Floating and Swimming!

Question
I've read some of the questions asked on here and didn't find anything quite to what I was looking for.

I have a problem with floating, as others have. But, contrary to the replies, I don't have a low body fat content. I'm about 6ft tall and weigh around 220 pounds, and I'm not muscular. I'm a pretty chubby guy. I don't know my exact body fat percentage, but I'd say it's above what I read on here as the optimal amount, and even above that which is the American average, which was a decent amount higher.

Anyways, I've been trying to learn to swim and float my whole life. Yes, that's another big difference from the questions asked by people who can't float - I also can't swim, at all. I have a large lung capacity, and filling my lungs as full as I can, I can't float on my back, or my front. I've had people try to hold me up on the top of the water to test it, since I couldn't get there on my own. Larger amounts of water can displace more weight, so I've tried over deep parts of pools and such, to no avail.

I've been wanting to lose weight, but I don't think I can do that, because I really wish to be able to swim and float. I feel quite childish and inadequate when it comes to this, because I'm in my mid-twenties and I can't swim!  I feel as if I am disabled.

I haven't asked much of a question as of yet, though I would like to hear what you think about what I've said so far. I do have a question or two though:

Do you think there's any hope for me learning to swim, despite having tried to learn for 20 years?

Do you think increasing my body fat would allow me to be able to float? (I know it's not a good choice, I probably won't make it, but I'm curious)

How important do you believe floating is to swimming?
It seems like it would be a lot more work to swim up and forward instead of just forward.

Why do you think it is that I can't float, despite meeting the 'recommended' body fat amount?

Also, if you have any more information you think would be useful or helpful, or even interesting, I'd love to hear (read) it!

Answer
Truthfully I am not sure how to help you. Increasing your body fat to an unhealthy level would not be the way to learn how to float. It takes a lot of practice and patience to learn how to float and trust the water. If you are at all tense or you are tensing up your muscles you will sink.

I wish you the best of luck and I wish I had a better answer for you.

Kate