- Joined
- Feb 25, 2003
- Messages
- 261
Our club recently moved to a new lake and setup a new course. As a part of the move, I tasked myself with finding a better buoy system. Some of my goals were:
1. Readily available
2. Non-injurious to both boat and buoy
3. Easily visible and compliant with NAMBA/IMPBA rules
4. As inexpensive as possible
After much research and testing, I decided to use 3 inch diameter pool noodles.
The center section is a simple ¾ inch diameter by 18 inch long PVC pipe with a Tee and 3 inch diameter by 10 inch long pool noodle. This easily floats a standard 65 cent 3 hole clay brick counterweight weighing 3.5 pounds.
The six outside noodles are 13.5 inches long. This length was selected to maximize use of the 55 inch long pool noodles and provide the ability to capture (squeeze) the noodles together at the bottom so they do not slide up the center noodle and escape.
Two 36 inch cable ties hold it all together.
The result is a buoy that is 9 inches in diameter by 12 inches tall when in the water.
The buoys performed well at our first test and tune this past weekend, with multiple buoy strikes and one proof of concept impact of a 36 inch Sprintcat impaling a front sponson into a buoy at 50+ mph (we had to physically separate the boat from the buoy). No damage to either boat or buoy. Self healing buoys! Cool!
Optionally, you can string fishing line loosely through the noodles and Tee to avoid multiple floating noodles in case of complete buoy destruction.
While certainly not the least expensive option i.e. crab trap buoys, the parts are readily available, more visible and much kinder to both buoy and boat.
1. Readily available
2. Non-injurious to both boat and buoy
3. Easily visible and compliant with NAMBA/IMPBA rules
4. As inexpensive as possible
After much research and testing, I decided to use 3 inch diameter pool noodles.
The center section is a simple ¾ inch diameter by 18 inch long PVC pipe with a Tee and 3 inch diameter by 10 inch long pool noodle. This easily floats a standard 65 cent 3 hole clay brick counterweight weighing 3.5 pounds.
The six outside noodles are 13.5 inches long. This length was selected to maximize use of the 55 inch long pool noodles and provide the ability to capture (squeeze) the noodles together at the bottom so they do not slide up the center noodle and escape.
Two 36 inch cable ties hold it all together.
The result is a buoy that is 9 inches in diameter by 12 inches tall when in the water.
The buoys performed well at our first test and tune this past weekend, with multiple buoy strikes and one proof of concept impact of a 36 inch Sprintcat impaling a front sponson into a buoy at 50+ mph (we had to physically separate the boat from the buoy). No damage to either boat or buoy. Self healing buoys! Cool!
Optionally, you can string fishing line loosely through the noodles and Tee to avoid multiple floating noodles in case of complete buoy destruction.
While certainly not the least expensive option i.e. crab trap buoys, the parts are readily available, more visible and much kinder to both buoy and boat.
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