Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

[Nandy]

I read a lot here of people removing soaked floating foam. Now, after you remove it, do you replace what you took off? I dont recall much talk about that so I think most people dont. If not, is that a violation of the law?

Thanks!

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

It is not a violation of the law for you to not do it, just for manufactures to not do it. I have heard of people using 2 liter bottles. You have to make your decision on that.

 

[tmh]

Re: Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

I used a variety of sizes of soda bottles under my floor - just couldn't stand to put new foam in after seeing what happened to the old foam. I'd say it depends on how much structure the foam added on your boat design. I've seen a mid-80's bayliner that had less than half the stringer support as my boat but was very sturdy because of the foam in there! I'd have never done that one without foam.

If you use bottles, don't believe what you'll read about the soda bottles from those that haven't done it. If packed in correctly they don't move at all or make noise. You should fill and cap them in cold weather so they don't deflate in the cold months. Use 2-liter and 16oz. so you can fill most spaces. Make sure the boat has "weep holes" (there's a term for these, can't think of it) between stringer sections so water can get to the bilge if/when it gets under there.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

Nandy, Older boats had foam that would absorb water. The newer foam is "closed cell" and does not absorb water. I would think that if the wet foam was giving your boat structural support (like my SeaRay had), you need to replace it with new foam.

One side effect of soda bottles is that you can never pack them tight enough to provide the same amount of floatation as foam, in a given volume. In addition, you would be hard pressed to use soda bottles to provide structural support.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

Thanks! Very informative. That new foam, where do you get it from? Im not in that situation yet, but I wonder in case I take another project.

 

[tmh]

Re: Floating foam, to remove and replace or...

Nope, the old foam was closed-cell also. Years of trapped water will eventually soak into closed-cell foam. IF you use foam and water gets in there it will soak in at some point. The foam will block off any escape routes for the water so there it will stay.

Some who used foam first put in a drainage type system. PVC piping with holes on the top portion for the water to get into then back to the bilge pump. I'd have done it that way but just too much work!

It is true that soda bottles won't provide the structural support of poured in foam, now can the spaces be completely filled for floatation. But wet foam offers no floatation!

Good luck.