My bouy isn't buoyant enough - help me redesign

[speardummie]

Hello captains, I need some ideas from you talented folk.

My floaty-boy dips head-first into the water and becomes an anchor every time I swim against the current.
I need it to stay above water. I do shore dives, so I need this to remain light-weight and easy to carry.

Mine looks very similar to this in the left picture - hard foam. I like it, I wanna keep it.
The float-line pulls from underneath the board, I tried a few rope positions but nothing really helps.

I'm thinking a pontoon-boat design might work. It would hold it high and allow fast waters to flow through without much drag.
Inflatable arms would be great if I could find the right product and mounting solution.
Although i'm not sure if this is a good idea and worth attempting.

Toss some ideas my way, help me build this!

 

[Brochman]

The line is anchored to the front of the bouy so will pull the nose down, some weight at the rear of the bouy to counter act should sort the problem and or put the line to the underside of the middle of the bouy.

 

[stick500]

Zip-tie two sections of a cut up pool noodle to the sides of the front half of the float. You can angle the leading edge, so it doesn’t push too much water. I have two sections of noodle on my blowup buoy that kept tipping sideways and it really works well and doesn’t add to weight or drag.

 

[popgun pete]

Too much float sticking up out of the water and the wind can catch it offering more drag. If you put a post pointing downwards and rig your line to that it may help. As it is now with you pulling and the water drag opposing you, a torque is created that tips the nose down. What you want is no torque or going the other way, twisting up, so you have to pull from below the drag action line, not from above it.

 

[popgun pete]

Remember seeing a weighted tow line being used for a tow float. At regular intervals near the rear end small lead crimps were placed on the line to keep it under the water when stretched out, the line was a woven cord that would otherwise float, probably thin polypropylene rope. I have used that stuff for shooting line at times.

 

[musubi]

I run a Banks Board and it's worked out great for me over the years. The only issue, if there is any, is the weight. However, you can take a look at the design of that board and apply it to your setup. My connection to the board is on the bottom/front. I've never had an issue of it diving down, even with 20 lbs of chum on it. If you're using a boogie board style, that front edge will catch and cut under the water in choppy water.

If you like the board style float, I'd highly recommend a Banks Board. With the backpack straps, I carry it everywhere. It's done everything from keeping my catch safe from sharks to saving someone.

 

[speardummie]

^ Thanks for the suggestions.
That bank board looks great but i'm already at my weight limit, I can't carry much more on my shoulders.

The pool noodle idea might work. I might try that out

 

[speardummie]

Too much float sticking up out of the water and the wind can catch it offering more drag. If you put a post pointing downwards and rig your line to that it may help. As it is now with you pulling and the water drag opposing you, a torque is created that tips the nose down. What you want is no torque or going the other way, twisting up, so you have to pull from below the drag action line, not from above it.

That's a decent idea, I can see that working.
Although it would be a bitch to mount a solid post on 2" foam, and a bitch to store/transport. Unless I could make it detachable.... hmmmm

 

[speardummie]

Excuse the crude blueprints.
But this is what you meant, right?

How long do you think I should make that purple post?

 

[popgun pete]

Short piece of plastic pipe, trepane a hole in the board to fit using teeth cut onto the end of the tube to core it out, another piece of the same tubing of course.

 

[speardummie]

If you had to guess, how long should it be? 1' foot?

 

[popgun pete]

If you had to guess, how long should it be? 1' foot?

Less than that, maybe four or five inches. You could always experiment and shorten it in stages.

 

[Mr. X]

FYI I think my 3 floats either connect to front tip (e.g. RA solid 11 litre torpedo) or just under it ( e.g
Seatec inflatable torpedo and Picasso inflatable "plank" float.

I have used the latter 2 floats mostly. The latter is the newest and has been used most, most recently.

I add a few lead weights ( car tyre or sea fishing type or sheet lead) to keep the "diver down" or alpha flag upright, to ward off boats . The buoy sometimes attracts curious kayakers though!

 

[Andrew the fish]

...to ward off boats . The buoy sometimes attracts curious kayakers though!

and boats. Flag or no flag

Spear dummy, I think you would be better off buying different buoy than messing with yours. I love those rest-on-top type floats. Going through my second one, Seac like this

https://www.tradeinn.com/f/7/70263/seac-seamate-buoy.jpg

 

[speardummie]

and boats. Flag or no flag

Spear dummy, I think you would be better off buying different buoy than messing with yours. I love those rest-on-top type floats. Going through my second one, Seac like this

https://www.tradeinn.com/f/7/70263/seac-seamate-buoy.jpg

I really should, but my pride is getting in the way

I've got plenty of hours wrapped up in this project. I can't just ditch it. I ended up buying 2" foam board from hardware store and gluing it on, I hope this works.

 

[Mr. X]

Cool. Please let us know how it works out, after you've used it some