long shot

Aussie surfer Sam Adeloju might be responsible for hundreds of lives saved if this cool little buoyancy aid/bazooka actually makes it to market.  The Longreach Buoyancy Development System fires a compressed tablet of foam nearly 500 feet, and when it hits the water, it turns into a full-sized life ring in just 15 seconds.  It’s so clever and simple that Adeloju won 10,000 pounds along with the James Dyson Award for young designers, beating a field of 18 entrants from all over the world.  The Longreach has two shots with a fast reload time, as well as flares for lighting up the MOB packed into the shot.

Field trials are coming up in the Sydney area, and the designer expects it to be cost-effective enough to see service on boats of all sizes.  It’ll certainly look cooler on the pushpit than a damned life ring!  There’s video and more info here at BigThink.