Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Barrio

Float tube design?
« on: 17/05/2010 at 17:00 »
Hi folks :cool:

We were trying out a new float tube at Sunday's gathering and the feedback was very interesting ...... this has got me thinking :z3

What would you like to see on a new float tube? What would the main features be that you would like to see on one?

Nets always seem to get in my way for example, how could we overcome this? Are there any "specialist" features that would be handy for pike fishing? Can we improve safety? etc etc

Best wishes
Mike

Jim Eddie

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #1 on: 17/05/2010 at 20:20 »
How about an "Iron clad" one for Pike fishing Mike  :z4

One of the things I did like about the Snowbee was the storage spce behind the seat.

 :z18

Jim

PDScott

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #2 on: 17/05/2010 at 21:46 »
Although I did not try the Snowbee, I was able to see the drawback of the bar across the front restricting the leg movement. If they could come up with a solution to do away with the bar e.g. like the Shakespeare then it would be more sensible and, like Jim, I like the idea of the platform behind the seat to hold the net etc.
Peter

Rob Brownfield

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #3 on: 17/05/2010 at 23:06 »
A reinforced section on the cover to attach zingers etc. I have to attach my foreceps to a pocket and I am always worried the pin could pop the tube.

A fly patch with clear cover incase it rains. Fumbling through boxes can lead to them falling in.

From a pikers point of view it would be great to have a two position seat, low for normal fishing/windy and a high setting for double hauling with heavy lines and big flies. I currently come home with a soaking left sleeve where my hand hits the water. This is why most of the pikers I know use the guideline tube as you sit much higher.

Clip to attach a mini drogue for controlled drifting in stronger winds.

Waterproof compartment for keys/mobile.

DVD player and screen......ok, a bit too far lol

Kev Danby

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #4 on: 18/05/2010 at 13:14 »
Like the shape of the snowbee and the storage compartment. the bar acroos the front in the snowbee is not great but does prevent you falling out and stops the tube folding in on itself

I wonder if it possible to design the tube so you can fish from it in a low position and if you want a highter position flip the tube over. as the seat is fixed in one position this would give a high and low seated position. This obviously has its challenges, you would need detachable pockets and in the case of the snowbee the hard foam seating would need to detachable/repositionable.  I thik you could still have the V shape but not quite like the snowbee but then again if you could zip the seat in and have several zip positions that might work (strength might be an issue).

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #5 on: 08/06/2010 at 02:11 »
Mainly, I'd like to see air chambers that are oval - not round in cross section.

The reason? Lower sides with the same buoyancy =  more elbow room WITHOUT rising both seat and of occupant into a wind catching position.
I assume it could only be done via two bladders inside the chamber, and a vertical section of fabric joining top and bottom to compress the bladders vertically so they spread out to the side more.

As a second idea I suspect we drag too much surface water along with us in triangular (viewed from above), vee, and round tubes. This increases effort and decreases speed.
The framed pontoons are much faster because their tubes are lengthways in the water, like the hull of a kayak aligned with the direction of travel, but of course pontoons are high and prone to excessive wind drift (being high but with no keel element underwater to counteract drift).

So I have wondered if a tube that has the seat flush with water surface (high enough to reduce water drag, but not an inch higher) with wide low pontoons, and a nose clear of the water to let water through and not push it aside and drag it along behind, would be the key to the best allround performance float tubing with fin power.


The Fish Cat Panther manages to do this with 10" tubes which are a lot lower than the 16-18" tubes we assume to be necessary. Imagine a Panther married an ODC420 or Fish Cat 4 and had a tube-child!

Norm

Peter McCallum

Re: Float tube design?
« Reply #6 on: 09/06/2010 at 13:45 »
Why not just reintroduce the shakey expedition? I found it a smashing tube the one time I'ver used mine. If I had a complaint it was somewhere to stow my net. The old Caddis 11 had a couple of perfectly placed velcro straps which held a net securely & within easy reach. other than that.....  :z8 :z8...........nope ideal

 




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