Any one know how my boat is built

[DAN M VAGOS]

Hay all I was just wondering if anyone knew if my 1999 key largo 160cc has a foam filled hull. I know I removed one of the rear rod holders in the gunnel and saw foam. I guess what I'm asking is if the boat took on a lot of water would it sink or would it sink but bob in the water. Thanks

 

[jbcurt00]

The conditions below deck would have a major impact on sink or float

If its a foam filled hull like a B Whaler, and its compromised,l and water logged, it could weigh several hundred pounds more then it did when it left the factory.

 

[rallyart]

All boats that are under 20' are supposed to float if they are completely swamped, when sold from the factory. It's been that way a long time and was in place before 1999 but maybe someone else can say when that regulation first came in to being. Boats over that size don't have that requirement.
Some builders try to get them so they float level when swamped but many might just have the nose up our of the water. As mentioned above, there are many things that might affect if the boat will sink or not.

 

[pckeen]

Can't say whether it is a 'foam filled' hull - but it will certainly have foam in it, so provided the foam is in good shape, it should float if swamped. The difficulty in telling you whether it WILL float is if a boat leaks or the foam otherwise gets soaked - the foam can take on water, become waterlogged, in which case, it will loose some of its ability to float.

 

[Texasmark]

There was another added part of that floating requirement and that was that they had to have enough foam up high to cause the boat to float upright. I remember what used to be storage space in the rear of some bass boats became blocks of foam in support of that requirement.

Years ago Forrest Wood cut large chunks out of one of his Ranger bass boats to show the foam and to show it float. It was interesting to see all the foam in the construction but the ploy wasn't realistic. Don't remember an engine being installed; he was standing in the boat however. Having the sides cut out prevented it from filling with water which would have changed it's buoyant position. As it was the water level was right at the bottom and the rest of the boat was in the air.

Mark

 

[DAN M VAGOS]

Thanks all you for the info. I can't see in the floor but I can see in my bilge where my pumps are and when I look way up inside I can't see any foam just a bulkhead and stringers. I'm kind of hoping that the side gunnels are foam filled that way there there's really no chance of them being wet if there that High up on the boat.

 

[Texasmark]

Thanks all you for the info. I can't see in the floor but I can see in my bilge where my pumps are and when I look way up inside I can't see any foam just a bulkhead and stringers. I'm kind of hoping that the side gunnels are foam filled that way there there's really no chance of them being wet if there that High up on the boat.

I assume you are looking forward from the transom, under the deck and above the keel. If this was open, usually this was a water channel for draining water from other parts of the boat. It was not foam filled on boats of the sort deliberately. My Ranger bass boat was one such boat. So I wouldn't use that as a yardstick. Foam up and under the Gunwale may be there and not visible. I'm going to bet you have more foam than you think on a boat that new.

Mark

 

[DAN M VAGOS]

I also gave a rather large anchor locker with a drain hole in it and I still see no foam. Is it posable they only filled the gunnels and that was all they needed to make it float.

 

[Texasmark]

I also gave a rather large anchor locker with a drain hole in it and I still see no foam. Is it posable they only filled the gunnels and that was all they needed to make it float.

Doubt it. Not that much surface area. Look up some major manufacturers that have online "this is how we build our boats" and you'll get some ideas as to how it's done. Ranger Bass Boats is one.

Mark