Hi all, new here. I am putting new floats in my canoe and was wondering if anybody has ever used foam blocks and how that worked out. I was thinking of using a large foam archery target for my center float and stick with bags for bow and stern floats. I found a target that will fill up the space between the thwart and yoke with a little shaping and I wont have to worry about foam getting cut or punctured.
thanks for any input.
um…
Wait a minute here, if there is a bag in the bow…and a bag in the stern…and the foam block in the center…um…where you will you be? haha. That’s an interesting (and cheap!) thought. It would certainly displace the water. Interesting idea!
Scott
foam flotation
Presumably you have a tandem canoe and plan on using a small end bag in the bow and stern along with some center flotation.
Theoretically, anything that floats and can be secured to the canoe can be used with some caveats. Make sure any foam you use is closed cell or it may soak up water like a sponge and make your canoe triple or quadruple its weight in no time.
In the olden days, whitewater open boaters used to shape large styrofoam blocks to fit into their hulls. The downside was that the stryrofoam tended to shed pieces all down the river. It also discolored easily and was difficult to remove, which meant that the hull rendered inaccessible by the foam got very grimy and sometimes stank.
Quality closed cell foam may cost you as much or more than decent vinyl air bags. If you are looking for something cheaper, you may try another blast from the past and wedge a large truck tire inner tube, if you can find one, under your center thwart. These are more easily removed and you will look very “retro”.
Retro?
I suppose we are behind in Maine but the center float bag of choice in the Kenduskeag is the truck inner tube.
Out of several hundred racers it seems 99 percent of the canoes had this getup. And the tube stays put. One year in floodwaters there was a yard sale… well over half the craft went over Six Mile not sunny side up. The truck tubed craft did well…none were pinned.
Well
It’s a known fact that you Maineiacs make a fashion statement out of being behind the times.
Behind the Times
Yeah, I heard that those new-fangled tube-less tires are just starting to catch on in Maine.
tubless tires and logging roads
– Last Updated: Apr-26-10 11:34 PM EST –
dont mix well.
Hit one of those washed out culverts and bammo the bead is gone.
And its a wicked expensive AAA job. Even if you are a Maniac. Now if your SUV has NJ or NY plates the rates quadruple!
(the Maniacs just get their names in the local paper..we still have "bad things your neighbors did" columns)
Back to floating the canoe..not the carrying vehicle.....breaks over!