float tube sewing pattern

[jr]

Anyone out there ever see a pattern published for making a simple toroidal shaped float tube? I'm toying with the idea of making a small unit for packing into the hills and using styrofoam packing peanuts as floatation instead of a (relatively) unreliable air bladder.

[SHigSpeed]

Good luck with this! :)

Here's my project:

http://www.kiene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21680

Been on hold for a few weeks as I've been busy with other stuff, but I'll be back to it soon (before the thaw - though that may be a while...).

So you're okay with packing a fully "stuffed" tube? Seems very bulky. Also, with peanuts, you won't get as much flotation as maybe a solid foam donut as all the space between the peanuts (I'd guess 20%?) will fill up with water. This will mean you'll need to make the tube 20% bigger to float as high. Okay with that?

Bladders aren't that unreliable. Also, there are a lot of good patch techniques that will work in a pinch. You can buy good tubes that are as light as 5 - 6 lbs, and older tubes were once available down to 3 lbs.

Keep us (me!) posted on how you progress...

_SHig

[Hector Lopez]

Shig all we need is for you to finish your project and produce so we can hike and fish all we want!!! Look forward to you gettting back on the packable float tube.:D

[Scott V]

Hurry up Shig, I need a seat for my U-boat.

[Dave E.]

Hi,

Don't mean to hijack Jr's first post.

Scott,
Are you trying to come up with something like this? An aftermarket inflatable seat and cover for an existing mesh seat style tube, that roughly approximates the inflatable seat in a Super Fat Cat? If not, I beg your pardon.

These are the ones we made for our Buck's Bullet V/U boats, they're a couple of years old now. They add enough lift to keep our rumps, thighs and knees high and dry. Once the materials were rounded up, they didn't take all that long to make, after the first one was patterned.

Dave

[Scott V]

Dave, that is exactly what I need. My U-boat is ok for a few hours but a inflatable seat would be great, I use my U-boat strictly for hike in and if I can get an inflatable seat that would fit nicely into my backpack.

[SHigSpeed]

Hi,

Don't mean to hijack Jr's first post.

Scott,
Are you trying to come up with something like this? An aftermarket inflatable seat and cover for an existing mesh seat style tube, that roughly approximates the inflatable seat in a Super Fat Cat? If not, I beg your pardon.

These are the ones we made for our Buck's Bullet V/U boats, they're a couple of years old now. They add enough lift to keep our rumps, thighs and knees high and dry. Once the materials were rounded up, they didn't take all that long to make, after the first one was patterned.

Dave

So are you making a cover for the Outcast backrest then? I almost think the cover in unnecessary. I don't use one in my Del Canty when using my Outcast backrest.

_SHig