Don't Swim - How Far Out Is Safe With A Vest?

[simonv]

Take an organized snorkel boat. They'll show you the area you should stay in. They'll take you to a protected area and you don't have to fight waves to get to clear water. They usually have crew patrolling the area on a surf board. Tell them you don't know how to swim and ask them to keep an eye on you.

It goes without saying that you should NEVER snorkel alone. If you are on your own snorkeling from shore, then non-swimmer shouldn't go beyond where you can stand. Remember any distance you go out, you have to come back again. If the tide is going out, you need to swim against it and it's usually quite difficult. I personally think snorkeling from shore is more difficult than from a boat.

I don't like wearing vests. I think it slows me down. But I usually wear body suite or shortie which gives me not only warmth but extra buoyancy.

[Leo Jay]

OK - you understand we're trying to help so....

 

Let's talk floatation aids. What does USCG test for? Well without getting to into the weeds, a float aid is intended of course to provide floatation - X pounds of lift. But life jackets go beyond that. The various classes of life jackets are grades of the jacket's ability to keep your head out of the water and in the highest classes, turn a victim from a face down - drowning - position to a face up. The jacket is built to roll you over in the water - those big bulky horse collars the cruiseline has in your cabin. You should try on a full Type 1 Navy battle jacket! The other classes are jackets for special purpose, skiing, fishing, work; which are designed to provide freedom of movement at the cost of less "righting movement" and sometimes even the complication of auto-inflation and the ability to be punctured. These are accepted because some aid is better than no aid; altho as a boater knows these jackets while encouraged to be worn at all times may NOT satisfy the legal requirements for the jackets needed on your boat...for an emergency

 

So what all this means is thet when you put on what is essentially a life jacket and try to snorkel face down you are going to be fighting the very thing the jacket is trying to do. The exception to this is an actual scuba diving buoancy compensator which are now designed with thought to distributing the 'lift' to complement the horizontal diving position, versus the ones of 20 years ago which were just modified safety vests.

 

As a poor floater, I do find wearing a shorty, or farmer john's of 3mm (or more) to provide a nice lift when I simply want to paddle around... Ever watch 'deadliest catch'? .... See those survival suits? They provide thermal protection and 'lift' w/out a sep' life jacket.

 

Try out a shorty in the pool ... see how easy it is too swim, float, tread water and snorkel. Then consider an inflatable safety vest over it.

 

When researching different types of vests, I was wondering about exactly the issue you mentioned -- whether the 'righting movement' would conflict with my desire to be face down while snorkeling. But I didn't remember having particular problems with the horse-collar type I used last year, so in light of Snorkel2Much's recommendation of a non-inflatable USCG-approved Type III or better, I thought either of those two vests might work.

 

But I'll consider using a shorty in conjuction with my inflatable vest as another option while I continue to research things. Thanks.

[scubaran]

http://www.amazon.com/Jet-Pilot-Nylon-Wakeboard-Black/dp/B000SAUA0W/ref=sr_1_1/103-4212191-5932656?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1186081044&sr=1-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/OBrien-Stripe-Neo-Vest-Small-Medium/dp/B000ST8QWW/ref=sr_1_11/103-4212191-5932656?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1186080933&sr=1-11

 

Hi again,

 

If you're looking for a solid vest, I think I like the jet-pilot the best of the two. It weighs less and looks less bulky (remember you'll want as free of movement as possible). I don't know where you live but you might check out a boat store or surf shop and see what they have and what fits best. Also, as I recommended before the shorty 3mm wetsuit is a good option. I wear my 3mm 'full' suit when I snorkel. I get funny looks at first from novices not realizing what it is, but as I float high in the water and come out nice and warm at least a few people come up afterwards and ask where I got it. Plus, as someone else pointed out, it protects you from sunburn as well.

 

Randall

[Snorkel2Much]

Ski vest vs. Shorty

 

The shorty will run you $75 and up, while the vest will go $25-35.

The vest will have some tendency to tip you upright, so you'll burn a little extra energy fighting that. The shorty adds sun protection and warmth. The vest has more buoyancy. They both take up about the same space in your luggage. Waterski vests & shorties wear out, get lost, stolen, etc. Swimming lessons last a lifetime. ;)

[tunseeker1]

Ok let’s try this again. O thought what I spent a bunch of time typing yesterday was posted but I guess not :(

 

Wow! I am surprised that more people haven't told you to do the first thing that popped into my head!

 

Some Ideas for you to think about. You may think you cannot float or swim but I think you can. I can't fly but I still make it around the country by using a few tools to help me ;)

 

If you came to me at a dive shop and told me, you wanted to snorkel (As an older gentleman did recently) I would point you in a different direction as some of the other posters.

 

First. Get into a pool with your gear and practice. The only way to be comfortable in the water is to be in the water. The only way to be any help to yourself in a problem situation is to know your equipment and how to work with it in a bad spot.

 

I think that if you were in water around 3 ft deep and put on a floatation aid and floated around it might make you a bit more confident in the water for a start.

 

Second Get in the pool with a wetsuit on and see how well you float now! I can't think of many people that can't float with a wetsuit on in fresh water let alone saltwater. Stay around the shallow end of the pool and just lay on your back in the water in the wetsuit. Once you get comfortable then you can have some fun. Roll over and snorkel around a bit. Try and do skills like clearing your snorkel. If you like to snorkel you might want to look at buying a dry snorkel to make it a bit easier on you when in the water.

 

Third and most harrowing for someone like you. Get your wetsuit on, pull on your snorkel vest, get your mask and snorkel and cover your feet in some fins and head for the deep end of the pool. (Stay close enough to the edge to hold on at first) Now work those fins! Most people can tread water very easily when wearing fins.

 

Its all about feeling comfortable in the water. Once you find out that you do float in a wetsuit and that it can deflate on you it might help ease your mind a bit. Once you find out you can tread water in the pool with fins on it might help out. When you put all these together you will be able to enjoy yourself just a little bit more.

 

Once you find confidence in the water it might be time to start with some lessons to help with swimming.

 

Now I know others may not agree with my logic but I know that if anything happens to you in the water your best chance for survival is to stay calm. Spending time in a pool will just let you be able to relax in the water.

 

Now if you do think they might be good ideas head to your local dive shop and talk to an instructor. Tell them what you want to do and ask them if you can pay an instructor for some pool time and get some of their rental gear to play with.

[nrh322]

Leo Jay... If you don't mind my asking... Where do you live? I wouldn't be surprised if one of us lives nearby or knows somebody that does. You might be able to find yourself a volunteer CC swim instructor or at least a good recommendation.

[Leo Jay]

Thanks for the information. Before reading the responses on this thread, I hadn't realized that shorties provided buoyancy -- I always thought they were solely for protection against sun and coral, so I never understood why someone would use them instead of a full wetsuit that would cover their full arms and legs. Makes sense now.

 

Leo Jay... If you don't mind my asking... Where do you live? I wouldn't be surprised if one of us lives nearby or knows somebody that does. You might be able to find yourself a volunteer CC swim instructor or at least a good recommendation.

 

I live in NJ, and work in NYC -- I have a friend who's a trainer at the Y, and he has some contacts there. Thanks.

[GAPopper]

I don't swim and can't float. I'll be going to the Carribbean (Tortola, St. Thomas, San Juan) in a few weeks, and I'm wondering about how far out it would be safe for me to venture out with my snorkel vest and fins. Last year, my first time snorkeling, I stayed very close to shore -- I'd guess... 15-20 feet or so? Considering I hadn't even been in the ocean in 20 years or so, I felt pretty comfortable, not really nervous at all, but I don't want to do anything stupid. Suggestions?

Lots of advice here, but thought I would add some more...

I am booked on a snorkel tour in St Thomas, and while I have snorkeled many times, one in my party (MIL) has the same reservations as you. When I discussed her concerns with Captain Omar from interlinesail, he told me that they offer snorkel vests and/or life vests, but he suggested she use the snorkel vest, which would keep her afloat while she just floated in the water; he also said that he could run her into the beach in the dinghy, and she could walk out chest deep into the water (go out as far as she was comfortable) and snorkle from the beach. (This is not as good as going off the back of a boat out closer to the reef area, but it's a good suggestion for someone who is not as comfortable in the water). Hope the beach suggestion is helpful- don't miss the chance to snorklel these beautiful caribbean waters.

[simonv]

Thanks for the information. Before reading the responses on this thread, I hadn't realized that shorties provided buoyancy -- I always thought they were solely for protection against sun and coral, so I never understood why someone would use them instead of a full wetsuit that would cover their full arms and legs. Makes sense now.

 

Shorties is cooler than full wetsuit. A 3mm full wetsuit is warm - gets quite hot snorkeling in the sun in warm surface water. But watch out for the back of your leg for sunburn while snorkeling with shorties.

[DiveMaster]

A few options - you can go with a shorty wetsuit to add some buoyancy, wear a standard life jacket, or take along a life guard. You don't float? In freshwater or salt? Salt does make you more buoyant. Best advice is to learn to swim, followed by have a life guard with an eye on you (shallows or deeper, as you can drift out). A life vest is not going to position you for snorkeling by the nature of its design. If your snorkeling vest lost floatation, a life guard or rescue diver would know what to do, but you might take an untrained person down in a panic situation. BTW, in salt you can snorkel in very shallow water where you can easily stand up. That is probably where you should stay.

 

 

 

I don't swim and can't float. I'll be going to the Carribbean (Tortola, St. Thomas, San Juan) in a few weeks, and I'm wondering about how far out it would be safe for me to venture out with my snorkel vest and fins. Last year, my first time snorkeling, I stayed very close to shore -- I'd guess... 15-20 feet or so? Considering I hadn't even been in the ocean in 20 years or so, I felt pretty comfortable, not really nervous at all, but I don't want to do anything stupid. Suggestions?

[Leo Jay]

Is it ridiculous to wear swim trunks over a shorty? Being new to them, I think I might feel a bit self-conscious walking around the beach with every contour in view...

:D

[simonv]

You wear swim trunk under the suit. Other way can't be done. Shorties are just a wet suit with short pants. Or there're wet suit tops. Won't keep your tighes warm but for tropican water snorkeling it works just fine.

[Leo Jay]

You wear shorties over your swim trunks. Other way can't be done. Shorties are just a wet suit with short pants. Or there's wet suit jacket, put it on like any sweater or jacket. Will do the same thing.

 

Not clear why you can't you wear trunks over them -- they're skin-tight, right? And since they're so tight, wouldn't it make more sense to wear a speedo-type suit under them, rather than trunks?

:confused:

 

Sorry if I'm missing something, or misunderstanding...

[Snorkel2Much]

If you're modest, wear the Speedo under some casual shorts to/from snorkel site and carry the shorty. Keep the Speedo on while you change from shorts to shorty. Leave the shorts on the beach/boat.

 

If you picked a good snorkel spot, no one will be checking your "junk" when you're in the water.

 

I've said it before, but swim lessons are by far the best value for money to enjoy your vacation, this year and for the rest of your life.

[scubaran]

Not clear why you can't you wear trunks over them -- they're skin-tight, right? And since they're so tight, wouldn't it make more sense to wear a speedo-type suit under them, rather than trunks?

:confused:

 

Sorry if I'm missing something, or misunderstanding...

 

Hi,

 

You're thinking of a "thin skin". this is a stretching outfit you can wear for sun protection and underwater stings. The shorty is 3 millimeters (3mm) thick (about 1/8"). It's typically made of neoprene and is worn OVER your swimsuit and/or t-shirt. Check out this link to show you what we've been talking about: http://www.diversdirect.com/group/Shorty_ID167.

 

Hope this clears up in your mind what we're recommending. :)

 

Randall

[Leo Jay]

Hi,

 

You're thinking of a "thin skin". this is a stretching outfit you can wear for sun protection and underwater stings. The shorty is 3 millimeters (3mm) thick (about 1/8"). It's typically made of neoprene and is worn OVER your swimsuit and/or t-shirt. Check out this link to show you what we've been talking about: http://www.diversdirect.com/group/Shorty_ID167.

 

Hope this clears up in your mind what we're recommending. :)

 

Randall

 

Yes, those were exactly what I'd been looking at/thinking of -- I guess I just imagined them to be stretchier and more close-fitting than they are. Thanks for clarifying.

[CarolBEllis132]

A snorking vest or pdf vest can deflate at any time.

 

____

Snorkeling With Life Vest

Edited April 7, 2015 by CarolBEllis132

[Capt_BJ]

nice resurrection so close to Easter

 

Previous last post Aug 2007

 

but we forgive you "post #1"

 

welcome . . . nice to see you are reading old threads for information . . .