[Paddlewise] Gaia paddlefloat

Ralph wrote:
>>Because of using a single chamber with just
mesh on the other side, this paddle float tends to stay put on the water
better than others I have used. I don't know how many of you have had
the experience of a paddlefloat, well, floating around away from the
desirable position of being absolutely perpendicular to the kayak; I
think this happens because of the double chambers. The Gaia Ultralite
doesn't do this, i.e. it stays put better on the water end of the
paddlefloat rescue. I think it has to do with the paddle blade resting
directly on the water since there is only mesh between it and the
water. Incidentally, the air chamber is articulated in the sense that
it is not just a flat item that rounds out when inflated. There is some
shaping to the float portion and so it seems to grip better than other
floats.<<

I can see how more buoyancy keeping the paddlefloat floating higher in the
water might mean the paddle could move easier. Since a double chambered
float could have more or less buoyancy depending on its manufactured size or
even how much air was put into it I fail to see what having two chambers
available (but not necessarily inflated) would make any difference here. I
am also having trouble understanding how it is possible for the paddle to
stay perpendicular to the boat without fastening it to the boat somehow or
holding it in that position. Perhaps Ralph could elaborate on how this
works. I can see how if there was some way the float gripped the water
(shape or fins?) it wouldn't move as easily and therefore a paddler holding
it in place might not move it accidentally while maneuvering to get in the
boat. However if that was the case this same feature would be a detriment to
holding it in place in waves that pushed against the float (through whatever
was holding it in place in the now moving water). Same if the ends of the
boat were being batted around in chop and forcing it around while the paddle
blade stayed fixed in the water.
Fastening the paddle to the boat firmly enough to create a fixed outrigger
solves this scissoring problem and works fine with any kind of float with
adequate buoyancy. Fixing the paddle to the deck also solves the swamped
(tippy) kayak during pumpout problem. This period of instability while the
kayak is being pumped is rarely addressed by those promoting the re-enter
and roll or hold the paddle in place while you reenter methods (both of
which I like only for special situations like in surf or when using a
strange boat that is not equipped to hold the paddle to the deck). Maybe
they all have hands free electric pumps.
BTW if you don't inflate one chamber on a double chambered paddle float it
will leave one side of the blade flat to use for emergency paddling or any
other time you might want that shape (such as, if Ralph's observations are
correct, that a flat sided shape has something to do with holding the paddle
in place). One use for a flat side might be to keep the floats higher above
the water if using two paddlefloats on a spare paddle (perpendicular across
the back deck) as outriggers. Turning the flat side down would mean the
float was higher above the water and therefore less likely to snag and slow
the kayak while paddling. Best would be a way to fix the shaft so the blades
were set at a slight planing angle so if they contacted the water they would
skim on it rather than snagging.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com



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