Using a refloat bag to work on saildrive.

[jdisarro]

I heard someone say that some people have used the inflatable refloat bags to lift their hull out of the water to replace and or service saildrives on a cat.

Is That true? If so can someone enlighten me! Is it cheaper than a haul out, , S
Safety? what equipment, etc

Thanks
JOHN

[ZipTie]

Maybe this post will help.

Catamaran Air Lift Bag

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ag-157240.html

[UNCIVILIZED]

There's another post on here which discusses this. And it even has a picture, showing the ass end of the boat up in the air, thanks to the floatation bag.
Can't say as I recall it's exact title, but the key words catamaran & airbag might turn it up in a search.

[ejlindahl]

Also mentioned, maybe in that same thread, is a guy with a Lagoon 450 that bought is own and carries it aboard for emergency floatation and or repairs. If that was me, I'd rent it out to make it pay for itself.

[Redreuben]

I've always wondered if one of those flotation bags could be inflated and attached to a halyard to help right an inverted boat.


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[meirriba]

Originally Posted by Redreuben

I've always wondered if one of those flotation bags could be inflated and attached to a halyard to help right an inverted boat.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

How exactly?
Pull it empty down the mast of inverted boat and inflating against water pressure - 2bar?
Inflate it at water level and pull it full of air along the mast to mast-top?
BTW, in the club where I keep my beach cat, the boats used for rent, have small fenders tied to mast head as a protection against turtle capsize.

[Tellie]

I wonder how many marinas would allow you to do this. Not many I assume.

[tdoster]

If you buy them as part of the overall safety, you may be able to justify the expense, but they are pretty pricey.

Underwater Lift Bags & Yacht Floatation - Turtlepac

[catman]

MatJack, Indianapolis, makes underwater lifting bags.
Don't know any prices.
Catman

[rancher44]

You might try a big tractor tube --just a thought

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by rancher44

You might try a big tractor tube --just a thought

+1. I carry two of these, and can get one end of one hull out of the water at a time. Drag under hull uninflated, connect 12V tire inflation pump, relax for half an hour, go to work on section that is out of the water.

[Rising Tide]

You could borrow a Jedi and use the force to lift the boat out of the water like Yoda. May the fourth be with you.

[Jdege]

Mythbusters managed to lift a sunken boat with ping-pong balls - though it took quite a few...

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by Redreuben

I've always wondered if one of those flotation bags could be inflated and attached to a halyard to help right an inverted boat.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

I would be willing to bet that the likelyhood of the mast surviving flipping a cruising cat is something less than 1%. Masts are generally not designed or intended to live thru a full roll over.

These bags may have a use elsewhere, but not in trying to right a boat from the masthead.

[TOT]

Originally Posted by tdoster

If you buy them as part of the overall safety, you may be able to justify the expense, but they are pretty pricey.

Underwater Lift Bags & Yacht Floatation - Turtlepac

I have 2 x 200lt fuel bladders l purchased from Turtlepac and although not cheap they are really good quality.


SV TOT
Wayne 😃