08-04-2008, 07:57 PM
Nothing wrong with discussion!
However, more pressure does not equal more buoyancy. You can have a tube with a kevlar bladder and an equal dimensioned tube with vinyl. Take the vinyl one to a reasonable 4 psi, and the kevlar one to 100. The Kevlar one will float LOWER in the water all other things being equal because the weight of the air inside is more.
The amount of weight a tube will carry equals the amount of water that is displaced once loaded. The weight of this water doesn't care if the tube is merely rigid or rock hard.
OTOH, since I haven't had the privilege of inspecting a urethane bladder, if it IS thicker at the same or less weight, that's definitely worth something. Hook points and whiskerfish will have a harder time going through for sure.
I had also been concerned and therefore careful when inflating that all the folds were worked out under the skin prior to fully inflating the thing for the exact reason you mentioned - if it were "bound up" somehow I could definitely see causing a stroke!
_SHig
[signature]
However, more pressure does not equal more buoyancy. You can have a tube with a kevlar bladder and an equal dimensioned tube with vinyl. Take the vinyl one to a reasonable 4 psi, and the kevlar one to 100. The Kevlar one will float LOWER in the water all other things being equal because the weight of the air inside is more.
The amount of weight a tube will carry equals the amount of water that is displaced once loaded. The weight of this water doesn't care if the tube is merely rigid or rock hard.
OTOH, since I haven't had the privilege of inspecting a urethane bladder, if it IS thicker at the same or less weight, that's definitely worth something. Hook points and whiskerfish will have a harder time going through for sure.
I had also been concerned and therefore careful when inflating that all the folds were worked out under the skin prior to fully inflating the thing for the exact reason you mentioned - if it were "bound up" somehow I could definitely see causing a stroke!
_SHig
[signature]