"jerry" wrote in news:1174227884.949335.233200
@n59g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

And although there usually is someone in front of me - and drafting in
the swim is legal - I've found that most people go off course as often
as I do.

LOL! It doesn't pay to follow somebody who's lost!

Thanks for the ideas! Please keep them coming!

OK, a gyroscope mounted on your back. On the beach, you point yourself
in the right direction, switch on the gyro and wait for it to rev up to
full RPM. Then it will FORCE you to take the correct course, keeping you
pointed in exactly the right direction. This will get you to the first
marker. The rest... (anyone?)

Or how about this. The marker is hard to see because it's above water,
and your face is underwater. So you could dangle a waterproof strobe
light a few feet below the marker, something bright enough you can see at
a distance. (Of course, all your competitors will see it too, but then
you all have the same problem seeing the marker, right?)