pool noodles for adventure

I want some backup floatation for my Adventure. In comparing (expensive) floatation bags to pool noodles, I am trying to calculate just how many noodles would be required to float a fully flooded adventure and kayaker. Has anyone actually test flooded their boat and pool noodle floatation? My rough calculations say that a 59inch long, 2.5 inch diameter, .75 inch center hole pool noodle should displace about 1054 cubic inches of water or 38 lbs. Allowing for a 60lb boat, 7 lb drive, 180 lb kayaker and 10 lbs of gear, that means nearly 7 noodles. Too many. What am I missing here? Is it enough to float just the boat and not the person (I always wear a wetsuit and PFD)? The boat and gear only should float with just 2 or 3 noodles.
Thanks

The Hobie engineers have been through this one. I will ask them to comment.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Good stuff! I'm gonna use this info for noodles in my revo.

Yea--I have been using W-M pool noodles in both my OB and Sport for the past couple of years now. A single noodle will support a 150 lb person, as I recall, but I jam as many into the hold as space allows without interfering with the rudder and control cables. That usually works out to about 7 noodles per boat I believe. Don't forget that you can use these also in an emergency situation to support swimmers or boaters who get into trouble on the water. Good idea.

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I am new to kayaking and I am still losing stuff inside while fishing. So, using noodles to fill up the inside will not only give us some floatation, will also help me build compartments to help things stay put. Thank you for the info,
Adam

Hey Adam,
Welcome to the Hobie Forum. Yep--I hear ya! A trick that I have used is to double a piece of parachute cord and use a simple slip loop around one of my noodles to which I can attach a mesh bag or other container to keep stuff from sliding around inside the hold. Or similarly, I have put the loop around the mast tube forward and attached a sponge or bag to it so they don't get lost as easily. Works pretty well. Here's a pic with a couple of tackle boxes that I can carry inside the hull this way. Mesh bag is from Sports Authority.

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Thanks Matt!
Any response from the engineers?

Our guys were trying to meet a euro standard that turned out to be incorrect / unnecessary, so there wasn't an actual finding to report. What they did do is stick 15-20 noodles in a Revolution. They say 2-3 is enough to float a swamped revolution.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

wow, that's a lot of noodles!

I'll buy a bunch of noodles and test them in my Adventure and give a report. I bet 4 noodles should do it..
Thanks