Training and safety device for open water swimming

Abstract

An open water training and safety device includes a flexible hollow cover having an internal cavity, and a flexible wall defining at least first and second compartments. An amount of buoyant floatation material is mounted in the first compartment. The buoyant material is sized to provide buoyancy for a swimmer supported by the device when floating in the water. The second compartment may be a pocket sized for carrying swimming accessories therein. The cover is closable so that the swimmer may selectively open and close the two compartments. Advantageously a hydration pack is mounted or mountable in one of the compartments. An elongate towing tether is mountable at a base end of the tether to the cover, for example by means of a harness which includes a pair of straps. The tether is adapted at a distal end thereof, distal from said base end, to be releasably mounted to the swimmer for towing said device behind the swimmer.

1 . A training and safety device for open water swimming, said device comprising:
 a flexible hollow cover having an internal cavity, and a flexible wall defining at least first and second compartments,   an amount of buoyant floatation material mounted in said first compartment, and sized to provide buoyancy for a swimmer supported thereby in the water,   said second compartment sized for carrying swimming accessories therein, wherein said cover is closable to selectively close said compartments,   a hydration pack mounted in one of said compartments,   an elongate towing tether mountable at a base end thereof to said cover, said tether adapted at a distal end thereof, distal from said base end, to be releasably mounted to the swimmer for towing said device behind the swimmer.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said hydration pack is mounted in said first compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said floatation material includes a further cavity therein, and wherein said hydration pack includes a body and a drinking tube extending from said body, and wherein at least said body of said hydration pack is mounted in said further cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein said drinking tube extends out of said further cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said hydration pack includes a drinking tube and a length of said drinking tube extends out of said first compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said drinking tube extends out of said cover. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said cover is made of water-pervious material. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said water-pervious material is fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said hydration pack is mounted in said first compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said floatation material includes a further cavity therein, and wherein said hydration pack is mounted in said further cavity, and wherein said hydration pack includes a body and a drinking tube extending from said body. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 3  wherein said floatation material includes at least two separate pieces and wherein said further cavity is sandwiched between said at least two pieces. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein said pieces of said floatation material are sheets. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 7  wherein said second compartment is a pocket. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein said wall is substantially planar and separates said pocket from said first compartment. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 5  further comprising a fastener mounted to an exterior surface of said container, said fastener adapted to releasable fasten said length of said drinking tube to said cover. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14  wherein said compartments are each substantially rectangular parallelepipeds. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein said floatation material is mounted snugly in said first compartment whereby said first compartment forms a buoyant kickboard for the swimmer. 
     
     
         18 . The device of claim I wherein said floatation material is mounted snugly in said first compartment whereby said first compartment forms a buoyant kickboard for the swimmer. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18  wherein said first compartment has a plate-like shape. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17  wherein said first compartment has front and rear opposite ends and wherein said towing tether is mountable at said base end of said tether to said front end of said first compartment. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a releasable harness mounted to said cover and adapted to releasably harness the swimmer to said cover whereby said cover forms a floatation life preserver. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20  further comprising a releasable harness mounted to said cover and adapted to releasably harness to said base end of said tether, and, without said tether, to harness the swimmer to said cover whereby said cover forms a floatation life preserver. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein said harness is mounted to said front end of said first compartment. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein said first and second compartments further comprise first and second flaps and are releasably closable by said flaps. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23  wherein said harness includes a pair of straps mounted at first ends thereof to said first compartment, and at second ends thereof, opposite said first ends, said pair of straps mounted to each other. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25  wherein said straps are pivotally mounted to opposite lateral sides of said first compartment for pivoting between a raised position to clasp around the swimmer's torso and a lowered position forward of said first compartment for mounting of said towing tether thereto.