And the reason for foam is?

[dmarkvid2]

What excatly does foam do for your boat? I mean does it serve any purpose while the boat is afloat? or does it just help if you are taking on water?

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

Some foam becomes a structural part of the hull. Other is just for floatation....

 

[Bondo]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

Mostly it's just there to Suck Up Water,+ Rot any Wood used in your hull's Construction..................

 

[calwldlif]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

I have a real world example
my boat was poorly manu.
I found this out after cracking a
6'' section of bow under the water
line.(from heavy seas) after removing the floor in the
area, I found vacancies in the foam.
A trip to the manu (local)
and a conversation with the owner,
comes out that the year they made my hull
was when they were broke and in bankrupcy.
The owner (new comp name same people)
reworked the area and properly foamed it.
All I know is how solid it is, and the sound
of hull slap was sooooo much better.

 

[Boatist]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

In California foam is required by law for power boats unless it is in a special class like a raceing boat.

To me it means hull is quiter an it I hit something 30 miles off shore I have something to get up out if the 54 degree water until someone finds me.

I only wish they would require level floatation.

If you use closed cell foam it will not soak up water. I put some left over chunks in a tank under water for over one month and it soaked up no water at all, But it not cheap.

 

[Bondo]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

If you use closed cell foam it will not soak up water. .

Ya,...... Right........

I've Seen Way Too Much closed cell foam that was FULL of Water......................

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

Personally i went with a 8lb foam in a restoration, I did this for rigidity purposes but i came away with a few more features than i had anticapated.

1. Water intrusion, i had spilled a beer unknowingly (a full one) and when i went to pour the foam pushed the beer right out of the sides. I am quite sure or it would be interesting to see water or fluid get back in that cavaity on it's own.
2. Strength of bonding, again another mistake was not paying attention as to how far the foam had expanded and it found it's way to a peice of the floor that had not been placed yet. So it bonded to a small strip say 6" long by 2" wide and i was unable to seperate the two, eventually i had to replace that end of the floor( It was as strong a bond as any resin could do). Now i have a floor that's literally bonded by urethane and sealed in glass. I dont know how strong it is but only a fool would try and take out that floor.

As to increasing the hull rigidity the foam alone has the following properties *Physical Properties:
Parallel Compressive Strength: 580 psi
Tensile Strength: 450 psi
Shear Strength: 230 psi
Flexural Strength: 750 psi

Now im not going out to find a log or a sand bar and see if this was practical but for a couple of hundered bucks what the hay and as to water intrusion............ only time will tell......long after iam done using this boat,....... i quess i bet on that ..........;}

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

Question TG...Did you drink the beer that was pushed up by the foam?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

:devil: As i have already stated "o Damm good thing it was late and i was tired a salvage attempt might have take place........... " http://www.iboats.com/bbboard/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=26;gtid=1115477

Any futher question's.......:devil:

PS. It sure would be a great day if i could pull up and scoot down to Fl. and join in those lobster games....8)

 

[Gone]

Re: And the reason for foam is?

I acquired an aluminum Lowe 166SC fishing boat. It was involved in an accident with the previous owner. Another boat collided with it near the side rear of the boat at the location of the rear battery/storage compartments. Due to the compartment bulkheads, the impact caused some of the side to dent-in but the cross members held and caused the aluminum skin to tear. Two tears, maybe 3" long each, one below the water line. The foam inhibited water from leaking into the hull. Maybe a quart each time we went out. I was impressed that it the foam worked so well.
I've since gotten it welded and the foam was an issue during welding. I had to clear it away from the welding area with not much room to get in-between the compartment side and the skin.
Just a different story about foam.