I have been posting in a different thread (Beyond Drag...) about a different style of underwater swimming I have been working on since the 1970s. While I am not disabled, I am now 70 years old, and I want to get these ideas out so people who could benefit from them can start to use them. One of my long-term goals is to again become an active NAUI Instructor (I'm NAUI #2710), and try teaching this technique to disabled divers in the Portland, Oregon area. I have written to DiveHeart, but not received much of a response, so I have decided to post the concept directly here. Below you will see a "Hammerhead Unit Disclosure & Details" which describes the technique for divers, and at the end discusses the use of the technique for disabled divers.
I am especially interested to know whether there is interest in the Para-Sea BC concept in conjunction with the Hammerhead Unit.
I originally developed the Para-Sea BC as a PFD for the husband of my high school swim coach, when she asked for a PFD that did not ride up on her husband. From that modified harness, I made two prototype Para-Sea BCs, and patented them in the 1980s (Patent #4,623,316). This harness could be used with a Hoyer Lift to lift a person into and out of the pool/boat if it were built with robust enough components. (I actually used it to pull me out of the water, but because the buckle systems are plastic, I would want to upgrade that before trying it on others.)
Please take a look and give me some feedback as to whether it is worth pursuing these ideas with disabled divers.
SeaRat
John C. Ratliff, CSP, CIH, MSPH
I am especially interested to know whether there is interest in the Para-Sea BC concept in conjunction with the Hammerhead Unit.
I originally developed the Para-Sea BC as a PFD for the husband of my high school swim coach, when she asked for a PFD that did not ride up on her husband. From that modified harness, I made two prototype Para-Sea BCs, and patented them in the 1980s (Patent #4,623,316). This harness could be used with a Hoyer Lift to lift a person into and out of the pool/boat if it were built with robust enough components. (I actually used it to pull me out of the water, but because the buckle systems are plastic, I would want to upgrade that before trying it on others.)
Please take a look and give me some feedback as to whether it is worth pursuing these ideas with disabled divers.
SeaRat
John C. Ratliff, CSP, CIH, MSPH