All who wish to participate in boating activities should pass a float test in a swimming pool. In the test, you must stay above water in one place for ten minutes using any technique, including treading water, dead man's float, floating on your back, and so on.

The float test is designed to ensure that you will stay on the surface of the water if you should fall in fully clothed, and that you are comfortable keeping yourself afloat until help comes to pick you up. Lifeguards at various pools in the community will sign off on float tests.

Practice

Please wear clothes that you do not mind getting wet, as the lifeguard will require that you complete the test with clothes on to simulate a boating accident. The test requires you to float with your head out of the water for ten minutes while wearing all your boating clothes, long sleeves and long trousers. At the end of the ten minutes you put on a life jacket, properly fasten it, and then swim to the edge of the water.

This test evaluates your ability to maintain yourself in the water indefinitely even though exhausted or otherwise unable to continue swimming. Treading water or swimming in place will further tire you and is therefore unacceptable. This test must be long enough to determine that you are resting and likely could continue to do so for a prolonged period.

Reader Story

I recently joined a lifesaving class. On the first day all participants were asked to swim 100 meters (4 pool lengths) using various swimming strokes. Next we picked up a rubber brick from a depth of 2 meters.

Then followed the float test, which is treading water (or just floating) in the deep end of the pool for 10 minutes without hanging on to the side. At the 9th minute, the lifeguard threw in life jackets to put on and swim to the poolside.

I passed easily without getting too tired, but still, ten minutes passes surprisingly slowly when you're treading water and watching the clock. Oh, we had to do it with all our clothes on, which was great fun. Since then I do most of my swimming training in clothes which keeps me fit.

Joey