yeah,,I got issues

Posted by LeeG on Jan 21, 2005

After having two kayaks without bulkheads I was kind of attached to the float bags actually holding air. Something about paddling under the GG. Bridge in 3' waves in a Patuxent 17 and feeling a float bag slide back onto my feet from the bow is a bothersome thing, especially as waves are burying the bow up to my lap,also in a surf landing, getting maytagged and seeing the bag pop up into the cockpit like some obscene protuberance. You may think its fully inflated but a slight leak and water behind the bag will move it. A few hundred pounds of buoyancy tugging on a little 1/8" tether will rip the bag. They are very useful and I recommend having them around as needed but it's much better to find out how useful they can be when needed and how bad having a loose hatch is,,with float bags. If you have a 1/4-2/3 full compartment they're a good idea for keeping stuff from shifting around in rough water. It does take discipline to remove them and allow the kayak to dry out. If you leave an inflated float bag against epoxied Okoume I will gurantee that eventually water will be forced into the wood and will show through to the varnished exterior if the kayak is in hot weather. I had this happen with a 13' s&g that didn't have bulkheads,,I was lazy and left them in back in mild coastal CA. summers but out here in Maryland the varnished deck got the black ick and foggy epoxy after one summer where hot steamy water between the bag and under deck was forced through the wood. It took about two months for it to happen.

In Response to: Float bags and swamping by Rick on Jan 20, 2005

Replies:

• Re: yeah,,I got issues by terry on Jan 21, 2005
  • Re: back up flotation by LeeG on Jan 21, 2005
    • Re: back up flotation by terry on Jan 21, 2005
      • Fastek Buckles & webbing by Stephen Chase on Jan 24, 2005
        • tie down straps too by LeeG on Jan 24, 2005
          • Re: UV Degradation by terry on Jan 25, 2005