POINTS:

-If flotation is only under the decks, you won’t sink, but you might be swamped for ever.
-If flotation is only in the ends, it won’t resist rolling, or help you clamber in over the side.
-If it’s too low and centered, it adds a capsizing moment and stability upside down.

To sail away quickly, flotation must be placed widely amidships, fitting from bilge to side decks, in addition to filling the ends. The gist: secure in as much flotation as you can tolerate, to keep as much water out as you can.

I reread Taylor. He’d written, “Imagine your vessel half-full of water, and imagine how you will get it out. The quicker you can get the water out of your vessel, the better.” 

Keep the water out, and what does get in, get it out fast. Crucial advice, Mr. Taylor. Thank you.

GEAR

Flotation. Can you trust the air bags commonly available? Maybe half of my couple dozen from the last twenty years still hold air. The coated nylon has been perfect; one seam has a short split; but connections of hoses to fittings have failed over time. All have been past the warranty when they failed, but the glue (contact cement?) seems to let go eventually. If I could find them, I’d buy bags with higher quality fittings, like those on inflatable PFDs. 

Along with air bags and dry bags, small floating things in net bags secured in the boat work, too. Polystyrene peanuts, empty plastic film cans taped shut, water bottles, wine corks---whatever will float when needed. (Ping pong balls, too. Ed.)

Masts of sailing rigs should have enough buoyancy to prevent turtling. It’s an argument for both large diameter masts and prudently placed flotation. Is your rig secured to the boat so it can be a drogue? Or can it, or parts of it, float away or sink?

Bailing. My hand scoop bailer is a Tide laundry detergent bottle with the bottom cut off. It’s one hand operable and rectangular for scooping flat or on edge. I like the 1.2 gallon size, with the 3 quart size a minimum. The 1.5 gallon bottle is a bit too large for stowage. The plastic used for laundry detergents must be strong, long lasting, and flexible. Below freezing, I don’t know. An obvious advantage of Tide, is the bright orange. (I’ve used the same forever. To ensure it floats I jam a piece of swim noodle foam into the cap. The bright orange, or bilious green, plastics also help you attract attention when waving down another boat. Ed.)

My sponge bailer is a natural “wool” sponge (Hippiospongia lachne) the biggest I can get. The sponge is the better bailer when I’m in the boat with water, loose gear, and lines, because it can grab water around or over stuff in the cockpit. Usually after a capsize, I’d flip the seat and other tethered gear into the water or onto the deck, to clear space for bailing with the Tide bottle. Once I’m back in, the big sponge mops up. Tether your sponge, too---when wetted out they plummet.

Pumps are carried by many kayakers and small boaters. Renowned adventurer John Dowd, in his great book, Sea Kayaking, A Manual for Long-Distance Touring, relates keeping his hands free for paddling by using a foot pump moving a gallon a minute, keeping ahead of slow accumulation in his spray-skirted Klepper double. His hand pump pushed twelve gallons a minute. Some kayaks have deck mounted pumps, one hand operation, but most use a tube pump needing both hands. I carry a gray PVC tube pump, too, but seldom use it. 

Sources for wool bailing sponges:

Sponge Merchant International, George Billiris, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sponges Direct, Nick Skaroulis, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Both are in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Both families have been in the sponge business over a century. They agree hurricanes and red tide have hurt big wool sponges, which need up to ten years to grow. To help preserve a sponge, besides rinsing in freshwater, put it for a couple hours, twice a year, in a solution of water and baking soda or hydrogen peroxide. Squeeze the water out---never twist it---and let it dry out of the sun.

Nick Skaroulis is right. “The natural sponge is truly a wonder of nature.”

This article originally appeared in the "Cartop Cruising" column in Small Craft Advisor magazine.

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