Originally Posted by fatlazyless
Last summer, the Walmart in Gilford had some very big foam noodles, about 5" diameter x 44" length, in green, blue, or red, for about $5.29 each ..... and they were good quality with high density foam .... and a 1/2" hole running down through the center for the entire 44" length.
A 5" diameter noodle will probably provide a lot more flotation than a 3" noodle ..... the formula to figure the volume of a cylinder is V = pie x radius x length ....so a 5" diameter has maybe three times the foam flotation volume of a 3" diameter.
Using ice picks makes a huge difference for getting out of the icy water, and up onto the ice.....plus they require much less effort and less energy than relying on wet gloves, hands, and wet, slippery ice so ice picks are important, and two 5", or 6" nails or small spikes work very good.
As long as you don't care too much that you may resemble the Michelin Man, here's a method. Use the 5" noodle on the outside of your coat, shortened to fit tight like a belt, as a flotation belt with a sturdy line threaded inside the center hole, and place the two spikes directly into the 5" foam belt, one on the right, one on the left, close to your hands, and ready to access.
What's the difference between the five inch noodle and the three inch noodle? It has a lot more flotation, and holds a person higher up in the water, making it easier to claw your way onto the ice.
Wearing a flotation device probably totally increases your chance of survival, because a person can survive for up to one hour in icy cold water before their body succumbs to the cold. Your hands and arms are usable for maybe 10-15 minutes before your fingers get too cold to use. Using ice picks really helps a lot....and a 5" foam noodle secured around your waist, that will rise up, under your armpits makes for excellent flotation....while you gather up your energy for the big effort(s) to climb out of the water and onto the ice......maybe repeatedly when the thin ice breaks under your weight.
What's good about this is that it is low priced, easy to wear....you just wiggle into it from either your feet up to your waist, or from your arms and head down to your waist..... and it probably works real good.(?)
So, who wants to volunteer crashing their snowmobile through the thin ice, into deep water, to see how great it works?
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