Drill propulsion?

[Spektrum]

After a few long and arduous sessions of kicking back to shore in San Diego bay, I’m looking into other means of propulsion but on the cheap cheap lol.

For those who have used those propeller drill attachments, how effective are they? Could my Ryobi drills actually power a tube against the tide without overheating right away?

Also I only have a cheap pair of flippers, the ones you buckle over shoes that come with some tubes. Are better flippers such as the force fins or outcast much more efficient to make them worth the cost?

[camobass]

You’re going to get a lot of opinions on here. You know, a thousand ways to skin a cat…

I’ve been float tubing for 31 years. The best fins I’ve ever used are extra long dive fins with the rubber heal strap. You need stocking foot waders. You get a lot of thrust with less effort. Any local dive shop carries them.

These are what I use.
https://www.mares.com/en_US/plana-avanti-x3-32

[Tailingloop]

If you use any kind of motor or engine for propulsion in CA you are subject to CA regulations for powered craft. This includes float tubes, pontoons, kayaks, rafts, etc. So you are supposed to register with DMV, obtains and properly display CF numbers, have a CA Boater Card, etc. Otherwise you are subject to being ticketed/cited and that can cost you a few hundred dollars.

Will you actually get cited in San Diego County? It is not high on law enforcement lists of things to pay attention too and there is almost no enforcement on lakes in the county.

Over the last 25 years I have spoken with several people, at least six, who did receive citations and it cost them a day in court, a fine, and time from work. All were in saltwater and were stopped by CG or Harbor Police or Lifeguards. One was using a tube with a motor right by the CG station at Quivera Basin.

All the people I know who received citations (again about another half dozen) in freshwater were in central and Northern California waters where there were on the water county Sheriff patrols.

A drill powered screw drive is unlikely to provide enough thrust to deal with tidal currents for a long period of time. The drill will overheat or the battery will run down. Saltwater is hard on power tools too. No matter how careful your are you are likely to get some damp salt air inside, which over time will cause corrosion.

Definitely, better fins will help.

The type like @camobass linked to do really well for sustained kicking though they can be hard on knees, feet and ankles if you have had problems with those joints or previous injuries.

I use Force Fins and have been for 25+ years. I find them much easier on my legs and I can sustain longer periods of kicking compared to the long dive styles, though when I tried those in the past I could go faster, at least until my legs cramped up. Force Fins are pricy, but very durable. One of my pairs is over 25 years old the the other 20 years. I had to replace the neoprene cushion on the heel straps that the color of the fins has faded from black to charcoal grey but they are still solid.

Ideally you can borrow and test different types of fins since it can get expensive to keep purchasing different pairs.