Visual locating device for persons lost at sea or the like

A visual locating device for use by a person lost at sea, comprising:

• a) an elongate, inherently buoyant, flexible sheet for floating on the surface of a body of water, said sheet having a longitudinal axis;
• b) at least three buoyant support struts secured to said sheet and disposed across said longitudinal axis of said sheet, said struts for dividing said sheet into a plurality of sections between respective pair of struts;
• c) said sheet is stowable into a rolled-up position when not in use;
• d) said sheet including a surface of radiation reflective material;
• and
• e) a container for receiving said sheet when said sheet is in said rolled-up position.

A visual locating device for use by a lost person, comprising:

• a) an elongate, flexible, brilliantly colored sheet for catching the attention of a rescuer, said sheet having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;
• b) at least three lightweight support struts secured to said sheet and disposed across said longitudinal axis of said sheet between said first and second ends such that said sheet is divided into a plurality of sections defined between respective pair of struts;
• and
• c) said sheet is stowable into a rolled-up position when not in use.