Yak sinks in La Jolla, Long Swim

Thanks for the great responses everybody, especially from you Hawk. And I'm not just saying that because I use the exact same method of whitewater dry bags...but because, well, you are the expert so I appreciate the free advice that's been tested+proven successful. Most everything else is hypothetical. Dale is the only one who presents a compelling argument in favor of noodles IMO.
This is far from real research, but I just spent the last week in a swimming pool floating on pool noodles lol. And it seems like they are just neutrally-buoyant. If your yak was bare with some air trapped in the hull, noodles may prevent it from "sinking." But the additional weight from a FF, battery, rods, tackle, rod holders, bilge pump, beer/lunch, etc would probably cause your yak to sink.
It sounds like NCKA needs to do some realworld research. Let's try it!
Though, I expect the results would be just as conclusive as Jim Sammons' video attempt to debunk the waders vs wetsuit issue...

As I remember it a standard pool noodle calculates out to about 8 # of bouyancy.

Pi X R X R X L = volume

Volume X density of water = wt displaced,

Density of Salt Water is about .0372#/cubic inch
For fresh it's about .0361.

If you do this calc remember to subtract the volume of the hole in the middle of the noodle from the volmue of noodle as calculated by the OD of the noodle.  And for bouancy in # also subtract the wt of the noodle. 

Noodle with OD of 2.25 inch, 60 inches long with a 5/8" hole down the middle

R = Radius or (measure the OD and divide by 2)
Pi = 3.14 close enough for this

Noodle 2.25" OD by 60" L with a 5/8" (.625") hole in the center

Volume = ((2.25/2)*(2.25/2)*3.14*60)-((.625/2)*(.625/2)*3.14*60)= 238.4 cubic in

For Salt water Bouyancy = 238.4 * .0372 #/cubic in = 8.9 # Salt water displaced

Take away about a half pound for the wt of the noodle itself and you get a positive boyancy from that noodle of 8.4 pounds.  For fresh it's gonna be like 8.1

I always welcome someone to check my math, I am forever questioning my own numbers......

So I need 9+ full-size noodles to keep my 75lb yak & gear from sinking?
Not doubting the math, I'm actually quite impressed! Good work Dale. You get an A, for sure.

doesn't have any hatches for me to stuff the inside with pool noodles, and if it sprung a leak I guess it would just sink...

Any other ideas for how to be "more safe" in case of leak springage, besides wearing PFD and carrying VHF??

I guess I could cut a hole in the yak, stuff with pool noodles, and then install a hatch??? Have not wanted to do that cuz I've been afraid I would mess it up and screw myself...

Why would you want to cut a hole in your kayak just to stuff with pool noodles? It there are no hatches, the kayak would always float, short of puncturing it in any way. My $.02.

Uhhhh...Hatch = Storage Space + Flotation.....when are these ever a bad thing to have, especially on the ocean?

Uhhhh...yeah, I get it about the flotation AND storage space, but Jim only mentioned installing a hatch so he could insert flotation material.

Either way..flotation > no flotation no matter how you look at it......I say cut away Jim.








Having only sunk half as many kayaks as Dale I can't say I'm as expert as he is but I'm not sure the noodles did much for stability in my T160 than they did for his marauder....maybe we do need a debunking thread....who has a pool that can be our ocean? Is it heated?     

Just tossing this in here  http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2759.0.html

While I thought I was prepared, (yeah right) I didn't noodle up til after the second incident.

Perhaps it is time for some testing..

They found the yak yesterday!

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=7215

Maybe I'm just a cynical prick but they seem a bit cavalier about the whole thing...

We need to change this thread to "LET this happen to you...."

A recovered yak nearly 3 weeks later. No pool noodles required.

So it didn't sink after all.

It floated into Mission Bay and was recovered by the Coast Guard. He's trying to fix it. Scabby looking thing.

this is another account of the "sunken" kayak

http://www.kayakanglermag.com/blog/editors-angle/585-unbelievable-sunken-yak-comes-back.html

here's my "dual purpose" floation device 

bow and stearn....(and I still have room to stick a couple of 7 ft. rods, net, fish in a burlap sack and other tackle via stearn hatch )

Hey   Dale L, question?  How did you weigh your pool noodles and come up with a .5 lb weight.  I am using 3.5 inchers and they only weigh about 7 oz.s each.  According to the math my noodles should support approx. 18.7 lbs each.  Using 8 of them puts me in the positive float position (yak, battery, fishing gear = 100 lbs) by about 50 lbs.

Wow, that's a crazy story!  Who's gonna be the first to install an auto bilge pump? 

Hey   Dale L, question?  How did you weigh your pool noodles and come up with a .5 lb weight.  I am using 3.5 inchers and they only weigh about 7 oz.s each.  According to the math my noodles should support approx. 18.7 lbs each.  Using 8 of them puts me in the positive float position (yak, battery, fishing gear = 100 lbs) by about 50 lbs.

I used the WAG method, (Wild Ass Guess), and went way high just to not overstate the bouancy, so yeah I believe they weigh considerably less.