Float stabilizers for canoes

[fish-a-man]

Has anyone tried to make there own? Im thinking about trying it, i have a few ideas of how i would make them.

[goblueM]

lets hear em then!

[HuskerBen]

I've been scratchin' my chin about that for a long time. I have yet to do this, but I might this spring. Of course, that's what I said last spring... I saw this somewhere, and I'm not sure where or I'd direct you to it.

3/4" PVC pipe fits just right down the center of a pool noodle. The pipe is really just to give the pool noodle some rigidity. You could then use some type of rigid conduit to span the canoe and attach to the floats. Bend the conduit or experiment with pipe/conduit fittings to get the right fit.

What I'd like is a set of floats that can be folded, or at least lifted up and out of the water. It is so much easier to paddle without extra drag from the stabilizers.

[goblueM]

that seems like it'd work pretty well. The question, as you said, would be storage and adjustability. i don't think it would take too much though - i usually stand in my canoe anyways, and just a little more initial stability and it'd be no sweat to fish standing up

[fish-a-man]

I was thinking of using those rubber bumpers for boats and docks as the floats, then just use some thin metal tubing to extend to the floats. I want to make it telescopic, so you can pull them in rite next to the canoe. this may get a bit pricey, and i found some for $109, all try to make a picture showing what i want to do.

[HuskerBen]

I think even just adding some sponsons would help a ton. I saw some closed-cell foam somewhere that was basically a 6" cylinder cut in half lengthwise. It was maybe 4' long. I figure if I added four of them (two per side) just above the waterline, it might help with that initial stability. It would be ugly as sin, but that would go well with the aesthetic my canoe already has.

[AaronM]

Lobster pot buoys. Google lobster pot buoy stabilizer and you'll find plenty of info. Good luck!