10-19-2003, 11:53 AM
[cool]Hey, JR, your suggestions are more than valid. I always believe in being prepared for any eventuality. Sometimes I believe more strongly than others and actually spend money on such projects. But, I have to admit that as many times as I have thought that it would be a good idea to carry a "spare"...or an alternative weight bladder...I have never done so.
The prevailing attitude among fishermen...tubers included...is that they are invincible and not subject to Murphey's law. Disasters only happen to other people...not them...and they will live happily ever after. That's kinda like we were as teenagers. Remember? But, that was at least a couple of years ago.
The other factor that comes into play is that most tubers treat their craft as hobbies more than as a serious and primary fishing system. They buy as cheap as they can and seldom even expend the time and effort for preventative maintenance and cleaning...much less upgrading. Often there are budget concerns. A guy spends as much as he can to get a tube, but then the spouse puts a lid on the fishing fund. And, additional bladders ain't cheap. For a young lad like FB2, it might be as much as they invested in a used craft to begin with. And, if there are a hundred other places for them to put that same money, the extra bladder might be put on the back burner. Desirable, but not indispensable.
By the way, on that protective shield idea, you might wanna consider a couple of pieces of naugahyde. I have used naugahyde "aprons" over the front of my round tubes for years. It is light but tough. It has prevented a lot of spine punctures. It will gradually succumb to exposure to the water and the elements, but it serves well, is easy to work with and is not too expensive. And, if you tuck it inside the cover of your craft, nobody will ever know if you get a good buy on "Savage Pink".
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The prevailing attitude among fishermen...tubers included...is that they are invincible and not subject to Murphey's law. Disasters only happen to other people...not them...and they will live happily ever after. That's kinda like we were as teenagers. Remember? But, that was at least a couple of years ago.
The other factor that comes into play is that most tubers treat their craft as hobbies more than as a serious and primary fishing system. They buy as cheap as they can and seldom even expend the time and effort for preventative maintenance and cleaning...much less upgrading. Often there are budget concerns. A guy spends as much as he can to get a tube, but then the spouse puts a lid on the fishing fund. And, additional bladders ain't cheap. For a young lad like FB2, it might be as much as they invested in a used craft to begin with. And, if there are a hundred other places for them to put that same money, the extra bladder might be put on the back burner. Desirable, but not indispensable.
By the way, on that protective shield idea, you might wanna consider a couple of pieces of naugahyde. I have used naugahyde "aprons" over the front of my round tubes for years. It is light but tough. It has prevented a lot of spine punctures. It will gradually succumb to exposure to the water and the elements, but it serves well, is easy to work with and is not too expensive. And, if you tuck it inside the cover of your craft, nobody will ever know if you get a good buy on "Savage Pink".
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