To the one responder's comment that says they swim on a lake and boaters are cautious about swimmers in the water . . I will tell you that I have a 45-foot aft-cabin that has a flybridge where I pilot from about 25 feet high above the water. My visibility from there is outstanding!! (I can't image what it would be low to water in a run-about). Anyway when I'm in, out or around San Diego Bay (and even though I'm cautious) I still do not like just how quick and easy it is to "miss" seeing a swimmer, or kayaker, etc. in the bay water. San Diego Bay is an accident waiting to happen (and yes it will happen I don't care how cautious you are . . the number of swimmers and kayakers is ever increasing). I started seeing these swim buoys occasionally, probably about a year or so ago, and I'm an open water swimmer myself . . so I'm just now looking at this thread to see if there were any "cons" to having one. I certainly don't see one that outweights the absolute "pros" of making yourself more visible to boaters. I can tell you first hand that piloting a 50,000 lb craft at about 15 - 20 knots (not half the speed of some of the guys on the bay) AND after seeing one of these things in the water as I'm going by that I ALWAYS praise the swimmer as I go by and thank him/her for wearing it . . although they'll never know it. So thanks to all of you that do wear them . . and I'm buying mine right now.
To the one responder's comment that says they swim on a lake and boaters are cautious about swimmers in the water . . I will tell you that I have a 45-foot aft-cabin that has a flybridge where I pilot from about 25 feet high above the water. My visibility from there is outstanding!! (I can't image what it would be low to water in a run-about). Anyway when I'm in, out or around San Diego Bay (and even though I'm cautious) I still do not like just how quick and easy it is to "miss" seeing a swimmer, or kayaker, etc. in the bay water. San Diego Bay is an accident waiting to happen (and yes it will happen I don't care how cautious you are . . the number of swimmers and kayakers is ever increasing). I started seeing these swim buoys occasionally, probably about a year or so ago, and I'm an open water swimmer myself . . so I'm just now looking at this thread to see if there were any "cons" to having one. I certainly don't see one that outweights the absolute "pros" of making yourself more visible to boaters. I can tell you first hand that piloting a 50,000 lb craft at about 15 - 20 knots (not half the speed of some of the guys on the bay) AND after seeing one of these things in the water as I'm going by that I ALWAYS praise the swimmer as I go by and thank him/her for wearing it . . although they'll never know it. So thanks to all of you that do wear them . . and I'm buying mine right now.
