Save a Sinking Kayak... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

GregAndrew · 04-21-2010, 08:43 PM

Might even be a good idea to get off of a foundering yak. Taking your own weight off the yak may provide you with the valuable couple of minutes you need to bail it out.

driftwood · 04-21-2010, 08:59 PM

Here is another Idea.

Kayak flotation - not all float

WahooUSMA · 04-22-2010, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by driftwood

Here is another Idea.

Kayak flotation - not all float

Cool....now this I agree with. It would be cool if somehow they were C02 activated.

Jimmyz123 · 04-22-2010, 07:46 AM

Does anyone ever install bilge pumps in their yaks? They are easy to install and would not take much battery power to run.

sandydiego · 04-22-2010, 08:01 AM

If you have a sealed battery system, a bilge pump may work. I'm looking at upgrading to a better handpump to bail out the yak. I am planning of putting the yak in my pool and flooding the thing to see how hard it would be to save my own butt. I'll see if I can get 467Echo to come over and film it.

GregAndrew · 04-22-2010, 08:27 AM

Kiyo has a bilge pump installed in his yaks. As sandydiego stated, all electrical must be completely sealed for it to be worth while. He will certainly not be caught with half a yak of water.

Hey sandy, remember to throw in some weight to simulate the gear you carry that is heavier than water. It might be that you cannot even keep it at the surface even with the added flotation of your PFD. I am dying to see the result though.

sandydiego · 04-22-2010, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

Kiyo has a bilge pump installed in his yaks. As sandydiego stated, all electrical must be completely sealed for it to be worth while. He will certainly not be caught with half a yak of water.

Hey sandy, remember to throw in some weight to simulate the gear you carry that is heavier than water. It might be that you cannot even keep it at the surface even with the added flotation of your PFD. I am dying to see the result though.

I was planning to put all my gear in the yak to get a honest test out of it. I have some dive weights as well (to simulate beer 6-pack). I do need to get a NRS kayak handpump. The pump I have is not up to the job.

bluesquids · 04-22-2010, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WahooUSMA

Cool....now this I agree with. It would be cool if somehow they were C02 activated.

They are being made for spearfishing, I carry two with 25lbs lift each.
Pretty cool little plunger device that pops the Co2 cartridge.
They can put the Co2 device on any sized bag they make and do custom sizes, but I don't know if I would spent the money just for kayak floatation.
http://www.carterbag.com/spearfish.html

Hunters Pa · 04-22-2010, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesquids

They are being made for spearfishing, I carry two with 25lbs lift each.
Pretty cool little plunger device that pops the Co2 cartridge.
They can put the Co2 device on any sized bag they make and do custom sizes, but I don't know if I would spent the money just for kayak floatation.
http://www.carterbag.com/spearfish.html

Wonder if they can make it to deploy at a certain pressure, like say at a depth of 6 feet? Automatically deploying at a certain depth would make it one less thing to worry about

Hmm, I also have an auto deploying PFD that I don't use that came with my yak. Maybe I'll just keep that stashed inside the hull

RoeBoat · 04-22-2010, 12:07 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdxqIBfEAw

GregAndrew · 04-22-2010, 12:36 PM

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.

-scallywag- · 04-22-2010, 05:04 PM

kayaks should not be sinking....after a little research it seems that the sinking kayak in question sunk due to a poorly designed bait tank and nothing else.

Also in the situation in question, if he had pool noodles or other floatation inside the yak it would have still quickly filled with water due to the open hatch. Instead of sinking it would have just hung out right below the surface. I guess you could maybe recover some safety gear and have something to hold onto. But at that point, in rough enough conditions to sink you in the first place your not going to be able to pump the yak out and/or paddle it back in, I guess you could just wait for rescue?

Be familiar with you yak, if it starts feeling tipsy check the hull for water.

Anytime you have a hatch open in rough conditions be carefull, one angry little whitecap could dump 5-10gal (40-80lbs) into that open hatch and/or tip you over. If you go over with a open hatch you have a pretty good chance of watching your boat go to the bottom.

radastaff · 04-22-2010, 05:55 PM

Quote:

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

04-22-2010, 12:07 PM	#10
RoeBoat Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Orange County Posts: 39	Just don't contact the German Coast Guard if you're sinking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdxqIBfEAw

04-21-2010, 08:43 PM	#1
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Might even be a good idea to get off of a foundering yak. Taking your own weight off the yak may provide you with the valuable couple of minutes you need to bail it out.

04-21-2010, 08:59 PM	#2
driftwood Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 1,086	Here is another Idea. Kayak flotation - not all float

04-22-2010, 07:46 AM	#4
Jimmyz123 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,385	Does anyone ever install bilge pumps in their yaks? They are easy to install and would not take much battery power to run.

04-22-2010, 08:01 AM	#5
sandydiego Rum Pirate Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Wilds of Mira Mesa Posts: 388	If you have a sealed battery system, a bilge pump may work. I'm looking at upgrading to a better handpump to bail out the yak. I am planning of putting the yak in my pool and flooding the thing to see how hard it would be to save my own butt. I'll see if I can get 467Echo to come over and film it.

04-22-2010, 08:27 AM	#6
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Kiyo has a bilge pump installed in his yaks. As sandydiego stated, all electrical must be completely sealed for it to be worth while. He will certainly not be caught with half a yak of water. Hey sandy, remember to throw in some weight to simulate the gear you carry that is heavier than water. It might be that you cannot even keep it at the surface even with the added flotation of your PFD. I am dying to see the result though.

04-22-2010, 12:36 PM	#11
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	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.

04-22-2010, 05:04 PM	#12
-scallywag- Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: on the road... Posts: 598	kayaks should not be sinking....after a little research it seems that the sinking kayak in question sunk due to a poorly designed bait tank and nothing else. Also in the situation in question, if he had pool noodles or other floatation inside the yak it would have still quickly filled with water due to the open hatch. Instead of sinking it would have just hung out right below the surface. I guess you could maybe recover some safety gear and have something to hold onto. But at that point, in rough enough conditions to sink you in the first place your not going to be able to pump the yak out and/or paddle it back in, I guess you could just wait for rescue? Be familiar with you yak, if it starts feeling tipsy check the hull for water. Anytime you have a hatch open in rough conditions be carefull, one angry little whitecap could dump 5-10gal (40-80lbs) into that open hatch and/or tip you over. If you go over with a open hatch you have a pretty good chance of watching your boat go to the bottom.