Do you consider floatation bags necessary for tripping? Under what circumstances, canoe configurations? Do you tie down your packs in CI situations? Rely on packs for floatation?
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Floatation Bags
- Thread starter Black_Fly
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I don't own bags, although I do build floatation chambers into my strippers (even though they would float swamped without them). I might consider bags if I were to start tackling C3+ on a regular basis but that would limit space for gear which is far more important to me. Instead, I'll portage anything that I should have bags for.
No, I don't tie bags in. Again, if it's that sketchy, I'll portage or get off the water.
Cardinal rule of solo tripping (and solo+ pup): Don't take unnecessary chances.
No, I don't tie bags in. Again, if it's that sketchy, I'll portage or get off the water.
Cardinal rule of solo tripping (and solo+ pup): Don't take unnecessary chances.
I don't consider flotation bags necessary but useful in the right circumstances.
I own a set of flotation bags for dedicated whitewater play and plan to experiment with them to fill voids in my solo tripping outfit. For instance, if my bow is empty, why not fill it with a flotation bag?
My packs are all water tight and get lashed in during any trip, contributing buoyancy. I once lost a pack after swamping in the middle of a lake during a sudden gale and I spent the rest of the multi-week trip borrowing spares from my tripmates. I got along fine because it was summertime but I don't want to repeat the experience.
One of the downsides to lashing in gear is that the boat is unwieldy once swamped and more difficult to empty of water because the canoe + gear makes for a very heavy unit to handle. Flotation bags displace a lot of water weight and thereby make the boat far easier to handle and recover. For instance, a boat with buoyant packs and flotation bags might sit mostly up and out of the water, even while overturned. I've successfully paddled swamped boats to shore on river trips and it would have always been easier sitting up a little higher thanks to more buoyancy.
All that said, there are plenty of circumstances in which inflation bags are overkill, add nuisance and degrade the aesthetics of your outfit. Yellow flotation bags would look incongruous in the lovely wood canvas canoe's of @lowangle al or @Robin.
I own a set of flotation bags for dedicated whitewater play and plan to experiment with them to fill voids in my solo tripping outfit. For instance, if my bow is empty, why not fill it with a flotation bag?
My packs are all water tight and get lashed in during any trip, contributing buoyancy. I once lost a pack after swamping in the middle of a lake during a sudden gale and I spent the rest of the multi-week trip borrowing spares from my tripmates. I got along fine because it was summertime but I don't want to repeat the experience.
One of the downsides to lashing in gear is that the boat is unwieldy once swamped and more difficult to empty of water because the canoe + gear makes for a very heavy unit to handle. Flotation bags displace a lot of water weight and thereby make the boat far easier to handle and recover. For instance, a boat with buoyant packs and flotation bags might sit mostly up and out of the water, even while overturned. I've successfully paddled swamped boats to shore on river trips and it would have always been easier sitting up a little higher thanks to more buoyancy.
All that said, there are plenty of circumstances in which inflation bags are overkill, add nuisance and degrade the aesthetics of your outfit. Yellow flotation bags would look incongruous in the lovely wood canvas canoe's of @lowangle al or @Robin.
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Generally, I do not use flotation bags in standard CI situations, although I do have a couple of sets of bags for dedicated whitewater boats. However, I have been re-thinking my use of them and will probably start including them in certain situations. For instance, I may take some in my Phoenix or Starfire on the Buffalo River next Spring, simply because I’ll have the space, and because my boats are pretty enough that I don’t want to risk catastrophic pins if I somehow happen to go for a swim. They significantly reduce the risk of a wrap. I also would like to go out on the “big” rivers near me next year (Lower Missouri and Mississippi) in my Polaris and I may bag it to make re-entry easier, just in case. Also, having the extra buoyancy to cling to if a barge is passing anywhere in the vicinity would be appreciated I think. Recently a kayaker on the Mississippi down here got swamped due to a boat starting its engine too close and the sudden wake flipped the kayak unexpectedly. He thought he was far enough away, but it turned out he wasn’t. That being said, I don’t think most of the MR340 racers use float bags and are normally just fine without them. I guess I just figure if you have the room, why not? It’s not that big of a hassle and it’s fairly cheap insurance.
If there is class 2 or higher with the possibility of a loose swamped canoe getting pinned, there will be float bags. If I'm in the Coho on any water, there will be float bags (Kaz doesn't build in any flotation). I don't bother with float bags on flat water otherwise.
There are some small items that I always secure to the canoe, like fishing gear, but I usually don't secure anything large that doesn't add flotation. I generally set things up so that secured gear can be easily released.
There are some small items that I always secure to the canoe, like fishing gear, but I usually don't secure anything large that doesn't add flotation. I generally set things up so that secured gear can be easily released.
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Every year around this time of year I tell myself that I really should have flotation bags in my boat since if I do end up in the water it's immediately serious so anything that makes the boat easier to recover seems like a really good idea.
Is there a preferred brand? NRS?
Is there a preferred brand? NRS?
I have many sets of air bags, a number of my (used) canoes came with bags. I only use them in my playboat which is only for day paddling or an overnight trip where I don't have much gear.
For extended trips I have plenty of gear that will displace water (the whole point of air bags), my gear is always either attached to the boat or contained in my extra large flotation cages (which are used as gear cages). When I'm running larger rapids and especially it it involves big waves I will often take on water but when the water reaches the gunnels the amount of actual water is modest, if I remove the gear there is usually only 2 - 4 inches of water left in the boat.
For extended trips I have plenty of gear that will displace water (the whole point of air bags), my gear is always either attached to the boat or contained in my extra large flotation cages (which are used as gear cages). When I'm running larger rapids and especially it it involves big waves I will often take on water but when the water reaches the gunnels the amount of actual water is modest, if I remove the gear there is usually only 2 - 4 inches of water left in the boat.
