Can I remove these?

[bradleeson]

This is on my 16' Starcraft FM160. My question is if it is okay to remove these deals in the sides in the back by the transom? They are stuffed with foam and I imagine it is there to help the boat from sinking in the back in a unfortunate situation?

I have noticed that my 16' Sylvan does not have this and there is quite a bit more room back there.

Would like the extra space if possible.


Thanks for the help!

 

[22E6441]

Re: Can I remove these?

If that is original, I'd leave it alone.

Looks like there was some floor work done? Perhaps they replaced the floor and removed the foam, replacing it with the chunks at the back? If so, they shouldn't have done it that way, but you should check to find out.

 

[bradleeson]

Re: Can I remove these?

I am replacing the floors right now. This is a rebuild. I laid the floor, and I left all the foam in the floors.

 

[JB]

Re: Can I remove these?

Deck. Deck. Or sole; Boats don't have floors.

Removing floatation chambers would be like leaving your PFD on the dock.

 

[bradleeson]

Re: Can I remove these?

So why do some have them and some don't? Is it due to the design and required to be there becuase of the particular design, or are some boats just better equipped in those regards?

 

[capt sam]

Re: Can I remove these?

I would guess they help to offset some of the weight of the outboard, some engineer got paid a lot of money to design that for that boat, I'd leave it.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Can I remove these?

Deck. Deck. Or sole; Boats don't have floors.

Removing floatation chambers would be like leaving your PFD on the dock.

I wish I had a dollar for every time poor JB has to type that...lol
But I guess so does he..

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Can I remove these?

I wouldn't remove those. That is a pretty big piece of flotation for your boat. All boats under 21ft are required to have that flotation so that the boat will stay afloat for something like 18 hours when full of water.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Can I remove these?

i'm a gamblin man, if i sink, she is goin to the bottom.

I removed my wet foam, and it would have cost $100 bucks for 2 cubic feet of new foam, so i left it out. Foam is just a pain in the As*. It will just get wet again.

 

[MrMarine]

Re: Can I remove these?

I wouldn't remove those. That is a pretty big piece of flotation for your boat. All boats under 21ft are required to have that flotation so that the boat will stay afloat for something like 18 hours when full of water.

If all boats are required then why does my starcraft with aluminum hull have none? Never did. Explain that.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Can I remove these?

What year is your boat Mr Marine, could have been built prior to the regulation or maybe a prior owner removed it.

I pulled all the foam in mine as it was wet and never put any back but I do have 2 bilge pumps, a 500 and 1100 and the 1100 is wired to an alarm so if it turns on the alarm goes off and you know there is a problem and both are tested regularly.

I fish rivers and am never more than 100 yards from land and my boat is trailered so if it is in the water I am on it.

As to your question, it was kinda hard to see exactly what that was but if it looks structural(it doesn't)I would leave it but if it isn't I personnaly wouldn't have a problem taking it out if it were on my boat since you left all the foam in the hull, that little bit won't make or break you.

In the end it is your boat and you can do anything you want to it

 

[bradleeson]

Re: Can I remove these?

Well I can definitely understand the purpose, but I have foam all through the "DECK" and all along the side rails. It seems like there should be enough. The farthest away from shore I would be around here won't equal much more than 100 yards.

So I don't know for sure what I want to do? Seems like a lot of split opinions here.....

 

[ovrrdrive]

Re: Can I remove these?

I would guess they help to offset some of the weight of the outboard, some engineer got paid a lot of money to design that for that boat, I'd leave it.

The amount of water the hull displaces has nothing to do with the composition of the materials. The foam weighs something and therefore it makes the boat weigh more to some degree and doesn't offset anything. It would only come into play if the boat were to fill with water or capsize. Then the foam would be less dense than the water around it and help the boat float.