Save a Sinking Kayak...

[radastaff]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

I Googled "Pool Noodle Buoyancy" and got a forum where it was discussed. I didn't double check the math, but one guy figured that a 1 foot piece of 3.5 inch noodle would float a 4 lb piece of steel. So, by my figuring, (3) 5 foot noodles should be enough to compensate for the gear that is more dense than water.

There was also some mention of 2 part marine foam that looked promising. You mix the 2 parts together and pour it into the area to be filled and it expands to 30-1 the size. You could flip your yak over on some horses and pour that into the area on the outside of the leg wells. Would have to check if there is a reaction problem with the plastic used in yaks though.

how bout
sticking a pvc tube in ure yak(for rod storage)say 4" or 6" di
then filling the entire interior with that expanding foam(great idea and ive seen the stuff for insulation in action)
then hogging out a small compartment right around the hatch area
for storage
bet that thing would float pretty good
and not allow for much water in the hold
and still give u space for rod storage

[dsafety]

I see a number of solutions to this problem. Frankly, it is one that I never considered to be a problem before. But obviously at least some types of kayaks can sink.

As I mentioned in another thread, an inflatable bladder or two that can be inflated by hitting some sort of a panic button is one way to go. My concern with this option is that it may degrade over time and not work when needed.

A passive flotation device seems like a better idea. The noodle idea is one to consider but I wonder where they could be placed so they do not take up space needed for accessible storage.

I am thinking that by simply taking a few one gallon milk jugs, sealing them so they are air tight and stuffing them into the unused space in the bow and stern might just do the trick. They could be bungeed or glued in place.

Bob

[sandydiego]

Originally Posted by dsafety

I am thinking that by simply taking a few one gallon milk jugs, sealing them so they are air tight and stuffing them into the unused space in the bow and stern might just do the trick. They could be bungeed or glued in place.

Bob

Hey honey I need a couple of jugs for the yak....... I know you weren't trying to be funny. It's not a bad idea.

[KirkG.]

I like the pool noodle idea. Take 4, 5ft long pool noodles and, since they are hollow, jam them along the sides of the yak. The scupper holes would hold them to the side and would probably take up minimul space and provide max flotation.

KirkG.

[dgax65]

You can use inflatable hull fenders for flotation. I used to have 8 fenders strung together in two daisy chains. I could slide a string of four outside the scupper posts in the hull of my Drifter. The fenders are extremely durable and hold air virtually forever. The problem with them is the weight and the loss of internal storage space. When I started paddling an X-Factor with a Kayatank I lost the ability to stow rods on the centerline. I had to stow them outboard of the scupper posts. To do that, I had to scrap the fenders. I only kept a couple in the stern and one in the bow; just enough to keep a swamped yak near the surface.

Inflatable fenders
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|321174|30250|321909&id=1110593

As I mentioned in the thread about pool noodles, they won't make a swamped kayak stable enough to hold you upright, but they will keep it at the surface so you can recover your gear and the kayak. I flooded my Drifter just to see how it would handle with 7 fenders inside. It remained floating with the deck barely awash, but I couldn't sit on it.

[dsafety]

If anyone who works closely with some of the kayak manufacturers is reading this thread, please take this message home. Kayaks need to be designed so they have positive buoyancy.

It would be very easy to build in a sealed bulkhead or two. The obvious places would be in the bow and stern but the space right under the seat might be another good place.

Someone called the story in Bigbarrel's thread a "teachable moment". With thousands of views and close to 100 comments, it is clear that this is an issue that many yakfishers consider important. Hopefully the manufacturers will take notice.

Bob

[dgax65]

Be careful what you ask for. When the manufacturers start installing internal bulkheads and foam flotation several things happen:

1: Price goes up. Rotomolding doesn't do internal bulkheads. Those will have to be installed by hand after molding. Same goes for flotation foam. The hull shapes of SOT kayaks are not as conducive to installation of internal bulkheads as are those of SIK.

2: Internal volume goes down. There will be less space to stow rods or your catch.

3: Modifications become more difficult. You will have to remove or cut through internal bulkheads/foam to route wiring or rudder cables. It will still require some amount of modification to get your kayak just the way you want it for your needs.

It has been proven that, short of filling the entire kayak with foam, the internal flotation devices are not adequate to keep a kayak on the surface AND stable enough to paddle/sit on. At best, it will keep the swamped kayak at the surface so you can hang onto it for support and visibility while you're in the water. You can already achieve that with relatively cheap, easy-to-find materials such as pool noodles, inflatable fenders and flotation bags. The current system gives the owner flexibility to select the level of internal flotation, storage and access that he needs and wants. I would rather have it that way than getting a one-size-fits-all product from the manufacturer.

Just my two cents