got out my Bass Pro Lost Lake and aired it up. Getting ready to actually do some of that angling stuff (I know, I know, weird huh?) But the instructions say “Caution! Do not inflate over 2 P.S.I.” OK, OK, 2 P.S.I. is fine. But I am fairly sure that I don’t need to go out and buy some sort of high end air guage for a float tube and don’t see how it would work anyway. My thoughts are that this is more of a [url=http://www.ceri.com/q_v6n5q4.htm:2958f]S.W.A.G.[/url:2958f] type action and was hoping for rules of thumb from the sages of the inner tube.
RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:2958f]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:2958f]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com
Fill it 'til it rounds out the cover, and is firm, but does not stretch the seams. If you get in and the tube sags, put more air in it.
Robin,
Where you been man, I missed you? What Okie says is right on. Also, in the Summer, be careful if you set it out in the sun like in the back of the pickup going to the lake. The hot sun will cause it to inflate more just setting in the sun and could cause it to overinflate. When I’m going to and from the lake on a hot day, I let some air out of the tube and inflate it completely when I get there. Also, in the winter, you can inflate it on the shore and when you put it in the cold water it will deflate and you’ll have to get out and put more air in it. Just use the SWAG method. That’s all I’ve ever done. I never let all the air out of my tube unless I’m going to Colorodo or somewhere. I store it in the garage inflated. Good luck with the tube. They are a lot of fun. Let us know how you did on your trip.
Robert
Robin,
What Robert said! Have fun & let us know how you like it!
Mike
Whatever SWAG is supposed to mean, this is a continuing saga for me. Having no role models on this, are you supposed to “float” high or sag somewhat in a tube. I’ve always sagged. I’ve typically lost air. I’ve taken the bladder out and searched for bubbles. None. I fill until I think I have it full but with the seams not stressed. Then I get in the thing and it seems to kink at the elbows or sag out front. Frankly, I thought this would be such a simple way of fishing that I would put my canoe away. Only once have I ever gone out in the tube where it was a complete pleasure. It was like fishing from an easy chair. All the other times I was fighting sag someplace in the tube. Canoeing is less mentally stressful for sure. Hopefully you guys can set me straight. Also, I have to teabag it because I don’t have waders. With all the sag the last thing I’d want on, anyway, would be waders. JGW
John,
SWAG means “Scientific Wild A**ed Guess”.
Now that that’s taken care of, if you have sag in your tube, it needs more air. I fill mine like I used to fill a football as a kid…not hard as a rock but firm, so you can press your thumb in slightly. While the seams shouldn’t be “stressed”, all wrinkles should be out. Hope this helps.
Mike
thanks guys,
Well, I found somebody else headed the same way so I took the big ol’ canoe. But the tips make sense, thanks for throwing them my way.
Mike, I see you pop on IM on occasion but I know you are at the school so I have held off on distracting you with IMs.
RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:aa00c]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:aa00c]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com
If’s it a truck inner tube you can just go by feel. It’s its firm and floats you well but doesnt feel like a drum skin to a fingers touch, it’s OK. The seems should not look stressed.
If it’s a bladder that you can fill by lung pressure, don’t worry about over inflating by mouth. I never met anyone with enough lung pressure that can burst a float tube.
Things to remember:
1.) A tube will lose pressure when placed in cold water and may need to be topped off after it’s been in the water for a while.
2.) A tube left to sit in the sun will gain pressure and may need to have some released.
3.) A tube that is OK at one altitude will be over inflated when transported to a higher altitude and of course the reverse can happen. I’ve seen people burst tubes by moving to a higher lake and lose tubes tied to a car top carrier that came loose when moving to a lower lake.
Joe
JGW,
That’s really disappointing that you’re not having fun with your tube. I remember when you first got it. I had high hopes that you would enjoy it as much as I do mine. I’m thinking maybe you are inflating it on the shore and then putting it in cold water and it’s losing pressure. If so, you need to get out and reinflate it to adjust for the loss of air due to the cold water. Tell me more about the “saging”. Is it at the seat? Are the sides closing in on you? I’m not trying to get too personal but how much do you weigh? Is it a fabric seat or an inflatable one? The inflatable seat or styrofoam seat will support you much beter than a fabric seat. What brand tube do you have? I’ve got a cheap Caddis tube with a fabric seat that sags more than my better Outcast Fish Cat with an inflatable seat. Also, like Joe correctly points out, you can’t get near the pressure in a tube by inflating it with your mouth as you can with a pump. Give us some more information. I’ll bet between all of us tubers here we can figure something out. I really want you to enjoy your tube. They are way too much fun for you not to enjoy. There’s something wrong. I carry mine around with me most of the Summer chained in the back of my pickup with my fly bag and waders in the back seat. Just add a fly rod and I’m ready to roll.
Castwell,
Ouch! I confess that as a lad I had one of the very first float tubes, when all they had (at least all I knew of) were covers for car inner tubes. I took it out by the pool at my apartments, thinking to impress the gals, and as it sat there in the hot Texas sun… BAM!! went the seams. And that was the last time I went float tubing for twenty-seven years. If I get this one in the water this summer it’ll be twenty-seven. The only gal I have to impress now is my wife Diana so, with only one to impress I am confident I can pull it off without blowing it up. 
RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:b7d99]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:b7d99]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com
[This message has been edited by rrhyne56 (edited 22 May 2005).]
I’m not trying to change the topic . I’m thinking of gettin a tube and have wondered just how much stuff to need to get along with it.
fins?
pump?
PFD’s?
waders?
rod lanyard?
what kind of didstnce can you cover?
The info. about the seat type is new also. Would it be possible to expand this post to desirable attributes for a tube in Piedmont NC type water (farm ponds and small munic. impoundments)
well I’m all done here so why not shift gears?
PFD, flippers and a pump for sure. Waders, if its warm enough to wet wade then it might be OK to tube. Rule of thumb, and please research this before taking my word as its your life on the line, ambient air temp plus water temp need to be above 98? in order to be safe from hypothermia.
Most tubes come with a rod holder, that would be up to you. Distance covered? Not too much I’d wager. But its quality fishing from the tube.
RRhyne56
[url=http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com:4093c]http://www.robinscustomleadersandflies.com[/url:4093c]
IM = robinrhyne@hotmail.com
zzdruid, how about reading this:
[url=http://flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/part41.html:eb854]http://flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/part41.html[/url:eb854]
and then start a topic with your questions. That way you will have a post question specific to your needs.
Joe
[This message has been edited by flyfisherjoe (edited 23 May 2005).]
Thanks , that series of article did the trick
Robert, I did most of my tubing at 190, but am now up about 20 above that with hopes of coming back down. The kinks were more in the front, say from the elbows down. I have a mesh seat, and I do inflate by mouth. And I inflate on shore before going in. My next purchase will be a pump that will handle my tube and air matresses. From what I’m gathering is that I’m underinflating, and when the cold water hits it caused even more of the same. First time I ever used it was on a MO farm pond, where I thought this was the way to go. I was coming in and wanted to give myself one more push and put my foot down, burying my shoe and flipper into about thigh deep muck, losing the whole thing, meaning tennis shoe and flipper. I’m about at the point of trying to make back some of the investment before it goes in a garage sale or bereavement auction! JGW
[This message has been edited by white43 (edited 23 May 2005).]
John,
It sounds like an underinflation problem to me. If that doesn’t work you might look at a tube with an inflatable seat.
ZZ,
To answer your questions:
1.Fins–Yes, a must. You can propel yourself much faster. I have the ones that fit over my wading boots. Okiebass has some interesting shoes he developed for tubing that have a loose flap attached to the bottom that he can go forward and backward with if he’ll chime in and tell you how to make them.
2. Pump. Not absolutely necessary but I have one and it can put more air in the tube than you can force in by mouth. Faster too if the tube is totally deflated.
3.PFD. I don’t use one and this is where I differ from most others. The way I see it is that my tube has 2 separate pontoons on each side plus a separate inflatable back and seat and even if I punctured one of the pontoons or seat or back, the rest of the compartments would keep me afloat till I could get in. Now, if you have one of the old style round truck innertube floats with just the one tube then I think you would need a PFD because if the tube burst, you’d sink.
4. Waders–I use waders year round. Gore Tex breathables. You’ve got to have them in Winter. I put sweat pants and polar fleece and long handles on under them in Winter. The reason I use them in Summer is because when I take them off I can drive home dry after I’m done and I don’t have to change clothes and dry off.
5. Rod lanyard—I don’t know what that is. I taped some velcro to my tube that serves as a rod holder because I usually carry 2 rods with me. One rigged with a wet fly and one with a popper. Be careful carrying 2 rods. Don’t back into the bank and break your rod.
6. What kind of distances can you cover?—You’d be surprised. The windier it is the less distance you can cover of course. You can fish around a 40 acre pond or cove in a long afternoon or morning. It also depends on what kind of shape your in.
thanks , great info and response, you folks are the best…
It sounds like I guy would be into about $400 by the time he got outfitted right. It’s kind of a toss up for me on a tube vs a toon…
I know this is getting off track of the original… just shut me down if we stray too far for your forums rules.