Helpful Hints
Float Tube Maneuvering for Beginners
By Elaine Cook
Helpful Hints
Float Tube Maneuvering for Beginners
By Elaine Cook
Maneuvering in a float tube can be challenging to learn. It's not quite like any other skill and there is little if anything written about the subject. Here are few things to help you get started:
1. Paddling with fins moving up and down in front of you moves you backward (the normal direction). The power stroke (the one that does nearly all of the work) is the upstroke.
2. A forward cast also moves you backward (it's the "equal and opposite reaction"). Repeated casts to a particular spot is best done by turning the tube to make cross-body casts (to the left if you are right handed) which will tend to make you go sideways, more slowly, away from the target. It is much easier to paddle very slowly slightly toward the target while casting slightly over your shoulder than trying to paddle forward to compensate for forward casts.
3. Paddling with both of your legs and ankles angled to one side will rotate the tube.
4. When you are not paddling, any wind will turn most tubes so you face the wind and the tube is pushed downwind. In very strong winds, it may not be possible to paddle hard enough to overcome the effect of the wind.
5. Pointing your fins straight down will decrease the movement caused by the wind.
6. Some forward motion can be achieved by forcing the tips of your fins down and back, returning fins to the initial position by slicing them sideways through the water. This is very inefficient, and can easily lead to hamstring cramps.
7. It is most effective to bend your legs at the knees rather than the hips when paddling.
8. Excessive force and attempts at excessive speed can cause leg cramps. Each type of float tube has its characteristic speed, the one it tends to go no matter how strongly you seem to be paddling. (For sailors, this is the hull speed, which is dependent on waterline length.) This speed varies from extremely slow for round tubes to very slow for the longer vee and pontoon-type shapes. It takes eight times the energy to go twice this speed, and sixty-four times the energy to go four times this speed. Face reality and go everywhere at the tube's natural speed!
9. Sitting upright makes it easy to maneuver. Many tube designs make you gradually slide down into a slouched position. Periodically pushing yourself back into an upright position will make your maneuvering, paddling and casting more efficient.