Azek vs Starboard - Hatch help

amanphoto

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
336
I have no space in my 23' boat. I want to make some hatches under the V-birth beds in the front of my boat. I looked inside of the area I want to cut open with a bore scope and it is empty. No flotation foam. I want divide the area up and glass in some dividers so stuff doesn't shift . I would also like to fill the unused area with some sort of foam. One to help with floating and another to deaden some of the noise from the water slapping the hull. I have two questions for the group.

1. I want to make some interior hatch covers. They are not structural but I will be laying on them. The size is about 2'x4'. Can I use starboard or Azek or Teak? No one will see it, its covered by a cousion. I want it to be flush with the deck so I don't feel it when I'm sleeping on it.

2. What kind of foam? Do I fill it with flotation foam or some other kind? But will this trap water? Do I use some foam sheets and cut them into pieces to fit the spaces? A mix of both?

Any suggestions would help.
 

amanphoto

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
336
Re: Azek vs Starboard - Hatch help

ps.

There is a small PVC pipe 1/2" connecting the spaces together. Running threw the stringers and bulkheads.
 

amanphoto

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
336
Re: Azek vs Starboard - Hatch help

I just did some checking on line. Boats longer then 20' don't need flotation foam. That's why there is none in there. I'm not looking to add a lot of foam for that reason, more for sound deeding.
 

ajgraz

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
1,858
Re: Azek vs Starboard - Hatch help

Starboard is always good. Never heard of Azek. Link?

If you want to line the area with a foam for sound-deadening but that will not absorb much water, you want a fairly dense closed-cell foam, maybe made from EVA or neoprene; thickness depending on your budget.
 

Aquaholic_GP

Seaman
Joined
Mar 3, 2010
Messages
61
Re: Azek vs Starboard - Hatch help

I think he is talking about:
http://www.azek.com/products.html

I am also looking into this product for my swim platform - its better then its competition as its 100% recycled plastic (cellular PVC), where as Millennium Decking (competition ) is a composite of wood flour and plastic - thus can take on moisture.

I talked to a rep from the Azek company at a local home show and the product sounds like it may work - its also available in several colors so I can have a good looking and low maintenance (hopefully) swim plateform. In your situation where it sounds like it won't see alot of water it might be worth considering.
 
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