"UKFlyfisherman" wrote in message
...
After the surge in popularity of float tubing over here in the UK, I
shipped in a Caddis Navigator II from the USA.

I have used it most of the season and now wish to store it for a
couple of months as it is currently hanging up in the garage taking up
space.

I was wondering if there was any advice from the USA for storage of
the bladders as they came "flat packed". I'm just concerned that
deflating them may cause the bladder walls to stick together due to
moisture etc contained in the bladders as a result of pumping them up
both orally and with the foot pump. The bladders are of a plastic
consistency and as such I would hope they would not deteriorate so
easily (as rubber does when stored).

The only other solution is to leave it permanently inflated !

Advice would be appreciated, many thanks.

.........I had a float tube for years that used a truck inner tube and my
method was to deflate the tube just enough so the walls were not touching,
which also avoided cracks from forming at a sharp bend in the rubber. Never
had a problem with this method and the tubes lasted until the rubber
eventually dried out ...about every 3 yrs I tossed the tube in favor of a
new one. You may not have that problem with one of plastic consistency but
partial deflation might also work for you, and if you have the room there is
no reason not to leave it inflated so long as there is not a wide
temperature range. I once had a float tube in Florida (hot!) that I put in
my hatchback, went to work intending to fish that evening, came back to the
car with my float tube outer cover split halfway around. Dumb, dumb and
dumber!
For a few bucks I had the cover resewn.....lesson learned.

Frank Church
....who will bet one of Wolfie's shiney new nickels that Frank Jr can tell
even more horrible tales of the belly boat.