Foaming-1991 -24' Proline Walkaround

[Laram51]

Actually I started a transom job and ended up having to do the stringers. The previous foam had a colony of termites and I am wondering if I should refoam .. Any ideas?. I know the advantages , but would the job be incomplete If I left it undone?

Thanks guys

 

[Mark42]

Re: Foaming-1991 -24' Proline Walkaround

Foam in the floor is a bad idea. It comes in contact with water, gets soaked and becomes useless and rots your boat (like I need to tell you this).

Foam above the floor is a great idea! Coast Guard regs now specify that new boats be foamed in such a way that water can fill the space below the floor when a boat is swamped, and the foam is in places like seat bases (like on lounge seats), high in the transom (see those funny big square transoms? they are full of foam) and under the gunnel and in the side walls of the hull. This keeps the boat from flipping over so even swamped, you can still be INSIDE the boat rather than hanging on an upside down hull in the waves.

If you foam above the floor you get the benefit that the boat will not sink (assuming you put in the right amount of foam), the foam will not get wet and cause decay, and your bilge area will completely drain and allow air to circulate keeping it dry and mildew/rot free.

I feel that foam is worth the expense when your life and the life of your family and others is concerned.

 

[Laram51]

Re: Foaming-1991 -24' Proline Walkaround

Thanks Mark. I am inclined not to foam the floor.

What came from there was not wet after 16 years but I am not sure if the foam was resting on the bottom. Termites made their way thru and thru the foam and ate all the plywood in the stringers leaving the glass hollow.The glassman was suggesting that I put the foam back so I was thinking I would fill the spaces on the sides only. Some of stringers are quite high as much as 18 " and I was thinking that foaming is one way of keeping them firmer. They are quite firm already as we used treated lumber -1x12 with 2x4 on top. Guess it will be stronger when the deck goes back on. We had to join the 1x12 in some areas to make them higher.

anyone else has a take here !