Extra Boyancy - Pool Noodles + Safety gear carried.

[Hvalross]

I felt the PA 12 required more boyancy than the legal minimum, and I wanted to reduce the capacity of water that the hull could hold if flooded for any reason. My choice was to use Pool Noodles, they are super light and extra boyant. At 70mm dia they are ideal for the job and are as easy as to cut and fit in place.
IMPORTANT take great care whilst installing to avoid tiller and skeg cords and sounder cables, feed them in carefully taking care to work around and cords and ensure they are NOT TOUCHING.

Image 1 is what I installed inside the hull, below decks. The PA12 has about 110cu Lit. free space. I calculated that I have reduced that to 48cu Lit or less than half of what it was. So I have reduced the volume of water it can hold and at the same time substituted a very effective , bouyant filler.

Pool Noodles

Image 2 is the Centre Hatch - 3 full length noodles each side plus still fits supplied Lure caddy and also Waterproof document pouch, Plano Wallet Caddy, Hand held Orienteering compass and the Hobie Multi Purpose tool !

Centre Hatch

Image 3 is just a close up of the side stowed noodles in the Centre Hatch.

Stowed noodles

Image 4 is the near useless rear hatch, BUT it holds a surprising volume of noodle cut to fit Plus a "V" sheet, back up sea anchor and spare sponges.

Rear Hatch

Image 5 is the front bulkhead left is a vecro attached non critical navigational Compass that folds out of the way and on right a number of spare clips ( just in case)

Bulkhead

Image 6 shows the Anchor Cannister and Hobie Bailing pump. It sits behind the seat between the wheels, and under the seat I have 4 Plano boxes.

Under seat storage

Under Seat.jpg (101.88 KiB) Viewed 4098 times

Final Image is non safety but its close handy. The lip gripper fits snugly around the seat tube protected with a bit of PVC electrical insulation tape.

Lip Gropper

Not shown are is the Collapsible Bailing Bucket, First Aid, spare cord, Dolphin LCD waterproof torch, LCD head lamp and hanging LCD lights to illuminate the hull at night. all stored in the front gear Hatch.

Cheers

[4liters]

Looks like a fairly comprehensive set up.

And while there's a current safety gear thread, how to people store their spare paddles as required for offshore kayaking?
I picked up one of these today and I'm wondering what the best way to attach it is: http://www.anacondastores.com/boating/p ... BP90035348

[spider25160]

Good attempt to increase your floatation. Unfortunately all you have really done is increase the displacement of your yak. The only real way to increase your floatation is to divide the hull into waterproof sections. Obviously during construction is the only time you could put in bulkhead segmentation however filling the hull with empty soft drink or milk bottles with lids sealed has the desired effect. This not only reduces the volume within the hull when flooded it also allows the flooded hull to ride higher in the water and probably allow you to peddle/paddle to safety.

[cheaterparts]

Looks like a fairly comprehensive set up.

And while there's a current safety gear thread, how to people store their spare paddles as required for offshore kayaking?
I picked up one of these today and I'm wondering what the best way to attach it is: http://www.anacondastores.com/boating/p ... BP90035348

Ian you could do the same as me for that one -- I tied a piece of bungy beteewn the 2 front fitting that clip your rope handles on much like the stealth use for there paddle keep
with your paddle in 2 pieces tape them together ( fit a paddle leash ) and I just shove the paddle blades under the bungy and tie the handle ends to a rod holder

hope that makes sence - If I get keen tomorrow I do a happy snap for you

[4liters]

Looks like a fairly comprehensive set up.

And while there's a current safety gear thread, how to people store their spare paddles as required for offshore kayaking?
I picked up one of these today and I'm wondering what the best way to attach it is: http://www.anacondastores.com/boating/p ... BP90035348

Ian you could do the same as me for that one -- I tied a piece of bungy beteewn the 2 front fitting that clip your rope handles on much like the stealth use for there paddle keep
with your paddle in 2 pieces tape them together ( fit a paddle leash ) and I just shove the paddle blades under the bungy and tie the handle ends to a rod holder

hope that makes sence - If I get keen tomorrow I do a happy snap for you

A photo would be great, having pretty much the same yaks it makes sense to copy what you've done I guess.

[laneends]

It would still half fill just as quick if there is a failure, and I am guessing would be too unstable to sit on when half full. It would mean it stays on the surface and not actually sink though.

packed with noodles I guess might act as baffles so instabilty due to water slopping around could be reduced.

Anything that helps though is good. I have noodles in mine too. I prefer foam rather than anything inflatable, as its maintenance free. Solid noodles are best if you can get them rather than the hollow ones

Murray demonstrated why teheAI is the safest yak as the Amas not only keep the whole lot floating but maintain a stability so you can still ride it.

[shane]

The PA already comes with foam installed inside the hull sufficient to kep the whole thing afloat, even full of water. You would only need a couple of pool noodles to make up for extra gear weight etc. But then I guess more can't hurt, especially if the space isn't being used anyway.

[laneends]

The PA already comes with foam installed inside the hull sufficient to kep the whole thing afloat, even full of water. You would only need a couple of pool noodles to make up for extra gear weight etc. But then I guess more can't hurt, especially if the space isn't being used anyway.

In regards to the incorporated flotation I guess that would be based on weight of a basic yak without all the extra crap we tend to load onto them

[Hvalross]

Good attempt to increase your floatation. Unfortunately all you have really done is increase the displacement of your yak. The only real way to increase your floatation is to divide the hull into waterproof sections. Obviously during construction is the only time you could put in bulkhead segmentation however filling the hull with empty soft drink or milk bottles with lids sealed has the desired effect. This not only reduces the volume within the hull when flooded it also allows the flooded hull to ride higher in the water and probably allow you to peddle/paddle to safety.

Total added displacement is 3kg. that is what all those noodles weigh. 3kg = 3lit of fresh water....insignificant, whilst the added noodles displace 62 cu lit of water if the inner hull floods that is over 50% reduction in water volume inside the hull. Bottles are an option, but require maintaining. Hobie also said that the flotation they add (foam) would keep the yak afloat has anyone pull the stuff out and look at it, and how little there actually is? Manufacturers supply only the minimum required by law, no more.

As to air chambers, only commercially built hull I can recall was a self draining job built in Queensland. A leading journalist of the time Ron Calcutt put his name and reputation on the line with them, they were a foam core "W" configuration below decks... started to fail and break up soon after a great fanfare release..... never heard of either after that.

I honestly don't actually know what the effect is going to be in a flooded hull situation, but I will be finding out pretty soon as I plan to roll and flood the yak at somewhere like Altona and activate my PFD to see first hand what it is that I will have to contend with. At very least I can haul two noodles out, one under each arm and float home...because two will support my weight....there are 12 in that hull.

Meantime, I just feel a tad safer, may be that its a fools paradise I am living in, but then I carry a hand bilge pump that I dare not use when it would be most useful, and a bailing bucket that is as useless for the same reason. Don't even need a pee bucket with the PA as the decks are self draining. So for the grand sum of $32 and a little effort I pedal around with foolish confidence

[laneends]

Be aware a flooded yak weighs a ton and is hard to retrieve from the water