Swimmer aid for kids (adults?)

[JohnO]

I bought the new toy and now am faced with the Girl wanting to play on it without a life jacket. I don't swim well at all. Perhaps enough to save myself for short distances. She has taken swim lessonas and can swim the length of the high school pool. She has total confidence in water over her head (which kind of scares me, KWIM).

Normally I have her in a jacket when the boat is moving or when she is in the water. But I've been wanting to find a way to get her some emergency floatation that would let her swim normally so she could learn how to swim well enough to save her self (The standard 30 minutes tread water sort of level)

I stumbled across the aquajogger Jr for kids. http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/2360.htm It's supposed to support up to 95 lbs. I figure this would keep her moving freely enough to work on her swimming yet keep her safe enough so I don't have a heart attack whenever she's in the water (She's my only child so I'm doubly paranoid).

Does anyone have any experience with this or something like it?

After she does well enough on this (swimming strongly) then I'd go to something tetherable, one of those lifeguard floats on a rope sort of things until she can show me that she never uses it.

So what do you all think.

(I may even get one for myself and learn to swim better)

[dockholiday]

If drownproofing is available anywhere near you I highly suggest it. I took swimming in college as a crip course. I didn't know drownproofing was part of it at the time. Drownproofing is basically a deadmans float where you ocassionally raise your head up for a breath of air. Going into the end of the quarter you got points toward your grade by staying out (drownproofing for 45 mins. more for having your hands tied behind your back an the most both hands an feet. I did the totally immobilized. It was a struggle the first 5 mins but after that I could have stayed out there all day, actually like being on a water bed. Most of the time I was floating over the drain which was 12 to 15 feet deep. Hindsight, I am so glad I took that course. Although I was a good swimmer back then, this will keep you afloat if you are injured. A real confidence builder, plus if you can drownproof you can swim.
Know this didn't address the question, but it might save someones life.
doc

[WaltF]

Is that 'jogger' an approved floating device?
Another possible thing i see with that is if for some reason it slid down her waist towards her feet, it might infact HOLD her UPSIDE down in the water.... Very bad scene...
Infact, anytime your floating device is past the 'pivot' point of tipping over, you run the risk of feet on top of the water, and head below.

That make sense?

If you cant swim well and shes learning, keep a jacket on that gal...

Plus, out here in the state parks in Colorado, everyone, regardless of age, has to have a jacket on while in the water... state law.

[GXPWeasel]

I thought it was federal law, that anyone under the age of 12 MUST at all times wear an approved life jacket while on the boat, in the water, being towed, etc. No matter what, it is a MUST unless on a dock or shore. Get her a little more expensive life jacket ( I like the neoprene ones ) that allow more arm movement. They allow you to move plenty to swim. Hell, my wife and I both are excellent swimmers, and we still almost always wear our lifejackets when in the water. They actually help you swim better. Not faster, but better.

[Stephen]

This is a little off topic, but for anyone looking for an easy way to float, without wearing your lifejacket, try turning your life jacket upside down and putting your legs through the arm holes. Not recommended for children, of course, but we all do it when we jump in the water, and we could stay in the water floating and drinking all day with little to no work.

[curtiscapk]

What Stephen said!!

[jimrs]

Those type of floation devises are not approved by the U.S.C.G. but they do work. When I learned to ski back in the old days. Early 60's that's what we wore while sking. A ski belt it would hold you up and save your life but it was not good enough for the U.S.C.G. so we had to change to ski vests. She could play around in the water with one but if you are pulling her or she is in your boat get a approved jacket on her of you will pay a fine.

I was 6' 3" and weighed 170 lbs and it held me up but they said no so no it was. The end of an era of freedom.

[JohnO]

Those type of floation devises are not approved by the U.S.C.G. but they do work. When I learned to ski back in the old days. Early 60's that's what we wore while sking. A ski belt it would hold you up and save your life but it was not good enough for the U.S.C.G. so we had to change to ski vests. She could play around in the water with one but if you are pulling her or she is in your boat get a approved jacket on her of you will pay a fine.

She'd definitely still wear her jacket when tubing or riding in the boat. I was just looking for something she could swim in that didn't restrict her too much.

[dockholiday]

just received this from west if anyone is in the market
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... id=E100614