Propulsion Efficiency

[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]I just got through replying to a PM from one of the Utah float tube contingent. His private question was about how to be able to move faster in his craft...without adding a motor. Here is my response for anyone else with the same question.[/size][/blue]

[#ff0000][size 1]FLOAT TUBE PROPULSION? Man, everybody would like to be able to go faster with less effort. There are several factors that affect your speed and efficiency.[/size][/#ff0000]

[#ff0000][size 1]1. Tube design. In most round tubes and many Uboats, the seat has you sitting below water line, with much of your lower body in the water. That creates more drag. On my Super Fat Cat I sit on a bench seat, above the water line. Every kick moves me across the water more easily. I also have a pointed bow on my craft, which cuts through the water easier and is raised so that it glides more over the water than through it. A lot of craft literally plow the water.[/size][/#ff0000]

[#ff0000][size 1]2. Fin size and design. Use the biggest fins you can afford and operate without hurting yourself. Propulsion is a matter of force applied in the right direction. You get more water displacement with a bigger fin blade. Also, if the fin is too stiff, it will wear you out faster. Too flimsy and you do not get efficient transfer of force.[/size][/#ff0000]

[#ff0000][size 1]3. Method of kicking. Longer controlled kicks will move you farther without beating you up. If you need to move quickly...like to get to a bunch of boiling fish...then you put the power to it. Otherwise, just keep long even kicks going...applying thrust to the upkick as well as the downkick.[/size][/#ff0000]

[#ff0000][size 1]Those are the major considerations. Then you have to factor in your size and physical condition. A good set of legs can swim circles around someone who is not a strong kicker. And, you should not try to cover a whole lake when you are out of condition...like after a long winter. Get out on some tuneup trips first and don't overdo it. As Dirty Harry says "A man should know his limitations."[/size][/#ff0000]

[blue][size 1]The one thing I did not suggest was filling your craft with helium. Of course, if you overdid it you could get shot down by the Air Force when you wander into sensitive air space. This terrorism thing has got everybody spooked.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]That got me to thinking. How many of those round UFO's we have seen might just be float tubers with too much helium in their donuts?[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody else got any helpful hints to improve the thrust to weight ratio and improve propulsion. And, no comments about "gas powered", burrito magnetos, etc.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[EmuScud]

As always you are very thorough. It has been my experience that using the overdrive on my tube is a rare situation. I've been known to really tire myself out if I'm late on getting home however.

Without knowing the details of my fellow Utah Flotilla member that sent you a PM, if they have a need to go that fast out of a tube, I might humbly recommend a pontoon with oars. I'm still working on a good rod mount for my toon so I could "troll" a bit using my oars.

I went up to my home town (Buhl, Id) this weekend anticipating a tubing trip with my Dad at Clear Lakes. I doubled and triple checked my fishing suplies and realized that I had forgot my waders [blush] after I was a 4 1/2 hour drive away from them.

Ended up fishing from the bank. Near as I could tell, I was landing as many as the tubers were. My best was a fat 16-18" bow that was released to fight another day. The pattern? An olive size 12 "damsel pete." Sportsmans had some tiny props perfect for patterns ranging from 8-12.

Hoping to hit Utah Lake soon in the 'toon.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Hey Nate, the inquirer was Jed Burton. I do not think he will mind me divulging his identity. He asked a good question. He just didn't post it on the float tubing board, but I don't thing it will embarass him to be recognized.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]On that trolling tube, you might look at making a tube with a 45 degree angle connector in it. I have made those for plain old two-rod drift fishing, and they work for trolling too. You can build them so they either point backwards and upwards, or at a 90 degree angle out from your craft. [/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]I like the latter setup because it absorbs the shock of a hard hit better, and there is less likelihood of a fish pulling the rod out of the holder. And, if it is angled up and out, you shouldn't have any problem with the oars. If you are right handed you set it up on the right side...and vice versa if you are left handed. If you want doubles, then mount one on each side.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Next, we get into downriggers and planer boards.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Glad you got in some decent bankin' on the ponds. I think all of us have our own stories of forgetting key elements of our fishing equipment. I know I do. Ya gotta do something like that once in awhile just to prove to people that you are still human. Otherwise their expectations become too high to live up to.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[EmuScud]

Unfortuneately I haven't met Jed yet. I'm planning on hitting the Carp party in a couple of weeks. I'm excited to meet some fellow BFT folk there. I better bring my 7 wgt for those carp. I'm afraid they would break my 5 wgt in half.
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[Jedburton]

feel free to post my questions anytime tubedude[cool]. I was asking because I spent half my time on thurs. battleing the wind at lincoln beach and didn't get to hit any of the good places I usually fish there for walleye. Emuscud if you ever want to go float tubing let me know. If you want to find me I will be in one of two float tubes. Either a green and orange stearns or my new blue and orange dave scaddin(spelling) V-style float tube. I fish utah lake a lot, but not a lot out of a float tube. I usually float tube at jordanelle or starvation. I am always looking for new places to float though,

Jed
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[fishluvr]

One of my favorite places I have float tubed is Currant Creek Reservoir, 15 or so miles north of Strawberry. Beautiful lake, plenty of fish to keep you into fish, small enough to feel like you are not getting lost in the lake, and easy on and off access. I have float tubed it once and have been itching to get back there again ever since.
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[Jedburton]

I need to try out there one of these days. I grew up out neer duchesne so I definitely know where current creek is, but have never fished it. What do you usually use out there?

Jed
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[EmuScud]

Cool, thanks for the invite. I cruise around in a 6' pontoon with maroon pontoons and "Drifter" on the side. I have a horizontal rod rack as well. I've focused mainly on Utah Lake due to time constraints. I have never fished Strawberry or Jordanelle yet. Maybe this summer . . .
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[fishluvr]

We were using mostly wooly buggers and similar streamers on fly equipment. I also had a spin pole with me and saw some people catching on power bait and worms so I kicked back to the boat ramp and got some power bait and worms. I did better on worms than I did on power bait. There are tons of nice little cuts in there. I have heard reports of some really nice fish coming out of there but our average fish was probably 15 inches if I remember right. A couple bigger and a couple smaller. The best place we found was by the ?east? side of the dam. I don't remember for sure which was the lake faces. We found a little hole where we caught several fish one right after the other.

I want to get back out there some time so if you are going this summer let me know and I'll share what little experience I have and maybe a trip together.
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[Jedburton]

YOU ARE MISSING OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T HIT JORDANELLE ON THE ROCK CLIFF ARM ON A TUNE. YOU CATCH A MILLION PERCH, BUT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH A LOT OF SMALLIES AND TROUT AS WELL. MAYBE THIS SUMMER WE CAN HOOK UP AND HEAD OUT THERE. I WILL WARN YOU THOUGH IF MY WIFE COMES ALONG SHE WILL PROBABLY OUTFISH BOTH OF US. SHE HAS A HABBIT OF DOING THAT AT JORDANELLE,

JED
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[fishmagnet]

I have a pair of "Stillwater" fins I think they're called. Well one time I was in my tube and the strap that goes over the top of my foot broke so that the fin was free to flop down close to a 90 degree angle from the bottom of my boot and consequently perpendicular to the surface of the water. I was amazed at the amount of power with relative ease that that one fin produced compared to the normal side. It was hard to go straight so I loosened the other side to match. The only problem was that the fin would eventually slip off my heel. It would be great if there were a set of fins designed to function this way.

FM
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Sounds like a classic case of an accidental discovery turning out to be a good thing. Actually, the principle is sound. With regular fins and normal kicking, there is water displacement, but not a direct push against the water...as with the downward angled fin. [/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Designing fins that pointed down would present a problem. You could not walk while wearing them. You would have to put them on after getting into water deep enough to avoid hitting bottom.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]UNLESS...unless you had a hinge to allow them to return to a flat position when not making a thrust.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]There is a "fin" contraption that has been on the market for quite a few years, and is still sold, that operates on the horizontal thrust principle. They are a "paddle pusher" arrangement (see the attached pic) that straps to the heels and have hinged flaps that fold back on the forward kick and flare out to catch the water on the back kick.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]These allow tubers to move forward, rather than backward. Great concept, but brutal to use. They do not have enough surface area to be very effective and you need to do a lot of kicking to go anywhere. If you are sitting in a standard float tube, with a crotch strap, you also tend to develop a severe case of "crotch cramps" after a period of leaning forward on the strap while you kick around.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]I bought a pair to try out, but have never had them on my own feet. I conned a (former) fishing buddy into trying them side by side with me, while I used regular fins. I could swim circles around him and actually had to tow him to shore...while he screamed at me in a high pitched voice. I think I remember that he and his wife never had any more kids.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]If you go into any online diving supply website, you can see a multitude of fin styles in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Like fishing lures, I think a lot of these fancy fin types are designed more to catch the buyer than for any special advantages. It would be interesting to have access to trying all of them though. That would require an unlimited allowance or some very open-minded dealers. Dream on.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[EmuScud]

Bring it on! Its cool that your wife fishes too. Jordanelle is defitnally on my to do list this summer. I'll probably end up bringing 2 of my kiddies for the perch action (ages 8 & 5). I have a canoe I have yet to test out. I would like to go with someone that knows the area better.

Thanks!
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[Jedburton]

I AM FREE MOST MONDAYS AND IN THE SUMMER IN THE MORNINGS, PM ME WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING ON GOING AND I CAN SHOW YOU SOME OF THE AREAS THAT HAVE PRODUCED THE BEST FOR ME.

JED
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[Jedburton]

That would be a lot of fun. Which lakes do you mainly fish?
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