Are you a good swimmer?

[Stachi]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ thats ROTTEN !!! lol... but FUNNY !

 

[Stachi]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

From the age of 8 to 14 , I was a competitive swimmer. I swam for a summer traveling swim team , and during the winter I swam for a traveling A.A.U. team. I took junior and senior lifesaving courses after my competition days were over. I topped out at 5' 10" ...the other guys I competed with were taller , and had longer ,stronger oars to use...lol.
I am thankful for all of the experience but mostly what I learned in the Life saving courses. I know how to make a float out of a shirt or a pair of pants. I was also taught , that I could take a normal breath , put my head in the water face down and in tuck position . This position allows your lungs ( full of air and bouyant ) to float you when you need a rest from treading water. You will NOT sink , if your lungs are full of air.
I just thought this would be some good info for someone who doesn't swim well , or at all , if they should end up in the water waiting for help.

 

[Bass Buster One]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

My wife, my children (all grown) and brother and sisters all know how to swim. My grandchildren (Erin 5 and Stephen, JR 6) are learning and can do pretty well with their PFD vests. On Lake Lanier here in Georgia, we lose 6 to 10 every year,...........and it's very sad.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

My wife is a fair swimmer, the kids both swim like fish, and I am a fish as well.. Was on the swimteam years back, and a lifeguard while in HS.

 

[sandersps]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

I was never taught when I was little so now I'm typically unsure of myself. I'm good at swimming but, always afraid that I will tire out and sink. Because of this, I never leave the boat without something buoyant, unless I can touch bottom ( The depth finder is my friend) and My children will learn as soon as possible.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

I grew up taking swim lessons because my parents made me do it as a summer activity. Although I could swim for fun in my youth I never developed into a super strong swimmer. About 7 years ago I was forced to take up swimming for fitness when I was sidelined from distance running due to an injury. Now at the age of 37 I swim 64 lengths of a 25 meter pool 3 times a week. That is 1 mile in the water. I now consider myself a very strong swimmer so it is possible to develop better swim skills as an adult. I even have my eye on a triathalon later this fall. My kids are good swimmers and my wife is adequate.

That said, I am a big proponent of PFD's. Swimming skill level does not influence when PFD's are worn on my boat. We wear them as often as possible.

 

[AF rigger]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

Myself, I can swim pretty good. back in my military days, I would do 1 1/2- 2 mile swims as a form of exercise and for getting out of the heat of the desert. Both my children can swim well and were taught to swim before they started school. Have no problem with the swimming, but sometimes the depth of the water kinda freaks me out if I'm out away from boat. 30-40 feet does not bother me, but here in Carters Lake in North Ga, it is over 400 feet in places! If something bad happened, they would probably never find ya.

 

[CPTom21]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

My siblings and I are all American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors, and lifeguards. We all have been on multiple Swim Teams as both swimmers, captains, and coaches. My Dad is a SCUBA diver(and he used to be a lifeguard). I would say that we are all excellent swimmers. Even with all this experience we still don't screw around when it comes to the proper use of PFD's. There is always enough onboard. I just bought my first boat the other day, and I have told a few friends of mine that don't know how to swim that they will learn at least the survival strokes(elementary backstroke, and sidestroke), and learn how to use the PFD's I have onboard before I take them out. Even a great swimmer though can quickly succumb to shock and/or hypothermia, so PFD's can be a real "lifesaver".

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

In April of 2005 in NY and PA, there was some bad flooding, to the tune of a culvert under the highway getting washed out, and taking a couple of big rigs downstream with it.

You can still see the original pipe in the middle of the waters. This was just a small creek to begin with.

I lived about 30 minutes north of where this happened and the river was deep, wide, and fast.

After years of watching Rescue 911 and other shows, where people get rescued from the roofs of cars by helicopter when they're 50ft from shore, I had to have a question answered.
I always asked, why not just swim to shore, its not that far, and you're swimming perpendicular to the current, not against it..

So... I jumped in the flooded river, swam out 50 yards, floated for a bit, and then tried to see how hard it would be to swim to shore again.
Im typing this, so I made it. Quite the workout, and although it might not be viewed as a testament to my decision making skills, I hope it says more about my swimming abilities.

 

[kobe]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

Both kids can swim - daughter is on the Swim Team. Wife can swim half as good as she thinks she can and I can do a decent impression of my best friend!

 

[drrpm]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

I swam for my high school and college teams as well lifeguarding in the summer. My wife swam summer league and my 3 daughters all are competetive swimmers. The oldest is a lifeguard too. Most of my kids friends are good swimmers and they're the only guests we usually have. Panic is the biggest problem for poor or nonswimmers. If you relax and take a deep breath almost everyone will float.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

I have been in the water since before I could walk and I probably should have been on the high school swim team if teenage hard headedness hadn't gotten involved, I was also a beach and pool lifeguard, I am very confident in my abilities. That being said I do not require my children to wear PFD's in the water but I keep a very close eye on all swimmers near me and my boat, its just my nature, I am always aware of my surroundings and those within my personal "bubble" if you will.

 

[relocyo]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

Anyone elses folks give ya the basic doggie paddle demonstration then shove you off the dock?
worked well for me, as more than once ive dived off the boat with a dead battery with tow rope in my teeth and towed that SOB to the closest dock! Lol... Although ive lived in water all my life, towing a 23 ft bowrider with 6 passangers with the rope in your teeth is not advised, I came out looking like a champ, I was shot for the rest of the trip... Lol... And sore the next day lol.... Ah well... Just one of my stories...

 

[V153]

Re: Are you a good swimmer?

Good swimmer is one thing, strong swimmer is another. I was taught to swim at an early age and swam competitively through my teens. Could easily swim 3 or 4 lengths of a 25yd pool underwater.

But that was many moons ago. Don't kid yourself folks, age catches up with you. Keep a pfd handy.

Not to date myself but in 1971 my lil brother'n I were in close competition for the mile swim record across Lake Placid @ YMCA Camp Florida. I did it on a windy day in a hair over 20 minutes, next day (calm) the lil prick did it in a hair under. Still a matter of contention ...