Re: [Paddlewise] Sponson Improvement

From: "Nick Schade" <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>

> So, what are the characteristics of the ideal sponson?

When I tried sponsonman's product, the biggest complaint I had was
the time required to inflate.  The two sponsons have a total volume
over 35 liters, compared to a double-chambered paddle float with
only 7 or 8 liters (according to one web site - I never verified this...
I just now measured my paddle float and it's more like 17.5 litres,
so about the same as one sponson*).  The difference in time is 
significant when you're in the water.

Leaving them inflated on the rear deck increases wind load on the
kayak.  Autoinflating means expensive CO2 cartridges.  

Reducing the volume and levering them further outboard may be 
one approach.  That would move them into the category of
what I understand Sandy to be asking about - the Easy Rider
type.  Rather than use up a paddle, perhaps a light pair of
carbon fiber tubes on either side, each fitted into a socket on
the side of the kayak's hull (Teiken used to provide this on his
kayaks as an option - they took a half paddle with paddle float
in lieu of rear deck bungies holding a paddle).

For a real pie in the sky approach, how about going the Triak
route, but with the sponsons faired into the hull in the retracted
state?  


Mike

*This means my calculations about the stability of paddlefloats
on paddles in other recent posts are well underestimated.
Lesson: always verify web based information!

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