Floatation Foam

[Smokin'Mo]

I am in the process of attaching a new floor to the stringers of my 21ft cuddy fishing boat and was wondering about the best/preferred method of installing the floatation foam. I have heard that you can do it either before the floor is in or after by providing holes in the floor to allow the foam to expand. I have also heard of foam actually lifting the floor as it expands. Does anyone have any advise on this? I would kind of like the foam to act as structural support for the floor.

Thanks

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Floatation Foam

There's lots of threads on foam in the forum. Use the search for foam and you'll find all the answers you need.

 

[Reboot11133]

Re: Floatation Foam

I am in the process of adding foam to my project 1984 Bayliner 16.5ft cutty.
What I am doing is mixing about 2 cups at a time, pour it beside the stringer then place a piece of plywood covered with a plastic garbage bag across the stringer to the hull where the finished deck will rest. Then I crack a beer and stand on it. It takes about 5 min for the foam to expand and start to harden. When it is no longer tacky to the touch I repeat the process. When complete it should not have any voids between the underside of the deck and the foam. I will apply epoxy on top of the foam when I lay the deck and this should add a bit more of a bond to tie everything together.
Oh yeah make sure you have enough beer to complete the project

 

[Smokin'Mo]

Re: Floatation Foam

Thanks Reboot

I'll make sure I have plenty of beer, since this is such painstaking work. What do you think about laying the entire floor and cutting say 3" dia. holes between stringers every 24" or so to pour through and give the foam some expansion room and to also look through as the foam expands? I could easily patch the holes later since I am spraying the entire floor with Rhinoliner when it's done.

 

[oops!]

Re: Floatation Foam

mo....the expansion holes work......but id use a hole say 24 ins long and say 5 ins wide.....and a few of them.......

that stuff can and will distort your hull if it cant expand properly....

there is a thread in here about it lifting a guy while he was standing on the plywood.

cheers
oops

 

[Reboot11133]

Re: Floatation Foam

Some people do it the way you are suggesting and I am sure it works fine. I epoxy coated the underside of my decking plywood to avoid recurring moisture problems. Because of this I decided against cutting holes in my encapsulated plywood. I guess I am a bit paranoid of having to do this all over again in a few years. Besides I have an excuse to stand around and drink beer my way...

 

[oops!]

Re: Floatation Foam

Besides I have an excuse to stand around and drink beer my way...

i was just checking in the boat biulders hand book.....and it says that if you arent drinking beer when working on a boat....you arent building it properly....

my only problem is .....i need that third arm !.....i find it really tough to hold a beer and glass a big layup at the same time.