Protection of buoyancy bags

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Garry R
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Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:01 pm
Location: Chapel Allerton Somerset

Post by Garry R »

Again planning ahead. Unlike Iska my Merlin doesn't have aluminium buoyancy tanks so it will have to be the plastic jobs. However the nails and roves do stick out a bit and I wondered what the solution to wear and puncturing is on these boats with plastic bags. Is there a tape you can put over the offending roves (duct/gaffer?)
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Ed
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Post by Ed »

make canvas covers for the bags!

easy job....looks great...and makes them much easier to hold in place because you can stitch straps directly to the covers. You can also print something silly on them....'his and hers' ....er....this way up....er no-step etc etc.

Bags last much longer as they are kept out of the UV. Incidently...as you are up in Aberdeen...there are lots of skiing and mountaineering shops and one cheap way of getting bouyancy bags is to go chat one of the shops up and get them to order some of the blow-up bags they use to fill ruck-sacks etc. I think they pay about 15£ each for them. they are not quite so strong and don't have straps, but if you are putting them in bags it does not matter.

Iska's aluminium tanks were great fun, especially when they went 'ping' with the changing volume when left out in the sun for a bit.

cheers

eib
Ed Bremner
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Ian Malcolm
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Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2005 3:42 am
Location: United Kingdom

Post by Ian Malcolm »

My Alb is fully tanked so I dont have *much* extra bouyancy strapped in, but after a nasty inversion of a GRP Alb over 20 years ago, the then owners decided to fit buouyancy bags in the stern of *all* their albs. Stingo allready had them. For the last 5 years I have been using 8" diameter 24" fenders instead of bags. I'ver never had them move with two straps round them(and if this is a concern, tie one end in place) and as I have 2 part clip together buckles on the straps they can easily be removed for use as fenders or when beaching. They are tougher than any bag and a lot cheaper. You can work out the approx. buoyancy from the dimensions.
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (FORUM REPLY PREFERRED)
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'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
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