Very bright orange buoys.

[Bud Man]

I have used red Polyform buoys for a little over a year. They are not always the easiest things to see. I hope to eventually use orange Polyform when they are available. I had some old yellow buoys that I painted today. I used Wal-Mart florescent orange spray paint. One can easily did the top half of six buoys. Because I was covering yellow, the buoys turned out super bright. They are much brighter than they would have been if I just painted over the old red ones.

 

Added note: My turns have ½ gallon of water in them and ¾ gallon in my gates.

[Marco]

Bud-  I did the same thing last year, but the paint faded out rather quickly.  I'm hoping the orange polyforms hold up well.

OB- How is the durabilty of the bubble buoys?  At western regionals last year, I think they had to replace a half dozen or so.  Have they been improved upon?  How is the color holding up?

[Wish]

If your ok with red THE best spray paint is Krylon Fusion for plastics. They show a plastic deck chair half painted on the can. The paint is made to expand and contract with plastics. The floecent orenge you used will not and tends to fade and flake off after a while. There is no orenge Fusion but the red is very bright and shinny even when dry. I live in FL; after 2 years in the sun they are still a sharp red no fading at all. The shininess lasted a year. No chipping or flaking off what so ever. Very easy to see. I touch them up to cover bird marks once in a great while but that's it. I get asked if the buoys are new all the time. I know some have been on 3yrs or more. They have green and yellow.

[Wish]

Oh fogot to say they sell Krylon Fusion at Walmart.

[ral]

OB

 

I believe that they are great, but my concern here is for competitive skiers, when getting into a site with normal buoys.

[LeonL]

Bud Man -- My experience with flourscent orange is fading to near white in just a few weeks.

[lpskier]

My experience with painted turn balls is a hole in my leg that took months to heal.

[Wish]

lpskier, how is that possible??? Was it "lead" paint? All I know is I've had some of the top pro's to my lake. Skiers into 39 and 41. Never had a complaint about not being able to see them (even at dusk or sunrise) or any comments on how they feel when hit. Still say paintm with Krylon Fusion red. It flexes. Buoy feels exactly the same as new non painted (even years later). Just got done installing my water filled buoys on our float course. Great idea if you cant afford Bubble Bank Busting Buoys. I gotta learn how to spell orenge.

[RichardDoane]

I heard orange polyform balls in April, maybe

[Bud Man]

What happened lpskier? The hole in leg?

[lpskier]

I got a small but nasty abrasion type laceration on the outside of my back leg from sraping the turn ball on 2/4/6. The scrape was right at the point of my leg where the water breaks. Over the next week or so, the scrape went from the size of a dime to the size of a quarter and became quite deep even though I was treating it several times a day to get it healed up. At this point I was skiing at my home site, so the painted balls went directly contributing to the injury getting worse. I believe the water pressure from skiing was the culprit at that point. Nothing worked to heal it up. I started wearing a spray leg every set starting around the middle of July, but even then my leg didn't fully heal until after I was done for the year in October. I am told that the paint that was used was for painting highways, so it may have had a bit of grit in it, I don't know. I know other people who ski the same site that have the same complaint, so it wasn't just me.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Richard, early April is still what I'm being told.  I intend to start taking pre orders around April 1st and ship as soon as they hit the ground here.  I'll post a notice around the end of March on the pre order thing.

Ed @ EZ-Slalom

[SteveP]

Im replacing all my balls and guides this year on the course I maintain in a public lake. Can anyone offer some advice on filling the balls and buoys with water? Like, how am I going to get water into a bike pump?? I would like to reduce their exposed height. I have an EZ-Slalom course and in the past have used gladiator balls and the giant yellow foam bouys. I need fairly durable guide buoys/balls since it's public.

[Bud Man]

I’ll check later for pictures to post, but I put 1/2 gallon in the turns and 2/3 3/4 gallon in the gates I think. I'll confirm and let you know.

I used a pump up gallon garden sprayer with a sport ball needle in the end.

Here is update:

I used ½ gallon in the turns and ¾ gallon in the gates. The reason I am using water in the gates is to balance to wind shift with the turns. I would not think there would be much difference in how much the wind displaces a buoy with all air verses partial water filled buoy, but it was easy to do, so why not do it and rule out the debate.

There are a lot of ways to get the water in the buoys. I like the 1 and 1.5 gallon tanks to put the water in the buoys because they hold enough water and you can pump it thirty strokes and walk away and do other things while it transfers into the buoy. When you come back to it, you can push a few more strokes of air to size your buoy, and you are done. I also made a jig out of ¾†x ¾†wood to measure the turns and gates. If you are doing this in the shade you will want to stop shy about ½†to allow for expansion in the sun.

The larger tanks cost about the same as the little ones that you have to hold the whole time you are filling your buoys, and besides them standing on their own, you only have to pump about thirty strokes verses hundreds of strokes. Another added bonus is; only cut a short piece of stem off to epoxy your needle to and you will be able to continue using the tank as a sprayer when you are not filling buoys.

I am using the inflatable boat guides from skiertoskier.com for lanes and 55s. They also have a lot of neat miscellaneous stuff for setting up your course. (i.e. plastic clips, surgical tube, etc …)

Good luck and have fun.http://ldifrq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pA_8pm9tV2RM8yC22keb_cKiDFlRAq4AZmBOuHLaNp0kHE8z1HbZ5t8ff7bxb_xI6QkUrrfJ2hJoDGdHz6HKjmWHh7kO0VbB0/pic59589.jpg?psid=1

 

[SteveP]

Thanks. What are you using for the guide balls?

[LeonL]

SteveP, your best bet for guides is Polyform.  They're a bit more than costly than foam, but very durable.  Granted I have a private site, but I have Polyform guides that are over 10 years old and still in great shape.  As I have posted in the past, the yellow fades but you can dye them using common Rit brand dye and they look almost like new again.

[Wish]

I used a pump up 2 gallon garden sprayer with a sport ball needle in the end. You can modify the hose end with the needle by using plumbers Epoxy to seal and sacure the needle after slipping it through the end. When you start taking the end apart u will realize how it will fit and where u need to pack the epoxy. It does take a while to fill but you can walk away after a few pumps and come back pump a couple more times. Done. Cool thing is the sprayer will start sucking air after the 1/2 gallon runs out and will fill the rest with just about the right amount of air. I deflated all my old ones, filledm, and painted them (see above) good as new. Will be installing air filled Polyform boat guides next. Won't water fill them but it would work well I think and u wouldnt need as much weight to holdm down. Far less cord tension from guide to pipe and most likely less chance of them coming off if struck.

[Wish]

JB Weld was the epoxy putty I used to secure the needle. Walmart auto section.

[Bud Man]

I have my doubts on the florescent paint. I have not put the buoys out on the course yet but the overspray on the ground has already faded to white I think.

[Ed_Johnson]

Bud,

For years I have used Orange Marking Paint, Krylon works best. It will dry to a flat, slightly sticky finish. You then follow this up with Krylon Clear Acrylic finish, which dries quickly and removes the sticky feeling. I have used this on the Waterfilled Buoys, and now on the Goode Buoys. The only problem are the Sea Gulls which love to sit on them and leave their mark.

Good Luck,   ED

[Wish]

Bud Man your suspicion are correct. Ive used the same road paint. It fades cracks and chips off. I don't think it's made to expand and contract. I will admit I have not used clear acrylic afterwords. Guessing that helps a great deal. If your set on orange theres not allot of choices. If your ok with red, Krylon Fusion Red. It will work.

[Ed_Johnson]

Wish,

The method I use is very flexable. Especially since you have to squeeze and burp the Goode Buoys.

ED

[Wish]

Ed,

 

Sorry, there's definitely more flex with the Goode buoys. Cool. Man I really must like red. Might be the bull seeing the red cape thing. ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!!

[Ed_Johnson]

Wish,

Nothing to be sorry about. I agree that the Red Plastic paint is a better product and will adhere and flex better. It is just that I am really hung up on bright orange. As of last year, I am blind in one eye and can just see the orange better. Need all the help I can get.........ED

[aupatking]

resurrecting a really old thread here but, I just found the last of our old bubble buoys on the lake bottom and I'm thinking about putting them back out. I'm going to try the krylon fusion paint, but some of these guys are pretty rough. I don't want to order a couple new covers and have them totally contrast with the rest. Maybe they make fusion in orange now, or maybe I'll just paint new ones red too. Our site is a concert venue and airbnb site too, so we've got to keep it kinda pretty.

My main concern is the ring at the bottom of the PAC man ghost. Is the float material there required, or can I just replace the flotation on the legs? @OB1 and @Wish you guys seem to have the most to say about bubble buoys, got any insight?

This is what I mean

 

[skierjp]

Best buoy paint is from Flexabar. Bright red and yellow. They have orange and many other colors. It is actually called buoy paint. Comes in a can, I don't think they have spray.

732-901-6500

[skierjp]

I bought 60 red Polyform buoys last year and none of them lasted more then 2 to 3 months. The tops of the buoy looked like a spider web and leaked air. The replacements they sent seem to be better. I need another 60 this year so I'm hoping they are better.

[Orlando76]

@skierjp just placed an order today at skier to skier (even though EZ Ed is my first choice) but they claim to have "new and improved" poly form balls made of "old school plastic". I'm lucky to get 3 months from polyforms. And no luck with painting spongex buoys.

[Wish]

Unfortunately I can no longer find the Krylon Fusion paint..don't know but maybe they stopped making it. I recently used what seems to be the replacement. A Krylon spray can (I paint mine red) that clearly says..adheres to plastics. I have not been impressed at all. The Fusion would last a yr or more with 0 fading or chipping (would respray mostly do to bird stuff and green growth). The Krylon I used recently is chipping off pretty fast. I did paint my guides (with Fusion) 2 yrs ago and they still look great. I think (and this may help you @aupatking) what I did that helped greatly was to sand the air filled guides. The paint is not coming off at all and still retains its color here in FL. I most likely will be switching to what @skierjp is suggesting if I can no longer find the Fusion.

[Wish]

Quick look on the web and looks like True Value Hardware carries it. Maybe others.

 

@skierjp how do you apply the non spray can paint to a buoy?...brush?...roller?

[aupatking]

I saw true value had the black. I'll have to look, but I'm really interested in the buoy paint too

[Wish]

$5.49

[Zman]

@aupatking Pat, I can ask Rodger at Ski Chaste what he uses for paint. It is more like a rubberized coating than a paint, and sprays on with a paint spayer. Very durable, doesn't come off from ski nicks.

I long ago gave up on polyform since I was also only getting a few months out of them before the

topside turned all sticky, and/or they leaked. Made great insect paper. Wally buoys are 3 times more costly but will last 5 or 6 times longer, more if repainted, and much softer and safer. No brainer.

Good luck with your bubble buoys. Keep them burped so only the bald head of your pacman shows.

[aupatking]

Thanks @Zman I almost called Rodger today. My speed control is on its way to Canada right now, but if I can get a boat lined up tomorrow, you want a ride? We might be able to get the old man out. He always lies to me and says he'll go if we can do a mid-week set. Maybe we can tempt him. Bring your boat and I don't believe for a minute, that he'd say no.

Back on topic, I replaced the flotation around one of the rings, and only the legs on the others. Gonna go test it tomorrow. Since we have to keep them burped anyway, I'm thinking the air in them should be sufficient. I'm also curious, as our depth varies pretty significantly, to pretty shallow 2-4 South to north, what to do with my subs. The legs on these things are long.

[skierjp]

@Wish , try the Flexabar paint. You won't be disappointed.

[303Skier]

Why would you ever want to spray paint your balls? I'm open minded but it doesn't make sense to me.

[igkya]

Anyone try Plasti Dip to paint their buoys?

[Ed_Johnson]

Currently in the process of my yearly painting of my Goode Bubble Buoys that are now 10 years old. Paint them every spring after the Sea Gulls, that crap on them all winter, head back to the beach. We are in Orlando.

 

I do them one at a time. So first put a spare one on, take the old one, hose it off and soak it in a tall plastic bucket, with water and a gallon of bleach for a few hours. Then I put it on a poll, and brush aircraft grade stripper on it to remove the old paint. Next clean it completely, let it dry in the sun for a couple of hours, and spray the top third with Rustoleum 500 degree Engine Paint, Chevy Orange. No need to paint the bottom that is under water. Very flexible, since you have to squeeze and burp the Bubble Buoys every now and then.

 

They look better than NEW, and lasts for a year in the Fla. sun. The winter birds are the biggest problem here.

 

 

[DavidN]

@igkya I tried the bright yellow Flexseal stuff that comes in a spray can. :s

Painted a full set of old and faded bullet foam boat guide buoys with it.

Buoys looked good for about 4 weeks in the Florida sun. Then the coating started to fade pretty quick and cracked everywhere. Another downside - yellow streaks on the hulls all the time. Not too bad to get off, still enough annoyance for me to buy a complete set of fresh boat guides.

Painted buoys went in the trash right away.

[keithh2oskier]

@Ed_Johnson do you have a before and after picture

[TEL]

I have been using SEM marine vinyl coat for the past couple years dries very fast comes in yellow, red and green no orange. I use a green Scotch-Brite pad to clean the buoys in the lake and then spray paint the tops without removing them. They stay bright for about a year in the Florida sun. They would last longer if the birds did not crap all over them

[Ed_Johnson]

@keithh2oskier...Home with a leg injury right now, but the next time I ski I will pull a buoy and get a picture of the process. Hopefully Fri...I have 2 more left to finish.

 

 

[ral]

Wow, a 2011 thread resurrected in 2017 and again now! And I posted in 2011 in the original thread. I am getting old...

[GaryJanzig]

On Lake Latonka in we use the Overton's orange buoys which last several seasons, but a lot of them get swapped out when they get cut loose. The polyform round buoys tend to beak down. The tops get sticky. We use the spongex foam bullet shaped buoys for the yellow gate buoys. I don't do any painting of the buoys since it comes off on boats. I just buy new as needed every few years.

[GaryJanzig]

I found Blaze florescent orange spray vinyl at walmart.com. I am going to see how it holds up. Spray it on very thin, otherwise it will peel off if not smooth.https://www.walmart.com/ip/Plasti-Dip-Spray-Blaze-Orange/45820516

 

 

[GaryJanzig]

I tried the yellow Sem marine vinyl on the spongex gate buoys. Makes them look like new.