floatation aid

[bomboraa]

Anyone know of a surf specific floatation aid which would float you face up in the event of a seizure/blackout. Must be able to surf with it on, and can't need activating manually etc. Talking about tiny to small surf, not giant or even big stuff. Would also need to not hurt neck etc in event of wipe out even in pygmy surf.
Was even thinking of modifying a travel neck cushion if nothing available. There's one with a snap fastener. Just wear it back to front . Would even make paddling comfy!

[bomboraa]

Thanks MF but would need to be able to prone paddle in it.

[xe]

Have a look at the Patagonia buoyancy vest don't know if it will suit the purpose but the are the best surfing flotation vests.

[bomboraa]

Yeah xe problem seems surfing vests are meant to help you rise to surface while conscious.

[Animal_Chin]

Always surf with a mate?

[bomboraa]

Absolutely Mr Chin and lucky to have close bunch of mates offering chaperone duties but they can't always be around.

[SURFFOILS]

Been looking at the available buoyancy vests...they look a bit chunky.
My initial thoughts would be that for a purpose built surfing buoyancy vest...

1. The bouyancy should be as high as possible as the only part you need above water is your head. Put the bouyancy in an exact position so there's less chance of error.

2. It might need to have permanent foam inserts rather than be inflatable because at the onset of a seizure, you might not have the presence of mind to activate it.

3. The bouyancy can be used to lift by placing foam across the back of the shoulders or in front of the shoulders but it's probably best to put it in both areas. Sort of 2 segmented sections high across the front and back.
If you put the bouyancy at the front, it might lift your chest but allow your head to flop back under water. If the bouyancy is at the back it might lift your back and allow your face to flop forward into the water.

4. If would need to be secured to your body so it doesn't move yet not tight enough to strangle you, and it would also need to be made of a breathable fabric so it can't block your airway, maybe a rashvest with built in bouyancy around the top?

I'll do some more thinking and a few drawings and get back.
Any ideas from you guys ..?

[bomboraa]

Thanks heaps fellas. Yep is an interesting design conundrum. The massive majority of boat life jackets also seem to assume the wearer is conscious, and of course their bulk makes surfing and paddling (apart from SUPs) impossible.
Gonna take blow up travel neck pillow down to kiddies corner (with mate in tow) and wade out to see if it's a design starter point when worn in reverse. Probably won't have anywhere near the float to support even my lanky body.
Doing some Google research and came across that footage of Maya Gabeira almost drowning at Nazare. She had specific big wave surfing float vest on, loses consciousness and is floating face down when rescued.

[SURFFOILS]

Some sort of collar all the way round with a series of float blocks...





the best way to not drown is stay out of the surf and people have drowned using life vests so nothing is a guarantee.
Inflatable would be less obtrusive but if you don't inflate it, you're gone. Also there's the small chance of a puncture.
Flexible EVA foam leaves sewn into a rashie would be a more reliable method but could look a bit bulky.
Another issue with foam could be trying to duck dive...

[Animal_Chin]

Absolutely Mr Chin and lucky to have close bunch of mates offering chaperone duties but they can't always be around.

Cool. My wife's cousin started getting seizures. Had to quit his job as a roof tiler stop driving. Stopped surfing too.

Good news is that he hasn't had one for 2 years now. He's driving again but hasn't got back into the water (yet).

No idea about your situation, but maybe you'll get better?

[Karlos]

No idea on the flotation device but a story about my cousin's kid. He was having a lot of seizures, pretty much every day I believe, & she got onto a chiropractor who was able to treat him & reduce the incidence of his seizures to zero. At least the last I heard he wasn't having any at all. PM me if you want the chiro's contact details. It sounds to me like you have a serious problem, so if it means you can keep surfing it's worth investigating. Maybe Otway can chime in with some info?

[Yuke Hunt]

The clubbies have been looking into this for a few years. They haven't got an answer either.

Lifejackets designed for boating won't cut the mustard ... they'll float ya ... but you won't be able to surf properly in one. Duck diving would be near impossible too. What used to be called a PFD 1 (now a level 100 or 150) is the style of jacket required to provide head support for an unconscious wearer. The floatation is predominantly at the front and around the neck. It would be a most ungainly and impractical.

The inflatable style vests come in two styles ... auto and manual inflation. An auto inflation one would simply inflate as soon as it were immersed in the water. Where as the manual style needs the wearer to inflate the jacket when required. No good either.

The amount of floatation required to keep an adults head above the surface ... is lets say ... a fair bit. A collar type device would need to be the size of a small tyre.

I can't see an easy answer to this. Definitely not a practical one. Hope you resolve the problem.

[Animal_Chin]

No idea on the flotation device but a story about my cousin's kid. He was having a lot of seizures, pretty much every day I believe, & she got onto a chiropractor who was able to treat him & reduce the incidence of his seizures to zero. At least the last I heard he wasn't having any at all. PM me if you want the chiro's contact details. It sounds to me like you have a serious problem, so if it means you can keep surfing it's worth investigating. Maybe Otway can chime in with some info?

So you suggest he has a serious problem, then direct him to a chiro??

[SURFFOILS]

The human head weighs about 4.5 to 5 kgs but the flotation also needs to balance the weight of the body suspended under water too. also depends if the user is wearing a wettie or not.

[Karlos]

No idea on the flotation device but a story about my cousin's kid. He was having a lot of seizures, pretty much every day I believe, & she got onto a chiropractor who was able to treat him & reduce the incidence of his seizures to zero. At least the last I heard he wasn't having any at all. PM me if you want the chiro's contact details. It sounds to me like you have a serious problem, so if it means you can keep surfing it's worth investigating. Maybe Otway can chime in with some info?

So you suggest he has a serious problem, then direct him to a chiro??

Like I said, it's worth investigating. I mean I couldn't really give a fcuk what your or anyone else's opinions are regarding their usefulness, but I've seen the results in one kid who was having a hell of a lot of seizures after a particular course of treatment. The life jacket or flotation device doesn't look like an easy solution so why not explore some options. Either that or resign yourself to not surfing I suppose. I know what I'd do.

[Animal_Chin]

No idea on the flotation device but a story about my cousin's kid. He was having a lot of seizures, pretty much every day I believe, & she got onto a chiropractor who was able to treat him & reduce the incidence of his seizures to zero. At least the last I heard he wasn't having any at all. PM me if you want the chiro's contact details. It sounds to me like you have a serious problem, so if it means you can keep surfing it's worth investigating. Maybe Otway can chime in with some info?

So you suggest he has a serious problem, then direct him to a chiro??

Like I said, it's worth investigating. I mean I couldn't really give a fcuk what your or anyone else's opinions are regarding their usefulness, but I've seen the results in one kid who was having a hell of a lot of seizures after a particular course of treatment. The life jacket or flotation device doesn't look like an easy solution so why not explore some options. Either that or resign yourself to not surfing I suppose. I know what I'd do.

He's looking for a solution mate. Quacks like chiros and naturopaths are only out to rip gullible people off.

Why would you want to promote that?

[Karlos]

Yeah whatever AC.

[SURFFOILS]

The best \ worst experience with safety devices was with a loose life jacket, it rose up my body about 30 cms catching me under the arms and the top half of the vest was around my head.
I couldnt see squat, but it held me firmly around the armpits and i couldnt put my head in the water if Id tried.
something to ponder there about design, maybe something that rises up ....