Bow flotation

Submitted by Elisily on Mon, 05/29/2006 - 15:06
The bow flotation bag on my #157 has died, and I'm wondering if there is a simple fix anyone can recommend. My 70 year old bones don't enjoy it when I crawl forward, and it appears that a lot of crawling and rolling would be called for in replacing the bag. Styrofoam glued under the foredeck would be much easier to install I'd bet. Suggestions?
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Comments

My guess is that installing the bow flotation bag should be easi

Submitted by Claus on Tue, 05/30/2006 - 15:42.
My guess is that installing the bow flotation bag should be easier since the mount points already exists from the current bag. I'd suggest getting a younger kid to the work for you.

Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

If the bag has truly died and is of no more use you might try to

Submitted by karafiath on Thu, 06/08/2006 - 16:26.
If the bag has truly died and is of no more use you might try to inflate it with expanding foam sold at Home depot and other hardware stores for home insulation purposes. A spray can is about $5. This foam cures with moisture, so make sure that there is some in the bag. Tape up the holes in the bag once the foam is in it. Let me know how it works. I sprayed some foam in a plastic soda bopttle and it expanded to fill it all up and make it very hard to collapse. Gabor

Folks; Repair of a leaking air bag sounds like a bad idea.

Submitted by DrScow on Thu, 07/06/2006 - 06:08.
Folks; Repair of a leaking air bag sounds like a bad idea. I took a large block of pier flotation and tied it to the bow stay plate. Very Yankee and cheap [free]. I do think that bow flotation should be installed for family saling on the Atlantic - Maine coast. Hard Starboard; FS#0803

Broken Valve While I was working on the boat this weekend I l

Submitted by Claus on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 11:02.
Broken Valve While I was working on the boat this weekend I let my 4 year old play in it and he managed to break the plastic valve on the bow flotation bag. Argh! For a temporary fix I used two metal strips with screws on each side and screwed them together until the air hose, between the valve and the bag, is pinched together so no air will escape. The whole contraption is wrapped with two baby socks and a plastic bag to avoid puncturing the back and corrosion of the contraption. I will have to see how well it keeps the air in. I have a couple of questions though:
  • Can the valve be purchased separate?
  • Seeing that FS now sells a bow buoyancy bag cover, I was wondering what it looks like. Pictures, comments anyone?

    Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

    • quote:[i]Originally posted by Claus[/i] Can the valve be purcha

    Submitted by Claus on Wed, 05/07/2008 - 15:33.
    quote:
    [i]Originally posted by Claus[/i] Can the valve be purchased separate?
    I called Flying Scot Inc. and was told that the valve can't be purchased separately. But I found that nrsweb.com sells them for $0.50 + shipping. The valve are glued onto the clear hose but I think you can just pull the blue part off the white one. In my case the white one is still intact.

    Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

    Update: The valve from NRS works perfect.

    Submitted by Claus on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 18:53.
    Update: The valve from NRS works perfect. I just pulled the blue part off a new one and attached it to the white part on the bow flotation. The valves are totally identical. BTW, if anyone is planning on ordering from NRS I have a coupon code for free shipping that expires at the end of December. There is no minimum for the free shipping. Drop me a message and I get you the code.

    Claus FS5074 Ames, IA

    I too, had to patch the bow bag for FS381.

    Submitted by bonnyasmith on Sat, 06/14/2008 - 20:48.
    I too, had to patch the bow bag for FS381. It really didn't hold air and based on the fact that assuming that this was the original bow bag (possibly 40+ years old) I sprang for a new one from Flying Scot. It's only about $54.00. Pretty cheap for the piece of mind that it's not going to deflate from a bad patch job. Bonny & Doug Smith FS381

    I do not think that they had inflatable bags in the Scot until a

    Submitted by flyingscot704 on Sun, 06/15/2008 - 17:55.
    I do not think that they had inflatable bags in the Scot until about 15 years ago (roughly). I have 704 that I got in the early 70's and it was many years after that when the bow bags came in.

    I just got my flotation bag installed.

    Submitted by sadams3438 on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 14:27.
    I just got my flotation bag installed. Has anybody experienced problems with the bag over inflating when the boat is stored in the sun with the cover on. I am assuming the air would expand could damage the bag. Should the air be let out when not in use?

    If you are inflating it now, if it is cold where you live, just

    Submitted by sawyerspadre on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 21:17.
    If you are inflating it now, if it is cold where you live, just inflate it enough to give it a little shape, maybe half way. The expansion from cold to hot will not hurt the bag. If you blow it up till it's firm, in the cold, and then let it get really hot this summer, I would bet against it holding up to that without a leak, long term. I blew mine up a warm summer day. Putting the boat in the cold water in spring makes it lose some shape. On a hot summer day, it's really firm. Have fun, Phil Scheetz FS 4086

    Phil Scheetz

    FS 4086

    Fleet 163, Nockamixon Sail Club

    My flotation bag popped on the seam.

    Submitted by Tim on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 11:29.
    My flotation bag popped on the seam. I left the bag inflated all the time. During the hot summer months the air expanded and blew the seam. Flying Scot said this could not be fixed with a patch. So I bought a new bag and now release the pressure when we are done sailing. Tim #4769