So ........ the foam noodles now sold at Market Basket are just $1.99 for a 2"-diameter x 56" blue, green, yellow, or red noodle. 56" is long enough to make two swim safety belts for two adults, with a 30" and a 26" length of buoyancy foam. 2" x 30" of foam noodle tied secure around the waist does a good job providing flotation security for a 200-lb male so you can slowly and deliberately practice your favorite swim stroke which is usually the breast stroke or side stroke as the overhand crawl is a very energy demanding stroke.
Having the flotation security of a swim belt made with a foam noodle tied tightly around your waist really makes a huge difference to your swim ability confidence. Instead of swimming just to stay afloat and avoid going under, and the fear of drowning, it gives you a new confidence out in the deep water.
For swimming it's best to have just a small amount of positive buoyancy, not too much, not too little, but just enough with a swim noodle belt tied tight with a square knot around your waist ...... tightly.
I've been fiddl'n around with a 24", a 30", and a 36" length swim noodle belt to see what works best. This foam has a lot of inherent flotation and it does actually make a difference for swimming. For me at 6'2" and 203-lbs, the 30" noodle is the best for swimming flotation and it can be used either across the back, or across the front stomach area.
For a line that gets threaded down the center hole in the foam noodle, the 5/16 -inch polyester line in some bright color design that is available at many different stores seems to work very good because it ties easily with a very secure square knot and will dry out quickl
So ....... to get out on the water this summer ...... you don't really need a jet ski or a boat ...... all you need is a do-it-yourself swim safe, foam noodle belt that costs something like three dollars to make ...... and you will be surprised with your new ability to go swimming. .....
