kayaks

[Simon Everett]

Hi folks,

buoyancy in the closed bow yak - just a quick thought, but for buoyancy chambers I use tractor trailer inner tubes in the race boat. They hold a huge amount of buoyancy and cost about £18 each for new ones.

The same amount of buoyancy in "purpose built" plastic ones that split, meant for sailing dinghies, are £115 EACH! The trailer inner tubes are far more resilient to punctures, more easily repaired if you do stick a sharp thing through them and do the job of

1. taking up volume so water is displaced (part of the job of buoyancy is to keep the water out by taking up the space it would otherwise flow into.

2. To provide a "tank" of highly flotant material. Polystyrene blocks do the same job, but they are less forgiving - the inner tube can be stuffed up the bow and then inflated - keep the valve reachable! The same in the stern.

 

A further use of inner tubes is they make agreat yak seat - get a wheelbarrow one for about £5, much cheaper than a proper yak seat and can be inflated to your posteriors preferance. I have used one on the thwart of hired boats on lakes/reservoirs for trouting for years, wouldn't be without it. If windy I just tie it in place. It fits my arse just right and prevents piles and hard seat syndrome!

Of course, if you get the new Prowler 13, they come with a seat!

Simon - not such a muppet on this one.

[Jaffa]

Aye 0/10 for muppetry there

 

Great idea, no way they will pop out my hatches either if i inflate them inside.

 

So bloody obvious as well ! except when you have gone three years without thinking of it...

 

Cheers

Chris

[Yakity - Yak - u.k.]

Hi Simon,

 

Good idea, and thinking.

But keeping a power boat afloat is one thing.

You will be picked up by another, or the safety crews.

I take it your refering to what I said to Ziggy re his added bouyancy in his sit inside Kayak.

If the bouyancy isnt correct, and ballanced, he will have problems.

The Kayak will fill with water if he is unlucky enough to tip.

To much bouyancy, forward or aft will create a dangerous situation , its called Cleopatras needle, this is where the bow, or stern sinks below the water, leaveing the sit in Kayak, upright in the water.

If on your own, you have little to no chance of re-entering the Kayak.

This is why the bouyancy needs to be ballanced.

 

Like the idea of the bum seat though.

 

YY