There is a more versatile alternative to the noodles, and it's free.
Devotees of box wine may have discovered that once they have drained
off the last of a five-liter box, they are left with an empty,
industrial strength five-liter inflatable bag. It looks like a big
silver ravioli.
These bags can be easily blown up. Or, if you prefer, the caps can be
pried off with a screwdriver and the bag can be filled with water (or
whatever) and the cap reattached with no loss in watertightness.
I've used the bags as water canteens for overnight hikes and have
never had a failure or a leak. My daughter has kid-tested the air-
filled version and the bags seem to retain their blown-up hardness
long after commercial balloons have gone limp.
I've been toying with the notion of stowing a bunch of these raviolis
m under the vee-berth (through a couple of 8-in diameter kayak
hatches I had lying around). I figured I'd fill them 50 percent
water, 40 percent air, and 10 percent slack to allow for jamming
through the hatch.
I imagine this would give me, 1. an emergency supply of drinking
water in case I do something stupid (the trade winds blow offshore
from where I'll be learning to sail my Potter...next stop Tahiti), 2.
a little bit of forward ballast, and 3. a little bit of floatation.
The hatches will allow me to alter the mix .... or abandon the scheme
if the bags leak or some other unforeseen issue arises. Those
primarily interested in floatation would fill them entirely with air.
Of course the best part of this project is that it would justify my
continuing rapid acquisition of these bags.
Cheers.
-----------
Rich Duffy
P-14 #362
Kula, Hawaii