Hello new to the site.
Working on my old town pack 1980’s. Origional owner here…
Like to add float bags .
You tube shows everyone drilling holes n lacing airbags in.
Really dont want to drill into it…
Ive added sponsons with marine adhesive.following the aluminum trim gunwales. Since it was designed tippy. Told even the newer style is still tippy w about 13" gunwales.
Pack is 11"
G/flex epoxy should work well.
I also didn’t like the idea of drilling all the holes to lace my float bags in. I tied off the ends of the bags to the grab handles on the decks of my OT Guide 147 and added a new thwart on each end about where the end of the float bag was. I then used a cam strap on each end doubled between the new thwart and the deck handle to hold the bags down tight. There is no way they can get out and the extra thwarts are pretty handy to attach other packs and stuff to.
I went a little different with what I used for air bags using peanut yoga balls inside Army surplus waterproof laundry bags. It’s a really tough combination for float bags and they hold air year to year winter to summer just left in the canoe. You really don’t need to use the laundry bags if you find some balls a color you like. I used the bags mostly to keep the sun off the balls as I didn’t know how well they would take UV.
Round balls would also work. I used round under the decks of our rec-kayaks. They just form to the shape of the space they are contained in.
Additionally with the sponsons do you feel you still need the float bags?
I have always liked the idea of side air bags or sponsons to aid in self rescue as being an even better alternative to air bags in the ends. I didn’t add foam sponsons because of increasing the width and making a snagging point. But if I was mostly going in open water I would likely add them. The end bags help a lot with reentry and work well they just let a little more water in during the process that has to be bailed.
I just perused the reviews because I was surprised to hear you call the Pack tippy. It’s not known to be tippy and some reviewers even called it stable. Maybe it just takes some getting used to.
If you don’t want to lace through holes in the hull you can install nylon pad eyes on the underside of the gunwales. I installed them for airbag lacing in my OT Tripper and they are still holding strong after 24 years. The boat has been capsized in rapids and saved by the float bags, which rely on the pad eyes to hold them in. They work.
