How many noodles do I need?

I've got a dozen noodles from the dollar store.  Guess how much they cost?     I saw similar ones at Longs for $6!

How many noodles needed to float an X-Factor, me and my gear?  Any opinions, ideas, previous analyses?

Thanks,

Eric

Well, your kayak has X payload capability, so if you fill it by volume with Y% noodles, your swamped capacity would be XY. 

A few noodles would ensure that the kayak floats fairly well when swamped, but you'd have to stuff it to the gills with noodles for it to still hold you up in paddling position.

If you keep a spare paddle and paddle floats, then you could lash it to the kayak like outriggers to keep it from tipping and paddle it back ashore (slowly) even if it's completely submerged.  I once had the joy of paddling a swamped outriggered kayak to shore rather than swimming it.

Well one can make me neutrally buoyant in a pool and an X is only 1/4 my weight. Throw in your gear and I still doubt you'd get hardly near 1/2 my weight. Even if the yak is completely full of water as long as you have about 4-6 I'd say it would stay at the surface. If you could jam 12 in there I'd say it's stay up really well. You'll just lose all the space below deck!

Z

It would seem to me that in order to sink, the kayak would need to be nearly %100 full of water.  (and by sink I mean full blown to the bottom sink) Just about any amount or air (or in this case foam) should keep it afloat. (or just slightly sub-surface)  I'm going to put noodles in mine soon too.  I figure on putting in as many as i can, keeping them up high along the rails inside the hull.  I figure it would be bad to put them down low in the keel, because as the yak filled with water its buoyancy would reverse causing it to flip. (sorta like a ship with too much ice build up on the hull)

Thanks for the input.  I ended up putting 10 right up the middle, and I did lose the bulk of my best below-deck space.  I don't use it much, so right now it doesn't bug me.  I have a spare paddle and a mesh bag with bilge pump, a little bottled water and a drift sock.  Other than than I might just throw a fish or a few in there, but I can put them behind me to.  There's room for a couple of huge lings in there still!   

Here's the tripod I'm using for my camera mount right now. 

This post probably should've gone in gearing up...

Instead of pool noodles, I carry a XL drybag (that I got for overnight river-rafting). When not in use, it is rolled up and uses very minimal space. But if I ever needed it, just completely inflate it and stuff inside the hull. For this purpose, you need one w/a manual air valve. Here's a link to the one I have: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0023291516238a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=dry+bag&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=dry+bag&noImage=0
I mean, a huge bag of air is obviously more bouyant than a couple soggy pool noodles. Right? It also takes up zero space.

hasnt been tested yet but this is the foundation of a current pool noddle project. I have more pieces cut but havnt had a chance to finish this project due to fishing priorities.

Good idea, PK.  I'm thinking the shark might bite right through that bag though!      

Terry - cool project.  I felt like I was about to enter the uteris in those first two shots!   

I put in four of the big ones, about 3 inch diameter, two each between the scuppers and the side of the hull and stacked and pushed them so they wedged in tight.  I do not expect fully filling the hull with water but should that ever happen I believe the boat will remain at th surface and I still have plenty of rod storage capacity right down the middle.

I've been geeking out again...   

Don't you ever work?  Or go fishing?   

Don't you ever work?  Or go fishing?   

I took half a day so I could consider going fishing, but I gotta wait for tomorrow morning's potentially epic conditions.  I'm organizing my crap, doing yardwork, cleaning up around the homestead - getting honey-do stuff done so I can fish a long day tomorrow and then pamper mama on Sunday.   

Yes, I feel lucky to have a good job where I have flexibility.   

Pardon me Erik, but I don't get the point of adding all that bulk into your boat. If my boat gets swamped and I end up in the water, so be it. I'll be happy with my life, I can always buy another boat. I say save the space for dead fish!

Just my 2 cents.

CHEERS!

Pardon me Erik, but I don't get the point of adding all that bulk into your boat. If my boat gets swamped and I end up in the water, so be it. I'll be happy with my life, I can always buy another boat. I say save the space for dead fish!

Just my 2 cents.

CHEERS!

Good thoughts, Dan. 

I made this move due largely to Dan964's adventure where the shark bit holes in the boat.  If my boat gets a hole I want it to stay on the surface with me.  I'm definitely still in R&D mode, so who knows what the future holds?   

That pontoon makes me wonder if you could build a whole kayak out of pool noodles by lashing/strapping and duct taping them together.  I bet it could be done at fairly low cost.