Float Tube Air Pressure

Theron

Theron

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My Fishcat4 float tube calls for 1.8 PSI. The instructions say "A good rule for gauging proper pressure is to push down with your thumb at the center of the tube. If you can deflect about a half an inch from the top plane of the tube, it will be close to 1.8psi". I've also watched a couple videos that say 1/4". How hard do I press down? Gently or like I'm trying to put a cork back in a wine bottle? I can put a lot of effort into it or very little. I guess as long as it floats and isn't too squishy I'm OK.
 
I used to have a pressure gauge back when I had a real raft. Now I just go to firm pressure, but depends on what I'm doing. If I am starting in the cool morning and I'm hiking in and expecting a warm afternoon, I may be a little light on the pumping, whereas if I'm at the launch at the heat of the day and fishing into evening and putting the tube in cooler water from the launch, then I pump tighter. Whatever you put in at the beginning will be a little different later on.
 
Wayne Kohan said:
I used to have a pressure gauge back when I had a real raft. Now I just go to firm pressure, but depends on what I'm doing. If I am starting in the cool morning and I'm hiking in and expecting a warm afternoon, I may be a little light on the pumping, whereas if I'm at the launch at the heat of the day and fishing into evening and putting the tube in cooler water from the launch, then I pump tighter. Whatever you put in at the beginning will be a little different later on.
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I've got a Sea Eagle STS10 using an electric trolling motor for getting around. How critical is it to use a pressure gauge to confirm air pressure, it requires 3.2 psi..? Will it be sufficient just to check the pressure by touching it for firmness..?
 
cdnred said:
I've got a Sea Eagle STS10 using an electric trolling motor for getting around. How critical is it to use a pressure gauge to confirm air pressure, it requires 3.2 psi..? Will it be sufficient just to check the pressure by touching it for firmness..?
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If you read about air pressure gauges on a rafting site, most boaters don’t use them. They just go by firmness, some deflection with thumb or heel of the hand. An under inflated boat would have more drag in the water I would think, an overinflated boat would be at risk of rupturing if it got too heated or going over mountain passes during transport.
 
I think most boaters don't use them because they are too cheap to buy one. I don't understand the mentality of buying an inflatable boat that may cost hundreds to thousands of dollars and not spending another $20 for a gauge. Three pumps and a gauge are always in my gear bag plus lots of fittings in case I have to help someone else out. I can't remember a time I have launched a boat without checking the pressure.

Having worked in Research and Development for almost my entire career I learned early that eliminating all of the variables was a key to success and have retained that lesson for the rest of my life. Air pressure in a tube or 'toon is a variable that can be easily be controlled with a simple cheap device that can assure perfect pressure every time.

I know, I know, most guys have been launching for years and have become good at estimating correct pressure but after decades of float tubing I have seen so many under inflated boats on the water that were sagging and hard to control. Just last month Krusty and I watched a guy in an overloaded and underinflated pontoon boat struggle with his boat that was sagging in the middle with the ends sticking out of the water! He had forgotten his oars, had only fins and was elderly. Trying to get back to the put-in he was unable to control the boat and got hopelessly stuck in the lilly pads. He couldn't move at all and was blocking the take out. Fortunately I was taking out early and was able to get around him and beach my boat then threw him a line and pulled him free of the vegetation. Proper inflation would have saved the day for that guy, instead he had to kick his ass off just to make it back to the bank.
 
iveofione said:
Proper inflation would have saved the day for that guy
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^This, but a gauge probably would not have. If your 'toons are saggy, and you don't notice and you don't do something about it, well, good luck to ya. "Am I saggy and sinking or taut and floating high?" is like THE basic question of floating on an inflatable. Some people are just sorta clueless, be it inexperience or failure to learn from mistakes.
 
Theron said:
My Fishcat4 float tube calls for 1.8 PSI. The instructions say "A good rule for gauging proper pressure is to push down with your thumb at the center of the tube. If you can deflect about a half an inch from the top plane of the tube, it will be close to 1.8psi". I've also watched a couple videos that say 1/4". How hard do I press down? Gently or like I'm trying to put a cork back in a wine bottle? I can put a lot of effort into it or very little. I guess as long as it floats and isn't too squishy I'm OK.
Click to expand...
I think this topic has come up before and based on that thread, I bought this:

pressure gauge for inflatables
 
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