Inflatable Life Pod

I was thinking that there might be a better way to survive an ocean disaster than lifejackets and lifeboats. I was thinking of an inflatable pod that could float in any sort of stormy sea, provide protection from the elements (sun, wind, rain), and be easy to locate in a rescue. I came across the linked product, called a Giga-ball, and thought if you scaled it up a bit, and toughened the material. It just might be the ticket.

The product is a ball, made from seperate inflatable sections - similar in look to a soccer ball. Sure, an inflatable ball rolling on the open sea would be tossed around a lot, but you would still be safe. Perhaps one end could be weighted - perhaps filling one of the panels with sea water to help stabilize it. Translucent panels would provide light during the day, and a few "missing" panels would provide access. The inflated nature of the sphere would provide some insulation from the cold.

The only down-side I can think of is getting the panels thick enough so that the sphere is out of the water far enough to keep the survivor dry. Of course there would be drainage tubes between panels, so any water entering could exit quickly.

The bright color of the LifePod would make it very easy to spot in a rescue.

I imagine that the entire sphere could be filled from cartridges of highly compressed gas, and that valves within would inflate the entire device, but not allow deflation if a single panel ruptured.