05-03-2013, 05:02 AM
Thanks for the info, SHig.
What weight limit of passenger & gear did you have in mind?
Kudos,
Pon
[quote SHigSpeed]Thanks for the comments!
Let me see if I can address the questions:
Material strength: It's sufficiently strong to use on lakes, but don't drag it over rocks or through blackberries! It's the same spec material that the Curtis rafts were made of, and there are hundreds of happy people out there trekking around in those. The seams can handle at least 40 pounds per inch to peel, and at 2 psi (most peoples' absolute max lung pressure) they'll be only seeing 12 lbs per inch.
My material is 70D and around 5 ounces per square yard. The Trinity fabric is probably closer to 8-9 ounces per square yard. I'd love to know more about the NFO fabric, but I'm assuming it's a urethane coated nylon or polyester - not sure what denier. The Outlaw Assault UL weighs over 15 lbs and dimensionally is probably very similar to my tube with a bow. I'm actually considering making something like that on a lark (connecting two of my tubes tip to tip) to make a UL Watermaster type craft and I'd guess it'd weigh well under 5 lbs though with UL oars and such it would surely be well under 10.
The original prototype had the main valve on one of the toons, but mounting it dead astern makes for easier deflation and compaction. I figured the application for this boat would be small high lakes, and if you have to do some topping off, you could simply kick to shore - which you'd be fishing to most times anyway. It would be simple to have three feet of 1/4" aquarium hose attached to a valve adapter to allow "real time" pressure adjustment for the current valve locations if that was an important feature however. Probably not a bad idea, and wouldn't weigh too much. Of course in a perfect world pinholes would not be a problem.
_SHig
[quote pontoonman]SHig:
Brilliant creation, thanks for sharing! There is nothing even close on the market, with your creation having at least a 2X weight advantage when comparable bags/back rest are added.
What would be your estimate for the strength of your material/seams compared with closest existing lightweights, like the Trinity/420L? Did you consider the NFO heart valve material or is it too heavy/expensive/difficult to work, in this application?
What do you think of moving the valves within reach of a mouth inflation tube? That way their seam/condition could be visually monitored for leaks. Also, pressure could be adjusted on the fly for temperature/pinhole leaks is what I was thinking....
Hope this helps.
Pon
[quote SHigSpeed]I went down to my local "pond" to test out the new boat. I did my best to try to fall out and I failed. I inflated it on shore then hopped in and it immediately tempered - lost pressure due to cooling down. In this less than tight state it was a bit wobbly with how high I sit. Felt a bit like balancing on a ball side to side. Front to back was fine. A quick few breaths to tighten the skin and back in the drink.
MUCH better. Definitely not as solid feeling as my Fish Cat but that's to be expected because of the way the seat is attached to the "U". It does allow some roll, but I think it won't be hard to get used to. Feels kinda like sitting in a canoe or kayak, especially at first when the pressure dropped. Still, no risk of actually barrel rolling.
I'm WAY out of the water - probably A good 3", pretty much what I had designed for. I can make do with pants waders, no chest waders required.
Anyway, photos:
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/8691279068_4d6e9c2302_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...6e9c2302_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8118/8690163763_eb4ce3fb7c_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/...4ce3fb7c_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/8690155155_18676dc0c0_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...676dc0c0_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8102/8691269660_7034f78385_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/...34f78385_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/8690146743_d4b5e1c92f_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...b5e1c92f_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
I made some fly casting motions while I was at it and it was a no-drama affair - not that I had expected any.
I'll have to take my gear next time I hit the "pond".
_SHig[/quote][/quote][/quote]
[signature]
What weight limit of passenger & gear did you have in mind?
Kudos,
Pon
[quote SHigSpeed]Thanks for the comments!
Let me see if I can address the questions:
Material strength: It's sufficiently strong to use on lakes, but don't drag it over rocks or through blackberries! It's the same spec material that the Curtis rafts were made of, and there are hundreds of happy people out there trekking around in those. The seams can handle at least 40 pounds per inch to peel, and at 2 psi (most peoples' absolute max lung pressure) they'll be only seeing 12 lbs per inch.
My material is 70D and around 5 ounces per square yard. The Trinity fabric is probably closer to 8-9 ounces per square yard. I'd love to know more about the NFO fabric, but I'm assuming it's a urethane coated nylon or polyester - not sure what denier. The Outlaw Assault UL weighs over 15 lbs and dimensionally is probably very similar to my tube with a bow. I'm actually considering making something like that on a lark (connecting two of my tubes tip to tip) to make a UL Watermaster type craft and I'd guess it'd weigh well under 5 lbs though with UL oars and such it would surely be well under 10.
The original prototype had the main valve on one of the toons, but mounting it dead astern makes for easier deflation and compaction. I figured the application for this boat would be small high lakes, and if you have to do some topping off, you could simply kick to shore - which you'd be fishing to most times anyway. It would be simple to have three feet of 1/4" aquarium hose attached to a valve adapter to allow "real time" pressure adjustment for the current valve locations if that was an important feature however. Probably not a bad idea, and wouldn't weigh too much. Of course in a perfect world pinholes would not be a problem.
_SHig
[quote pontoonman]SHig:
Brilliant creation, thanks for sharing! There is nothing even close on the market, with your creation having at least a 2X weight advantage when comparable bags/back rest are added.
What would be your estimate for the strength of your material/seams compared with closest existing lightweights, like the Trinity/420L? Did you consider the NFO heart valve material or is it too heavy/expensive/difficult to work, in this application?
What do you think of moving the valves within reach of a mouth inflation tube? That way their seam/condition could be visually monitored for leaks. Also, pressure could be adjusted on the fly for temperature/pinhole leaks is what I was thinking....
Hope this helps.
Pon
[quote SHigSpeed]I went down to my local "pond" to test out the new boat. I did my best to try to fall out and I failed. I inflated it on shore then hopped in and it immediately tempered - lost pressure due to cooling down. In this less than tight state it was a bit wobbly with how high I sit. Felt a bit like balancing on a ball side to side. Front to back was fine. A quick few breaths to tighten the skin and back in the drink.
MUCH better. Definitely not as solid feeling as my Fish Cat but that's to be expected because of the way the seat is attached to the "U". It does allow some roll, but I think it won't be hard to get used to. Feels kinda like sitting in a canoe or kayak, especially at first when the pressure dropped. Still, no risk of actually barrel rolling.
I'm WAY out of the water - probably A good 3", pretty much what I had designed for. I can make do with pants waders, no chest waders required.
Anyway, photos:
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/8691279068_4d6e9c2302_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...6e9c2302_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8118/8690163763_eb4ce3fb7c_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/...4ce3fb7c_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/8690155155_18676dc0c0_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...676dc0c0_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8102/8691269660_7034f78385_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/...34f78385_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
[.IMG][url "http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/8690146743_d4b5e1c92f_b.jpg[/IMG]"]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/...b5e1c92f_b.jpg[/IMG][/url]
I made some fly casting motions while I was at it and it was a no-drama affair - not that I had expected any.
I'll have to take my gear next time I hit the "pond".
_SHig[/quote][/quote][/quote]
[signature]