So after 15 years of going on fishing trips, dropping three fishing nets into various lakes (retrieving two from the bottom and losing one (this past weekend)) I have finally accepted the fact that fishing nets sink. And not only do they sink, but we seem to have a problem of dropping them into lakes.
So today I took my net and I cut up a pool noodle and crammed a metric butt ton of pool noodle into the hollow handle of my net. Then I capped the end with tape.
Will this be enough to keep the handle buoyant? (I’ll be testing the next time I am at the in laws place in their lake)
It has rubber netting so kind of heavy at that end.
I would guess that compressing all the air out of the pool noodle foam negates much of its positive effect. could you not throw it in a pool somewhere?
So today I took my net and I cut up a pool noodle and crammed a metric butt ton of pool noodle into the hollow handle of my net. Then I capped the end with tape.
Don’t cram it in. Cut it to the correct diameter and slide it in. As someone else mentioned, compressing in negates much of the buoyancy.
So today I took my net and I cut up a pool noodle and crammed a metric butt ton of pool noodle into the hollow handle of my net. Then I capped the end with tape.
Don’t cram it in. Cut it to the correct diameter and slide it in. As someone else mentioned, compressing in negates much of the buoyancy.
Wouldn’t count on it working. The buoyancy of the noodle material derives from the fact that it is less dense than water (owing to the entrained gasses) and has a hydrophobic surface. By sequestering the material inside the metal handle, you have displaced the air inside the handle and shielded the material from water, hence negating its buoyancy. What you’ve done is added weight (albeit a small amount) to the handle by displacing the air (which is less dense than the noodle material). In order to take advantage of the buoyancy of the noodle material, you’d be better off wrapping it around the outside of the handle - foam pipe insulation would likely also work and it’s pre-cut lengthwise for convenience.
How important is aesthetics? Could you not just tie a foam float to the end of the handle (like a crab net) so that if you did drop it, it will never disappear and is easily retrievable?
Wouldn’t count on it working. The buoyancy of the noodle material derives from the fact that it is less dense than water (owing to the entrained gasses) and has a hydrophobic surface. By sequestering the material inside the metal handle, you have displaced the air inside the handle and shielded the material from water, hence negating its buoyancy. What you’ve done is added weight (albeit a small amount) to the handle by displacing the air (which is less dense than the noodle material). In order to take advantage of the buoyancy of the noodle material, you’d be better off wrapping it around the outside of the handle - foam pipe insulation would likely also work and it’s pre-cut lengthwise for convenience.
I’m pretty sure that the handle is not water tight. So, the noodle should displace water not air inside the handle. Providing that it has enough buoyancy, it should work. Avoiding foam compression will help as has been noted.
The hydrophobic surface comment is a non-sequitur. The noodle is most likely made of closed-cell foam, which shouldn’t waterlog – at least in the short time needed to retrieve it if dropped.
Wouldn’t count on it working. The buoyancy of the noodle material derives from the fact that it is less dense than water (owing to the entrained gasses) and has a hydrophobic surface. By sequestering the material inside the metal handle, you have displaced the air inside the handle and shielded the material from water, hence negating its buoyancy. What you’ve done is added weight (albeit a small amount) to the handle by displacing the air (which is less dense than the noodle material). In order to take advantage of the buoyancy of the noodle material, you’d be better off wrapping it around the outside of the handle - foam pipe insulation would likely also work and it’s pre-cut lengthwise for convenience.
I’m pretty sure that the handle is not water tight. So, the noodle should displace water not air inside the handle. Providing that it has enough buoyancy, it should work. Avoiding foam compression will help as has been noted.
The hydrophobic surface comment is a non-sequitur. The noodle is most likely made of closed-cell foam, which shouldn’t waterlog – at least in the short time needed to retrieve it if dropped.
The handle is definitely not water tight. As soon as it fills with water the net sinks.
That was my thought process with stuffing it full of foam.
You should seal the edges, take it to a balloon shop, and fill it with helium. That’s guaranteed to make it float. I was thinking on suggesting hydrogen for a little extra buoyancy but, ya know, the Hindenburg.
I’m pretty sure that the handle is not water tight. So, the noodle should displace water not air inside the handle. Providing that it has enough buoyancy, it should work. Avoiding foam compression will help as has been noted.
The hydrophobic surface comment is a non-sequitur. The noodle is most likely made of closed-cell foam, which shouldn’t waterlog – at least in the short time needed to retrieve it if dropped.
The handle is definitely not water tight. As soon as it fills with water the net sinks.
That was my thought process with stuffing it full of foam.
You should seal the edges, take it to a balloon shop, and fill it with helium. That’s guaranteed to make it float. I was thinking on suggesting hydrogen for a little extra buoyancy but, ya know, the Hindenburg.
This. Get some silicone and seal the handle. Silicone is fairly heavy so if necessary plug large gaps with wood or some other light material first. Even if it sinks a little bit it shouldn’t fall quickly to the bottom…I’ve sealed aluminum tubes before to make them float.
Or tie the handle to the boat, which is what I do with anything I don’t want lost when I’m kayaking.
Why not just put some noodle around the outside of the handle?