Float Bags for Canoe

[Woody]

I have a Pelican Explorer (I think is the name) 3 seater canoe and I am wanting to install float bags and I am looking for any suggestions you may have on a few points. On a recent trip we flipped the canoe and it went under and became wedged under a log being held by the force of the current(lucky no one was under it). The incedent warped the canoe pretty good (almost turned it inside out like tuperware) but we did manage to get it out and bent back to shape. However, it has convenced me to install some floatation.

1) Float bags are kind of pricey so I am thinking of going the old school way and using pool floats, tire inner tubes, or packing peanuts. Leaning toward pool floats since they are easily replaced and I could even pack some back ups for the trip. Any suggestions on a better alternative. Styrofoam is a little heavy.

2) Everything I know about creating the cage for the float bags to be placed in says to drill just below the gunwales  to thread the cord through. Is this the best way or do you have other suggestions.

[Firedog]

Large blocks of styrofoam work very well if you can find'em. You can buy sheets of styrofoam boards at Lowes, glue them together and cut'em to fit. Still your best bet is floatation bags lashed in properly.  They will cost you about the same as buying enough foam board to make the same amount of floatation. Paddling any open boat without floatation in current can be dangerous regardless of how benign it appears. Always assume there can be obstructions under the surface. Be careful out there! 

[squidbilly]

Gotta agree with Firedog about the float bags. They will fit better, float better , and are much more durable than pool floats. Therefore-safer. You get what you pay for. Unless you can get styrofoam block cheap.

[squidbilly]

Or you could pour your own polyurethane.

[camel]

old towne guide - twice the price of a Pelican much more stable- styrofoam is built in - headed on the boulder in the 100 yard run on Sipsey a few times and only got small peebles imbedded- canoe for a lifetime!

Camel

[Firedog]

I agree with Camel. You get what you pay for. Old Town, Mad River, & Wenonah, are far better boats than some of the discount store brands, ie Coleman, Pelican ect but I understand a budget.  I have an Old Town Discovery 158 that is an '89 model. Still looks great, no oil canning and has seen many miles of waterways. This boat has see the Nanty, Sipsey, and Hiawassee in it's travels so it is not flat water exclusive.  As with all plastic boats, keep'em out of the sun.

http://www.303products.co...-aerospace-protectant.cfm

This is great stuff and will keep your plastic boat in good shape.

[squidbilly]

We were on the Locust Fork once and came upon two guys who had those two piece kayaks. One had hit a rock head-on and folded his boat nearly double. When we stopped, the guy asked, "What do I do now?" I helped him haul it up and position it across two rocks where we were able to stomp the crease outward and sort of straighten it out. At least he was able to float out.  He looked at our Daggers and said the same thing Firedog just said, "I guess you get what you pay for."

[camel]

mason jar - a dollar a day after two years you have 20 years of quality!

Camel

[Woody]

I've been pretty happy with the Pelican. Been using it for close to 10 years now and it has performed without issue. I have a friend who has an old town and he remarked that if his boat had been stuck under the log with that much force it would have been broken in half instead of just bent and then repaired. The hull of the Pelican is perfect for my purposes (mostly floating the shallow and rocky Mulberry). It is almost un-puncturable in my experience. No matter what kind of canoe you buy you still have to install floatation if I'm not mistaken. Even the Pelican has neutral bouyancy (it won't sink to the bottom but it doesn't float high if swamped either).