Don't forget that float bags are not there simply to keep the boat from sinking. They should float the boat with the paddler in it. In this case it really does not matter what the boat weighs. The weight of the boat is a minor part of the equation, even a heavy fiberglass boat is fairly close to neutrally buoyant without any float bags. A wooden boat will be only slightly positively buoyant. The float bags should serve to float the paddler not just the boat. While it is a good thing to keep the boat from sinking, it is not much use if the paddler can't get in and start pumping it dry and the less pumping required the better. At 8:50 AM -0500 1/16/01, Bill Low wrote: ><snip> >When building a skin boat I put pulleys into the bow and stern so the bags can >be pulled in and out like clothes on a clothesline. They don't come out unless >you want them out. There are rules for calculating the flotation required. >Generally the use of two bags bow and stern of about two cubic feet each will >give you more than enough buoyancy. Keep in mind that most skin boats a very >light. If made of a wood frame they float without bags. My 18' baidarka weighs >29 pounds so I have more than enough floatation with the bags mentioned above. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Jan 17 2001 - 06:09:27 PST
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