Open water swim question

Here in California, paddlers on rescue boards are very commonly used in (especially longer) open
water races. Several times I paddled one 10 miles while accompanying my father. In recent years,
ocean kayaks have become more common, but, as a swimmer, I prefer the rescue board over the kayak,
because paddlers on rescue boards tend to do a better job going straight and not drifting into you
than kayakers. Plus, it is kind of nice to have someone down more or less at your level to give you
encouragement in the mid-late stages of the race.

As far as where you get them, I'm sure that you could find them using Google or call any of the
coastal California cities (e.g. Huntington Beach) and ask for the City Beach Lifeguard Department.

Larry Weisenthal

Certitude is poison; curiosity is life

Radioactive Man said:

Anyone ever try doing an open water swim with someone on a rescue board (something like the ocean
lifeguards use) as an escort?

Some races require an escort. The Waikiki 5 mile swim did, many years ago, and the Corio Bay swim in
Geelong requires one. A lot of races just have an escort for the leader, and several other escorts
dispersed amongst the pack.

Quoted message said:

I like this idea because I swim year round, but surf only couple of weeks per year since I live
hundreds of miles from the coast. I've noticed that more swimming can actually improve my ability
to paddle the surfboard, but probably not as much as paddling something like a surfboard would.
Anyone know of some place to get one of these rescue boards?

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