Riffe Float

[unirdna]

Short version:

I've wanted one of these for years. There are other, much flashier floats out there. Floats that can be used as boogie boards, floats that carry 3-4 guns, floats with pockets and thousands of clasps. But, all I ever wanted was a solid, simple float - one that pulls easy and puts a flag high in the air.

So, here are my findings re: the Riffe Float.

It is tough. It pulls very easily. It inflates relatively easily, and does not require a pump. The inflation mechanism is top notch, and the bladder stays tight - no small leaks or loss of air pressure. It is buoyant as heck, and keeps the flag strait up in the air (with the help of a 3 lb sack of shot encased in the belly). The bladder system ensures that all the force is torquing on the nylon cover.

That said, this thing is still over priced in my opinion. I feel that it should cost in the $100-120 range - not nearly $200. The flag that comes with collapses without a wind, and consequently can not be seen as well. I replaced the stock flag with a supported one from my local dive shop ($7).

Final thoughts: My stringer clips to the back handle, and it pulls easier than any other float I've used. If it lasts 10 years, I'll revise my critique of the price .

photos (seen with the flag I swapped out - not the original).

Dive it like you stole it.

 

[Jon]

How wide is the support disk that the flag sits in?

It looks similar to my OMER America float. the disk on mine isn't that large and any deflation of the tube allows the flag to flop over. Deflation can happen from just dropping it in cool water- air condenses and the whole thing goes limp. i find that I have to re-inflate throughout the day to keep it upright.

there's a lot of buoyancy in the things- I can strap at least two anchors on the thing that I found during a dive and it will still float, but the lack of GOOD attachment points to hang guns off of is kind of a pain.

The flag on my Rob Allen float has no issues because it mounts right into the valve stem.

I'm actually thinking about Foaming the America float to keep it upright. all the time. I know it won't pack as small, but I have other floats for that.

Jon

 

[unirdna]

Yeah, air becomes about 10% less dense per 50 degrees F.

But, you shouldn't have to be reinflating "throughout the day". One "top off" should do it. The riffe float can be overinflated by 6 lb (human lungs can do about 2 lb). So, you can blow like hell and get it completely tight. Then when/if the float hits the cold water, the bladder still stays tight (despite the slight drop in air density).

So, to answer your question, "no", the flag never went limp despite the water temp being 55F. You can see in the photo the size of the disk at the base of the flag - about 3-4 inches. It's thick, firm rubber, and gets held in place firmly by the "riffe saddle".

 

[Bill]

'air becomes about 10% less dense per 50 degrees F. '

That formula checks out in the real world but I'm having trouble with water. Is there any rule of thumb for water density and temperature? D2=D1(K1/K2) doesn't seem to work.

 

[unirdna]

Not really, Bill. Other than 4C is the temp at which water is the most dense. Slightly less dense as you approach freezing, and considerably less dense as you approach boiling. The reasoning for the maximum density at 4C rests in the unique nature of the hydrogen (polar) bonds of water. These unique bonds are also responsible for salt's ability to melt ice and saltwater's ability to drop below the normal freezing point of 0C (which is why it is so dangerous - water in the antartic freezes skin on contact). The polar bonds are also responsible for water's ability to dissolve salts, and for the gain in density as a result of those dissolutions. But, I suppose I could get into that in another thread.

*I should also note that the "rule of thumb" I posted re: air density is only applicable for temperatures at which humans can survive.

 

[Bill]

Thanks for the chart. It's obvious why my formula didn't work. You can't believe some of the 'corrections' that I tried.

 

[Bill]

Just took a good look at the numbers and it looks like temperature change might affect the density of my weight belt so much more than the water that a diver has to increase the lead as the water warms up (if a few grams were important).
Thanks again