 Kinetic flotation comes in all sizes, from very professional, yellow inflatables, to leaky wheeled canoes, hamster wheel inner tube devices and of course, Styrofoam. The Port Townsend kinetic community has a tradition of building floats from the rattiest styro chunks they can beach comb.
In the Ferndale race, sloppy flotation is a matter of potential danger, given the two-mile crossing of Humboldt Bay with its 40-degree water.
Here is the all-important secret formula for determining the amount of flotation you'll need! First, calculate the total weight of your vehicle, pilots and carry-on luggage.
 Plan your flotation to carry twice that amount. Example: Vehicle weighs 350, carries three people averaging 160 pounds. This totals 830 X 2 = 1,660. You want to displace 1,660 / 62.4 (the density of water) = 27 cubic feet of water.
So, a pair of 9-foot Styrofoam dock floats would have a good safety margin and they can be shaped. You can expect to pay about $25 each.
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