Buoys???

[Terry Keeley]

I'm trying to comeup with a good alternative to the "standard" 7 1/2" styrofoam buoys shown here at the bottom of the page:

http://www.blueoceantackle.com/buoys.htm

Our new site is in a conservation area and we're worried about bits of foam floating around after a good hit.

Thought if we could find something made of that "pool noodle" foam (poyethylene) or something similar it wouldn't chunk out after a hit. Thought about those water ski buoys but they're just too hard and way too expensive. Any ideas?

 

[Rudy Formanek]

Hey Terry, how about the cheap inflatable 12" beach balls, some places sell them for about a dollar on sale in the summer. Tie a string to the blow up nozzle! The negative--- one good hit and they're done. Rudy

 

[gas gremlin]

2 liter coke bottles , rip off the lables & paint them on the inside

works for us.

Rich

 

[TimD]

Terry,

What about putting something around the foam bouys to cotain any "bits"? Something like a thin sheet of rubber or latex.

We use a long thin orange plastic tubing that is filled with foam for our course bouys - they work well but some people are of the opinion that they aren't friendly enough on the boats.

Tim.

 

[Don McMurchy]

What are the bouy diamension's for a course? End to end and the spacing for the 3 corner bouy's.

 

[Chris Thomas]

I guess it depends on which part and which country you are from. Most in Michigan use the International Model Power Boat Association rules. Look at www.impba.net Look under section "K" Approved Courses. This will give you pictures and all the dimensions to lay out a regulation course. Find one of the local clubs to get a better idea of what a course looks like.

 

[Terry Keeley]

All good ideas but I still would like something boat "friendly"...

Any other ideas using soft foam?

A standard IMPBA 1/3rd mile oval is 330' SAW followed by a 35' radius corner which is 1/6th mile around. :blink:

 

[ClayGlover]

How about combining your pool noodle idea with Tim's stand up tube idea. Tie a weight to one end of the pool noodle and let it stand on end with a foot and a half floating above the waterline? It might work with a bright color :blink: Not "legal" size though, maybe bundle 3 together? Would be stiffer that way too... They are long, you may be able to cut a doodle in thirds or fourths for use as one bouy?

Good topic. Those little foam bits can become an eyesore.

 

[Preston_Hall]

Terry,

Why not just the pool noodle? Leave a few inches above water and it should be very reluctant to chunk away.

Personally I think we all should use steel poles. You wouldn't have to worry about buoy cuts then. :lol:

 

[Jay Stone]

We have a district club that makes buoys out of pool noodles..

They cut them in pieces and then stack them - I think they Silicone or Hot Glue them together forming a pyramid.

They seem to work fairly well. You better make some extras for each day of racing, because when they do get hit hard they come apart and you have noodles floating which can be fun to dodge.

Fishing line through the centers of the tubes after they are glued together - thus interlocking all the noodles might help with this...

 

[riph]

If you have a good foam supply house near by you can buy polyurathane foam in 6' sticks in various diameters and density. We made a jig to drill a hole down the center. They last about 10 times longer than styrofoam and do not chip into small pieces.

 

[Tim Kish]

Hey Terry

Why not use the same material and just change the shape.

Maybe a half circle fairly low to the water so if a boat comes in contact it will either ramp it or push it aside.

They may be a little harder to see but the pond is only for testing at the moment anyway.

Tim K

 

[Mike Hughes]

Maybe a half circle fairly low to the water so if a boat comes in contact it will either ramp it or push it aside.

Half circle foam buoy or full, they float the same height out of the water. The only way would be to make it a quarter circle.

Mike

 

[Tony Jacuzzi]

How about the regular 1/2 styrofoam ones with some pieces of (dare I say) pantyhose around them to hold them together on impact. Terry all of those black fishnet ones that are laying around the house will be too dark to use ... Tony J

 

[Joe_Knesek]

Thy some of those ship moring buoys. They look like they would hold up well

 

[Terry Keeley]

Lots of great replys gang, thanks!

I settled on using the pool noodles and will glue seven of them together (6 in a hexagon with one in the middle) then cut them in 7 1/2" lengths. Should get 8 buoys for about $12.

That polyethylene is weird stuff, nothing seems to stick to it very well, including paint. To glue it I found that a hot glue gun works but melts the foam a little, someone also mentioned contact cement which I'll try today.

Like the fishing line idea Jay, thanks!

 

[Terry Keeley]

How about the regular 1/2 styrofoam ones with some pieces of (dare I say) pantyhose around them to hold them together on impact. Terry all of those black fishnet ones that are laying around the house will be too dark to use ... Tony J

Plus the holes in them would let out bits of foam... :lol:

 

[Terry Keeley]

Thy some of those ship moring buoys. They look like they would hold up well

They have OUCH written all over them. :blink:

 

[Bob Howard]

Terry, you could use Shoe Gue as it will stick to about anything and should be thick enough to hold the noodles together rather well.

Bob

 

[bzubee]

Terry SHOE GOO or E6000 from Hobby lobby or Micheals craft shops work great.