know better when to look at currents and water conditions if it’s safe to go in. Even during the summer if I am at the beach, I will let my lifeguard friends know I am swimming and that pretty much it.
Great idea, but you should be using it as a safety device when maybe nobody is around at all. If I am swimming in the ocean alone, I only go out to where I can barely stand or something along that line of thinking.
SwimIt was at the River Roux Triathlon (half distance) this past weekend. Our swim takes place in False River and is a single loop affair (False River is an abandoned oxbow lake left over from when the Mississippi river meandered another way some time in the past). The water was 66F, unexpectedly down from 72F earlier in the week. Locally, we are unaccustomed to swimming in water this cold in South Louisiana and cold water can have some odd effects on folks, even with experienced swimmers. We had a warm up area and people were allowed to warm up from the boat ramp before their wave start - we still had a few swimmers struggle in the beginning with the chop/temps (nerves?), etc.
I think the SwimIt device is a great idea - for racing or even better, for practice swims when you wont’ be monitored by dozens of kayaks/boats/paddleboarders. It’s compact to wear and easy to deploy. I just did IMFL and although I would not classify that swim as hard, the swells did require a little more effort to sight and see the buoys/boats, ergo it makes it harder for the boats/kayakers to keep a constant eye on all the swimmers as well. With 2500+ people in the water it’s not reasonable to expect eyes on every swimmer, all the time. I think this type of safety device bridges the gap between self rescue (the swimmer removing themselves from the water or swimming over to a boat for assistance) and relying on being spied by a rescue kayaker/boat to come and get you. The device deploys a brightly colored flotation collar that is very easy to spot from afar.