Any Boaters out there...how about this safety device....

[2aguy]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

 

[RodISHI]

Not a bad idea.

 

[2aguy]

I could be all silver mylar so it would reflect sunlight.....

 

[RodISHI]

I could be all silver mylar so it would reflect sunlight.....

If it doesn't cost anymore than a nice depth finder for a small boat I would think it would be popular. Even in our little seventeen footer we got stuck on shoals one night when we used to spend winters in the Everglades. It worried our neighbors when we did not get back in on time. If we had punched a hole or something in the bottom it would have made it easier to find us.

 

[Muhammed]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

A balloon?

I have life vests with strobe lights and emergency radio beacons. And yes, EPRIBs with GPS locators have been on the market for quite a while now.

But I do use a balloon with big eyes on it to scare away seagulls so they don't shit all over my boat.

 

[2aguy]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

A balloon?

I have life vests with strobe lights and emergency radio beacons. And yes, EPRIBs with GPS have been on the market for quite a while now.

But I do use a balloon with two big eyes on it to scare away seagulls so they don't shit all over my boat.

Do you see what I am saying....a large Mylar ballon stays airborne for over a week........a silver mylar ballon, floating in the air reflecting sunlight would make it easier to find the guy in the water.........and it wouldn't rely on batteries to operate....

 

[Muhammed]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

A balloon?

I have life vests with strobe lights and emergency radio beacons. And yes, EPRIBs with GPS have been on the market for quite a while now.

But I do use a balloon with two big eyes on it to scare away seagulls so they don't shit all over my boat.

Do you see what I am saying....a large Mylar ballon stays airborne for over a week........a silver mylar ballon, floating in the air reflecting sunlight would make it easier to find the guy in the water.........and it wouldn't rely on batteries to operate....

Most of the time it isn't sunny. And most boating accidents occur in inclement weather. Many of them at night.

If you think it's a good idea go ahead and market them. But I think it will be a huge flop in the boating community.

 

[HUGGY]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

Yes I have a 33 ft 1958 Chris Craft Commander. Your idea would work in calm winds but a powerful water activated strobe works best. Also an all yellow body suit makes it easier to spot.

 

[blastoff]

These days there are all sorts of satellite/GPS devices for boaters, but human nature being what it is not enough of the boating community invests in them IMO. Coast Guard requires suitably-sized life jackets for everyone onboard and a throwable life ring for boats a certain size, which escapes me at the moment, and above. That's the minimum and as far as most folks go, which might be okay for inland lakes/rivers, but a potentially big mistake for ocean or great lakes boaters.

Like lots of things in life many believe it's always gonna be the other guy who runs into trouble instead of them.

 

[charwin95]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

Life vest with all the fancy gps gadgets etc etc etc...... has been available for as long as I remember. The balloon that i never heard before.
You mentioned fell over board....... Falling over board like cruises mostly these people are drunk or committed suicide. While on cruise there is no way walking around with your vest on just incase you jump overboard.

Now if know your boat is sinking then go grab your vest with the balloon is a plus.

 

[Cross]

Aren't sharknados attracted to balloons?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I know when someone goes over board it is often very hard to find them.....even with helicopters from the Coast Guard.....

Do they have GPS signal devices built into life vests yet?

How about this....when you fall over board you have a cylinder attached to your life vest with a mylar balloon in it......with about 50 ft. of string....you get a helium cannister with the vest......fill up the balloon and it would fly over you as you drift around the ocean.....?

Good idea but they already have GPS locators for life vests.