Was doing some reading and came across this. Thought I’d post the link here:
http://www.enter.net/~skimmer/coldwater.html
Even better
Straight from Professor Popsicle - Dr Gordon Giesbrecht
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1xohI3B4Uc
http://www.coldwaterbootcamp.com/pages/1_10_60v2.html
awesome
Great…thanks…just watched those with my family.
I’m wondering about the floatation of the Tripper. Will it stay afloat if swamped? I’m thinking of doing some tests close to shore in the summer to gauge things incase we ever do swamp the thing. Would be good to have some videos on this… I think I saw a youtube channel called “Canoe TV” that has a few.
I’d like specific info, however, on the Tripper if anybody has some anecdotal evidence.
yes
If your Tripper is an OEM Old Town Tripper (not something else called “Tripper”), than it has ABS foam sandwiched between its thermoformed ABS plastic layers and will indeed float when capsized.
When the weather warms up, its a good idea to go capsize the canoe on purpose in shallow water to see what its like and practice what to do.
The tripper will
float when swamped. The hull is formed from a sandwich with a fairly think center section of foam. The foam provides the flotation.
yeah , Old Town plastic canoes …
– Last Updated: Mar-26-12 11:04 PM EST –
...... Rx or 3 layer , have the floatation core , really good stuff .
What type seats you got ??
The blow molded plastic seats are filled w/floatation too ... I for one like the OT butt shape plastic seats , think they're great .
Real good article kimo , "DO" believe everything you read and hear about cold water and canoeing/boating on it ... very serious that cold water , can kill quick . Hypothermia is one thing (that takes awhile) , it's the immobility and muscle paralysis that can shut you down like a lightning bolt , can't move , stiff like corpse . To top it off , any movements you attempt (like swiming and self rescue increase your heat loss far beyond that 25 x's faster loss .
It will not float
high at all. At best it floats about an inch below the water and is extremely difficult to get at in moving or flat water.
How do I know? Nine years of the Kenduskeag River Race…its held just north of Bangor Maine. Most years it is the week after ice out.
Come see or participate and note that Trippers number about one to two hundred entries. ALL carry additional floatation. Usually its homemade as in a truck inner tube.
On river trips in the summer people use drybags with gear in them tied in. Those trap a fair amount of air and increase the flotation.
While the Tripper will not sink to the bottom (though one race one did for some reason below Six Mile Falls and was about a foot down) it does not float high enough to make getting hold of it easy for rescuers.
Agree won’t float high
– Last Updated: Mar-27-12 6:22 AM EST –
I too have pulled many a tripper out of many white water rivers - to many to count. But the boat does indeed float. Not unlike a wood canvas canoe in that regard. I must say I personally see no need whatsoever for extra flotation in flatwater. In white water flotation does protect the boat some because it will float higher which minimizes damage from impacts and reduces wrapping. If you are paddling day trips on white water rivers regularly many people will use extra flotation as mentioned. But if you are tripping flotation is a total PIA in my personal opinion. It makes it very hard to pack and gets in the way. I stopped using extra flotation years ago for this reason. Its a personal decision. I did use flotation years ago when most of my paddling was short day trips in fairly heavy white water.