Do pool noodles effect handling or performance?

Before I get flamed, I did use the search function and couldn't find anything on point for what I'm asking. Or the answer is so obvious that no one has needed to ask it before, lol.

I understand why some people want to add extra bouyancy to their kayaks by adding some pool noodles (or other items) to the hull. Does this effect the handling or performance of the kayak in any way? I would think the hull is designed for a certain waterline, and if it's sitting higher from the extra bouyancy, then maybe it would handle differently (for example, not track as well).

I was probably playing hooky and out fishing the day this was covered in Physics class.

It won't affect the kayak at all. The purpose of putting pool noodles or jugs inside the hull is to displace water in the event of the hull filling with water, thus making it impossible for the kayak to sink. Since the hull is not normally filled with water, the only thing filling the hull with pool noodles does is add a few extra grams of weight which won't have an effect on the kayak.

Okay, makes sense. Under normal circumstances, the noodles are just displacing air, so unless someone found a way of adding so many noodles that the extra weight became a factor, then they should have no effect.

Thanks!

(I knew it was going to be obvious, lol)

This is actually a very good question.

jremi's answer was spot on, but consider this:  when water enters your hull, the kayak will become more and more unstable because when you shift at all to one side, the water will flow that way and cause obvious and severe instability that the kayaker is unable to counteract at some point - this is what throws someone in the water from a half-full hull.

With the displacement of the pool noodles, the water in the hull will not be able to as easily flow side to side, so the kayak will actually be more stable with water in it than it would be if there were no noodles.

Think of it like this - if the entire gunnel area, left and right, were filled with noodles (or any flotation), and the water could not even get to the outer edges of the yak, then having water in the hull wouldn't cause so much of a problem other than weight.

It's another factor that supports the use of some system to hold the noodles together like I did with the FoodSaver pontoon system.

This topic and your question can lead to someone's life being saved - damn straight.



Look at how many people gave thumbs down to this vid!   

With the displacement of the pool noodles, the water in the hull will not be able to as easily flow side to side, so the kayak will actually be more stable with water in it than it would be if there were no noodles.

Think of it like this - if the entire gunnel area, left and right, were filled with noodles (or any flotation), and the water could not even get to the outer edges of the yak, then having water in the hull wouldn't cause so much of a problem other than weight.

That's a great additional explanation Eric, thanks.

Now I just need to solve the problem that the kayak I've chosen to purchase provides very little hull access. I'll have to wait until I get my hands on it to see if the small center hatch is going to be enough, or if I'll need to pick a spot to add another hatch.

Luckily pool noodles are flexible!

It won't affect the kayak at all. ...

And I thought this was going to be one of those tricky-Google-interview-question-kind-of-things...

https://career.guru99.com/35-googles-tricky-interview-questions/

It won't affect the kayak at all. ...

And I thought this was going to be one of those tricky-Google-interview-question-kind-of-things...

https://career.guru99.com/35-googles-tricky-interview-questions/

 

I started reading those, but they lost me at DEADBEEF...

No Flame, just defense of the NCKA platform and search function.  15 pages 30 results each page search term "pool noodle"


Bushy

No Flame, just defense of the NCKA platform and search function.  15 pages 30 results each page search term "pool noodle"


Bushy

Yes, but check out the results for the terms "pool noodle" + "performance", or + "handling". I tried both.

Tons of results about "pool noodles", but not one result on point to what I was asking.

The NCKA platform and search function is great by the way. It's just that no one else felt the need to ask a question with such an obvious answer!

Ah, but Bushy knows about using quotation marks before and after a string of key words in this search function.

Somehow, the question about whether pool noodles inside the hull affects kayak performance reminds me of the kids riddle:  "Which is heavier, a pound of lead or a pound of feathers."   

Maybe useful to do a Google search for displacement, with or without quotation marks.

Maybe useful to do a Google search for displacement, with or without quotation marks.

Alas, if only I'd been thinking in terms of displacement, instead of added bouyancy. Then I wouldn't have had to ask the question in the first place. Thanks.

I have never noticed any difference in handling and performance post pool noodle installation in any of my kayaks as opposed to pre pool noodle installation.

I have  had as many as 24 up to 30 in a kayak , tightly and neatly packed properly they don`t move inside the hull.

I therefore suggest the impact is negligible to almost non existent.

Nothing beats real-world experience, thanks for sharing.

...and possibly a six pack of what hopefully is not a over hopped triple IPA that taste like ass.

On the money.