Buoyancy Aid Design - Info Wanted

DaveMassey · Post by **DaveMassey** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 8:28 am

Hello All,
I am a Product Design Student at Nottm Trent Uni. We have been asked to design a buoyancy aid for slalom canoeists that will give 50N of aid but not get caught on the gates and is a general improvment on what is availaible. I would be most gratefull for your thoughts, suggestions, input etc on any related area (fit, durability temperature, longevity colour....Anything) as i know nothing about the subject. Am planing on going to Stone on the 26th for more research but until then...Help! You can leave a message here or mail me on davmatt@aol.com

Thank you

Dave

Train2Win · Post by **Train2Win** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:05 pm

The most important thing is for a bouancy aid to be inobtrusive and not affect mobility too much. Also its preferable to have it as thin as possible, especially on the chest and back. As for temperature etc. the ranges are moderate so I don't think that's much of an issue. I guess the main improvement slalom paddlers would be looking for would be to get the same bouancy in a smaller, thinner vest.

DaveMassey · Post by **DaveMassey** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:18 pm

Thanks for that. The ICF slalom regs say that the vest should keep the head out of the water, but 50N aids aren't meant to do this(as for as i can tell). Any thoughts?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:52 pm

Definately a small design would be brill, our young paddlers have problems finding a decent slalom vest to fit them.

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:32 pm

ICF words were (I believe) brought in around teh time of the Harrishok 'Big Boy' when the bouyancy was in the spray deck not on the body. (1980?)
Despite teh fact that leaping in the Serpents tail demonstrated that the head was held out of the water, this approach was effectively outlawed. Shame really, they left teh body free, kept the deck stiff and looked very iffy when walking round out of the boat.

DaveMassey · Post by **DaveMassey** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 7:07 pm

will bear tiny people in mind (good range of sizes will look good in the report)

think i know what your talking about. have vague recollection of canoeists wandering round looking like the bloke dressed as a horse in a morris dance (because of a stiff spray deck? oo-err)

frontman2 · Post by **frontman2** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 8:43 am

Ah yes, the "Big Boy" LifeDeck was cool..., until you had to walk past a bunch of non-paddlers when getting out at the end of a trip/session. Cue "canoe in your pocket" comments.

Anyway, another thing to bear in mind with buouyancy aids is whether it is going to be for kayak, canoe or both, since you can get a away with a slightly longer, thinner design for us kneelers, but won't be as comfortable for kayaks.

Good luck with the designs.