The Light is On…

Although Thomas Edison was not the first person to think about producing light, he used his thoughts, dreams, and passion to invent and improve lighting products. Have you wondered what it would be like to take your dreams to the next level? On Sunday, January 15th [2024], I had the opportunity to meet and speak with Erin McLaughlin, President and Founder of FlagGuard, at the 2023 Chicago Boat Show. Erin had a vision of designing, developing, patenting, producing, and selling a water safety product that she saw as a need in the industry. 

Back in the summer of 2018, Erin and her family were out boating on Indiana Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan. It was a warm bluebird beautiful day with no wind which meant no waves. The kind of day that any boater, especially a slalom skier, lusts after. Erin said her husband Tim prepped their 23-foot black/blue/white Master Craft for an early start of water sports. With no boaters in site, Tim revved the engines and raced out before the lake became crowded. 

It was about 11:00 am and their daughter, Caitlin, was enjoying the day, getting a tan, and showing off her talents as a master tuber. She was going side to side, standing up, and riding it with one hand, but suddenly Caitlin fell off as her dad, Tim, was shipping her around a turn. ‘Fun and games’ she yelled playfully at her dad. Caitlin, in her 20s at the time, knew about water safety, regained her composure, laughed at the fall, and put her hands up for safety. Catlin was wearing a properly fitted certified life jacket, but that was not going to prepare her for the danger that lied ahead. 

Was it the Loch Ness Monster, a water moccasin, or a floating log? No, it was a Personal Watercraft (PWC) operator who was coming straight towards her, Although Tim was in the process of turning around to pick-up the fallen tuber, Caitlin was floating on her own. Tim raced forward and his family began to wave their arms and yell to alert the PWC. At the very last minute, the PWC turned away from Caitlin. This could have been a tragedy. 

The PWC operator did eventually stop and apologize but she said that she didn’t see Caitlin. Was it the sun? Was it the reflection of the water? Was it the colors of the life jacket? Was it an inexperienced PWC operator?

Erin was shaken up at the thought of losing her daughter to a preventable accident. Erin has heard stories before her real-life experience and afterwards , but always thought it will never happen to her. Well, it did. So, what did Erin do about it? Just like Edison, her brain started to ponder various ideas to increase visibility in the water. 

Erin put her heart and soul into her product FlagGuard. Velcro straps attach this lightweight detachable breathable device to the rear panel of a life jacket. These straps are soft and overlap to prevent Velcro on skin contact. It does not have any sharp edges that will chaff, scrap, or injure the wearer. A plastic floatable puck is inside a chamber. When the wearer is in the water, the puck automatically floats to the top, which then projects a flexible nylon rod with an orange flag 14 inches above the wearer’s head. A hands-free device that can easily be seen to 100 feet, Erin said. 

Was this product tested? Of course, Erin said. Before deciding on the final product she tested different prototypes on various life jackets in different waterways, such as pools, beaches, lakes, and rivers in the Chicagoland area. She found that it easily fits on several different life jacket sizes, including youth and women's extra-small/small. With the help of her family and friends, Erin was able to test and evaluate the product in real conditions. For example, Erin said kids would jump into the water and FLagGuard was not affected at all. The flag would pop up as designed. Kids felt it was safe and comfortable. 

Erin realizes it is up to the parents to enforce water safety, but she wanted parents to have an option. Erin said FlagGuard went to market in September 2022, and the company received hundreds of sales and positive reviews. She said harbors and marinas have shown interest in her product and have placed orders to place them on their shelves. FlagGuard is featured on social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and TikTok, so check them out for more information. 

This product is not endorsed by the United States Coast Guard. This article is intended to inform and educate the reader on water safety and potential new products that can assist with water safety.