I have a frenzy ocean kyak (sit on top), and I fish the surf in texas. I am wanting to fill my yak w/ expandable foam, to improve my boyancy. is this a good idea? Thanks for all responses. Jason
Fill it with air
Nothing floats better than air. If it is a sealed area then let it go. Filling the sealed area with foam will not make it float better.
foam not a good idea
not only will your kayak become much heavier,should the foam ever get a crack in it from flexing it will absorb water and end up wieghing a ton.is your kayak leaking?fix that first. adding to the interior of your kayak will not make it more bouyant, only by increasing its outside displacement would it float higher. perhaps you need a larger kayak?
Get some tapered flotation bladders.
Flotation or buoncy
Won’t improve buoncy with foam, air, air bags etc. If your worried about filling up with water and sinking, go with proper airbags, solid styrofoam chunks or even milk jugs.
Brian
WHY ???
– Last Updated: Jul-16-04 8:00 PM EST –
If you are too heavy for a Frenzy you need to lose weight. It will hold about 350 lbs! What you need is Olestra, Sibutramine and a Stomach Staple not foam in your boat.
On the other hand If it is leaking check the padeyes and replace and silicone them, email me if you need some help to do this. You can also fill the boat up carefully and partially with water through the drain plug and makesure you do not have pinhole sized leaks in the scupper holes. If it does take it back to the dealer, its defective. The Frenzy is viturally unsinkable I have seen them held under by huge surf, tumbled and thrashed for a long time and pop up just as good as new. The foam will make the boat heavy and is a very, very bad idea.
Putting in a hatch to put in float bags in a Frenzy is not a good idea either. Too likely to leak and no good place to locate it in such a small boat.
Air bags are lighter and reliable
– Last Updated: Jul-16-04 4:16 PM EST –
They work. Sea kayaker article on making your own and seattle fabrics plus a cheap iron fron a cheap store ($5 to $10) is the way to go.
If you do use it…
…be very careful.
You can actually split the polyethylene as it expands.
It is made to fill the voids in construction projects, where it has room to expand out through the cracks.
If you spray it into a closed area you can get yourself in deep sh-- !
Cheers,
JackL
Its a SOT
and the only hatches are an optional 6" one with a cat bag. How would you put flotation bags or milk jugs in that? I agree though, if its leaking, fix the leak.
helium, hydrogen or sponsons
if you do foam it…
make sure you use marine grade 2-part expanding foam. It’s closed cell foam and is not the same as the stuff you buy for filling cracks or insulating your house.
I also say be careful about how much you use. Mix and pour a little at a time. It expands fast, a lot, and with a lot of force. Split the seam on a wooden row boat I was building.
Bags would be a better choice. Stuff them in first then inflate.
thousands of pingpong balls