Float Tubes in 1954

[kandersonSLC]

Came across this side bar in a 1954 Popular Mechanics and thought it would be of interest. We've come a long way as to materials and design, but the basic concept hasn't changed much.[inline "First Float Tube - 1954 Popular Mechanics.JPG"]
[signature]

[jmach]

[left]Thanks for the post! I remember fishing for bass in some gold mining dredge ponds when I was in high school in about 1963 or 1964. Just a tube with a canvas cover. I didn't have fins. The problem with the design was that you were not seating. You were nearly standing in the water and were sustained by support between your legs. It was really uncomfortable, so I bought one of those hard plastic protectors that baseball catchers use to provide more comfort and protection.

These days I use a Scadden Renedage. Quite an improvement!
[/left]
[signature]

[albinotrout]

Old looking tube.
[signature]

[tubeN2]

It is nice to see where my roots came from. I still have one of the old Fishmaster Float Tubes. It has a grey cover on it with only 1 pocket and a small seating area with a strap to keep from falling through.

These donut style tubes are a challenge to get in and out of with fins on. I remember stumbling a few times while trying to balance myself with rods and bait in hand and trying to gracefully get down a slippery launch ramp.

The donut tubes were the industry standard long before the U shaped tubes became available. I started using mine in the 70's when I lived in Utah.[cool]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Cool. Thanks for posting that.

I was one of the early experimenters/innovators in the "tube" world. Started in the ocean off Newport Beach, CA. I had been using a car tire inner tube to ride the waves and noticed fish swimming around under me when I got beyond the surf line. So I began bringing out a rod, hooks and bait...and caught fish.

I merely sat with my behind down in the center of the tube...with arms and legs over the side. I soon began to wear swim fins for better propulsion. Later I fashioned a series of crotch straps and even a wooden slat seat that just about prevented me from future procreation.

I finally stitched together some fairly functional burlap and then canvas seats...not really covers. And I also belatedly took them into fresh water.

All that began about the same time as that picture and article...in the mid 1950s. I made all my own gear in the early years...not knowing that others were also doing so in various places around the country.

I bought my first commercially made "float tube" while still living in Sacramento. It was a molded plastic ring with barely enough floatation to handle my expanding "displacement". After moving to Salt Lake in the mid 70's I bought a couple of the Fishmaster "grey donuts"...and my molded plastic model was handed down to my young son Steve (TubeN2). It worked fine for him...until a seam cracked and it went to the bottom, trailing bubbles. Thankfully Steve was in fairly shallow water and walked back to shore. And when I began buying and trying other float tube models, Steve received one of my Fishmasters...which he still has to this day. Here is probably the first picture of Steve in his old Fishmaster...on Willard Bay...about 1980.

[inline "STEVE - WILLARD.jpg"]

Since then I have owned, floated and fished a whole lot of different models of tubes and toons. Like they say about other things if life...they were all good but some better than others.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]

[tubeN2]

I remember that day in Willard. We didn't need waders at that time since the water was so warm whilst Kitty fishing. Meeeeeoooowwwing back and forth in the wee dark hours and listing to others in the vicinity as they said "What the hell was that?" hee hee

I do still have the fishmaster you gave me. I keep it with the rest of my collection of U tubes, V tubes and the Pontube which is a hybrid. I still have my Pontoon as well. It got some good use in the salty pond as well as the freshwater rinse.

It is amazing to see how Float tubes have evolved over the years.[cool]
[signature]