Floating Jeans and shirts for Emergency Situations

My son just took a safety class regarding emergency floatation.

If you are wearing a button down shirt. Button all the way up to the collar. Then unbutton the second button and blow air into the shirt. This will trap the air in the arms and keep you floating.

You can all take your blue jeans off and tie each leg into a knot at the bottom leg portion. Button your jeans and zip up. Make a big swirl with your jeans trapping all the air you can and go under water. Fill the rest of your jeans up with air by blowing into them. The bluejean material expands when wet and will not allow air to escape. The legs will float up while you hold the belt portion of the jeans. He floated for fourty five minutes until his class was over. Never once having to reinflate.

Pass it along it may save one of us one day.

Make a big swirl with your jeans trapping all the air you can and go under water. Fill the rest of your jeans up with air by blowing into them.

Much easier said than done when you're in water over your head. Give it a try some time. Wearing a life jacket is much much easier.

[QUOTE=Tyme2fish;287090]Make a big swirl with your jeans trapping all the air you can and go under water. Fill the rest of your jeans up with air by blowing into them.

Much easier said than done when you're in water over your head. Give it a try some time. Wearing a life jacket is much much easier.[/QUOTE]

Much easier said than done, is right. That former special forces guy with the survival show on cable tried it crossing a mountain lake and gave up about halfway across.

Lol Your right about the life jacket but what if you fell off a cruise ship

This will only work for you in WARM waters. Don't depend on this to save you if you fall though the ice today!

Thanks Motalot any time someone passes somthing on to keep my fat butt from drowning I'm listening. Another tip if you fall overboard use your power trim mounted on the side of your engine if you have one simply stand on the cavitation plates and walk into your boat when the motor has tilted up enough.

[QUOTE=stratosjoe;287123]Thanks Motalot any time someone passes somthing on to keep my fat butt from drowning I'm listening. Another tip if you fall overboard use your power trim mounted on the side of your engine if you have one simply stand on the cavitation plates and walk into your boat when the motor has tilted up enough.[/QUOTE]

Now THAT is an excellent tip.

Reading this brought back memories. I was taught this at summer camp when I was a kid. If you swoop the jeans through the air, and do it just right (takes practice), you can trap almost enough air in them. Then you only have to blow a little more into them. It does take a lot of energy though, so you're definitely better off with a life jacket on.

i am retired navy and this is the very reason they still wear bell bottoms. it works and works well if you know how to do it. i saw a guy stay afloat in the north alantic for over 20 min. in rough sea's while we tried to turn the ship to pick him up..

This was part of drown proofing in boot camp. It works. There was also a technique where you float by just hanging limp. We had to do this for 45 minutes in 12 feet of water in order to pass the course. The big thing they taught was "if you don't panic, you don't drown" But as we all know the best way is the PFD.

Steve

You are talking about the Survival Float. I was taught this in life guard class and I had to teach this technique to Life Guards when I was a Water Safety Instructor.

Remember to tie the end of the shirt sleeve in a knot to trap any air inside the shirt. And I am not sure how bell bottoms will help if one has to tied the pant legs in a knot? Wouldn't that just negate the bell shape at the end of the pant legs?

You can also cup your hands and and push them down though the air into the water to get air bubbles to go into the pants to help fill them up with air. Hold the jeans with one hand and splash air bubbles into the opening with the other hand while treading water.




[quote=steve604;287264]This was part of drown proofing in boot camp. It works. There was also a technique where you float by just hanging limp. We had to do this for 45 minutes in 12 feet of water in order to pass the course. The big thing they taught was "if you don't panic, you don't drown" But as we all know the best way is the PFD.

Steve[/quote]

[QUOTE=jcb;287101]Much easier said than done, is right. That former special forces guy with the survival show on cable tried it crossing a mountain lake and gave up about halfway across.[/QUOTE]

I saw the same show, the guy made it across, but he had to re-swoop the jeans and trap more air in the legs..... Great tricks for survival if you watch his shows for sure.... I know I have learned a lot since I've watched hi survial shows....