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Ibsen Aqua-Belt, 1950
Water skiers used this type of inflatable belt for floatation before more modern life jackets came on the market in the late 1960s. In 1928, Don Ibsen introduced water skiing to the Pacific Northwest by carving and steaming his own skis out of cedar planks, and plying the waters of Lake Washington. In 1950, he worked with Plastimayd, a Portland, Oregon, company, to create this inflatable belt as a safety device for water skiers.
ID Number: 1983.51.1
Date: 1950
Physical Description: 1 Float, Life; plastic, rubber; 7.5 in.H x 42 in.W
Place Made: United States of America, OREGON, Portland
Credit: MOHAI, 1983.51.1