Float bags

[JKD]

Ironwood1 - I was glad to hear that Don has someone stepping-up to get his backlog taken care of. I just sent you a PM - please give me a call at the cell number I listed for you. Thanks in advance, Geoff. Joe

[joeman79]

My fishing Buddy just received my Floatbags and said he was very impressed by the quality!! Thanks Don and Geoff!!

[gumpucky]

Don was gracious enough to hand deliver my floats to me because of a holdup in design he wanted to make sure was taken care of before he signed off on em....Thinkin the guy is straight up and wants to make sure his customers are happy. BTW the quality is there.

[Once and Future]

My floats were lost in shipment to SE 6 weeks ago. Don was unable to get to the bottom of it in the window of time he gave himself. I got in touch with Ironwood as per the posts above and gave him my story. He understands, but currently he cannot contact Don because Don's voice mailbox is full. He has to wait for Don to call him. They can't tell me where my floats are now. Ironwood doesn't have the tracking number.

I paid in advance because I didn't want to use Paypal. Sometimes you take a chance in a small community. Ironwood sounded helpful, and I expect this will get resolved properly. But this is aggravating. It just shouldn't be this hard.

[JKD]

My floatbags arrived here in Juneau yesterday. . .thanks for your help, Geoff. I am impressed with the quality of work and now I am looking forward to trying them out in a few weeeks. They make me wonder why we are paying as much as we are for the current crop of production floatbags. Some quality competition will be welcomed by the troll fleet.

[kjwelder]

Does anyone have a new set of these float bags in Sitka that I could look at?

[JKD]

kjwelder - I sent you a PM.

[fvbounty]

Got the right float bags yesterday and it took a while but they are worth the wait.....thanks Don and Geoff

[tunaddict]

Hi folks. This is Megan, Don's daughter. I will be assisting in whatever way I can. Long story short, Don is out fishing, did not realize his voicemail was full. (Not to mention his usual deckhand, my brother, broke his leg in two places last week and had surgery yesterday, so the girls of the house have been focused on that!) As you all know, the reception out in the ocean is not great to begin with and I would suspect that it is probably why some calls where not even seen in the first place. We have just gotten in touch with him today, and will continue to sort out the issues until resolution. For now, you may either contact Geoff, or you may PM this account, and we will make sure that your concerns and issues are heard and resolved.

Thank you very much,
Megan.

[Once and Future]

My update is that Geoff had to make a new set of floats for me because he could not contact Don to find out what happened to the old set. I am out of town right now, but my friend in Wrangell says he has received the set of floats and they look good.

[Furuno]

I've been using my new floats for the past month. Very happy with the quality and workmanship. Also, the price was right!

[joeman79]

Really Love my new floatbags!!! Only issue is locknuts on handle seems to tighten up frequently but no big deal. Carved out hand holds and got along great.

[Once and Future]

Joe - where did you carve out a hand hold? I never got efficient with these because, to me, the latching mechanism required a third hand.

I gave sent Geoff an email with the feedback he requested, but he did not answer me, so maybe he didn't see it.

On old style float bags, I attach to wire by holding float in one hand, and the other hand closes and locks the latch in one motion because one handle does both operations. These new float bags are superior quality, but the latch and the lock are two separate levers. And I never mastered it. So I wonder if I need a tip, or am just clumsy.

Also, another nitpick, is that the little locking "crank" ends up pointing down where it can snag passing debris, rather than laying back like the old style.

For those unfamiliar, the new floats have a "U" shaped lever that folds the hinge shut, rather than an "L" shaped handle like the old ones. This U shaped lever drops over a little crank handle, which you then rotate 90 degrees to lock the hinge down. And, unless I was doing something wrong, the wire has to cross the latch in a very precise place to be captured properly. Anybody else struggle?

[joeman79]

Just below the latch maybe inch or 2 below I carved out a Slot big enough to get my hand through for just what your talking about. You need a thin bladed knife as u have to get below mechanism or block unseen from outside of foam. I will look through my pics and see if I can post a pic. Makes it 10 times easier by having your hand to maneuver float with control. On port side I put my right hand in slot and starboard my left hand with board hanging down and latch up. Don't know if that makes any sense to you or not.

[Once and Future]

I kind of follow you, but need a picture to go and do likewise.

[lone eagle]

My deckhand asked what the slot was for and I had no answer. I know now and look forward to next year to try it out......hate losing floats, Thanks

[joeman79]

I'd send a pic but Boats in Thorne Bay I'm in Kansas So I will try and draw it out and take picture and post.

[joeman79]

I'd send a pic but Boats in Thorne Bay I'm in Kansas So I will try and draw it out and take picture and post.

[joeman79]

I don't know if this helps or not. Cut out is about the size of an IPhone 5 so I suppose about 3 1/2 x 6. Might want to stick an Ice pic in below latch to find bottom of installed hardware. The. Just took super sharp thin filet knife and carved out but u could use some type of coarse grinding wheel I am sure. Makes putting bags on and off much easier.
Picture is upside down don't know how to correct.

[joeman79]

Here is a pick a buddy sent me of his