Foam delima...

[Purduebarry]

I have the wood! 1/2" Marine ply AB Birch. Was a bit suprised to see footballs but the owner of the company said that's the norm. <br /><br />Now the foam...I've read threads until I'm blue in the face and still have a delima, 2lb or 4lb?<br /><br />I feel I need 4lb for structual and deck rigidity. 2lb will give me the floatation but I fear not enough structure. This area supports some decking and is next to that big 5.0L.<br /><br />Does anyone know what Bayliner typicaly used in the late 80's? I'd like it to match, I'm only replacing one side (see pic of cleaned out space), the other side looks to be in good shape.<br /><br />

<br /><br />West only has 2lb, US Composites has many different versions. I'll let it expand out and try not to compress it too much during the pour, as to change the density. From the pic do you think 2 Cu. Ft. will be enough? Only about 6 inches is out of view from the picture. <br />Last, why are there no weep holes for the water to drain out into the bilge? Water goes two ways so sealed is better?

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Foam delima...

From my understanding you don't want to match what Bayliner did in the 80s; that is why you are replacing it. The 4 lb foam is what is typically used now. Make sure all is sealed up on all sides. As to the foam amount, not my specialty, some foam gurus are around here that will give you some good direction. Sealed is not better, the water needs to be able to travel to the bilge area in the back so it can exit the boat. Sealing water under the deck es no bueno!

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Foam delima...

The foam is pretty dense and holds up most of the deck in this area. I'd bet Bayliner used at least 4lb. I can't imagine this is 2lb. The problem is the way they sealed (or didn't seal) the wood above.<br /><br />To my point about the weep holes, I can't find any, the outer foam voids do not appear to have any weep holes though to the bilge area. If there were some, perhaps this water would have worked it's way out rather than rotting everything in it's path. Should I try to make some? Seems risky under there with power tools.

 

[Realgun]

Re: Foam delima...

I used two pound foam as its fine and is not really needed for structure.<br /><br />

<br /><br />Thats a rock and no its not attached to the floor. <br /><br />Thats two pound foam and it pushed hard on the floor so I needed a gravity focusing device to keep the floor from rising.<br /><br />The 2 pound foam is fine for use in a boat 4 lb is for fixing fuel tanks to the boat.<br /><br />I have filled in the big voids under the consoles and under and behind the rear seating area. The foam really made the structure solid.<br /><br />I used 16 cubic feet of foam. If I had used the 4 lb foam I would have lost a bit of floatation 64 pounds to be exact. and the boat would be no more solid than it is now.<br /><br />The new foam is closed cell and should be fine. The rot in my bayliner came from the floor not being sealed at all.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Foam delima...

Speaking of the floor...I am going to reseal the entire floor, no tear out but just a general reseal before I put down the new carpet. I want to keep what is not rotted dry. I was told to sand it and reseal with coat of Expoy resin.<br /><br />Any chance this water came in a different way. I'm thinking it was from soakings by the back ladder, sloppy wet swimmers soaking the seat etc. Then drip, drip, drip and into the wood which was not sealed well. Even the vertical frame of the seat was crumbly dry rot, the only thing holding the seat up was the gunned poly. <br /><br />The transom seems okay, lots of screws from fish finder and speed o cable, I'll reseal all with 5200. If the boat gods are smiling there will not be any rot juice when I back them out. I did notice a poorly sealed hole around the swim ladder (same area as the damage) I'll pull it and reseal while I can get in there.<br /><br />The only other thought is that I have an I/O, I think I could use the stiffness due to the 5.0L, this is why I was thinking 4 lb., the stuff in there now can't be just 2 lb. Maybe I'll call Bayliner so they can tell me they have no idea. <br />Might be worth the frustration.

 

[Realgun]

Re: Foam delima...

I had a bucket of foam that poped before I got it into the boat and it was harder than the stuff that came out. This is 2lb foam. Guess what I did with the bucket? <br /><br /><br />I put it upside down in the big rear seat area. Never waste good foam. <br /><br />

I am going to reseal the entire floor, no tear out but just a general reseal before I put down the new carpet. I want to keep what is not rotted dry. I was told to sand it and reseal with coat of Expoy resin.

The floor probably rotted from the bottom up. If you remove the floor and then redo you will be a lot better off. Believe me I thought the floor over the tank was not rotted till I ppulled it up and it was warped 1/2" down onto the tank.<br />The floor felt solid but the bottom was rotted.<br />Sealing the top will not help as much as you think. The bilge gets wet and thge water evaporates into that area rotting the wood.<br />I lost a bunch of pictures so I don't have that

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Foam delima...

Alright, I'm convinced...I think, so how about a compromise. You say 2lb. and I'm leaning to 4lb. Well guess what, US Composites sells 3lb! There you go, right down the middle. I guess I am going to lay up enough glass to make the foam a moot point anyway but I just can't forget what started this. A soft spot, in my mind the floor was spongy, but this was due to rot not soft foam so I can see your point. Who is it that used 8lb? Tail gunner? You can't even compress it with you hand, extremely rigid. Wow.<br /><br />Bought all my MAS epoxy resin today, that was overkill I'm sure but if this boat keeps running good then I'll be glad I used the good stuff. This weekend should be perfect to get it all back together.<br /> <br />I'll keep you posted and thanks for the feedback.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Foam delima...

2 lb would be fine. It would provide enough structure, combined with the stringer spacing.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Foam delima...

Purduebarry you might want to e-mail me,surprise..

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Foam delima...

Well nuff said, 2lb it is!<br /><br />How about the resin, should I only use the Epoxy for the repair and poly for the re-seal? I want to reseal the good wood, I'm not taking the whole boat apart for a small soft spot, which is how this started. <br /><br />The boat has been garaged its entire life, I'm convinced the wood rot I got was from soaking wet swimmers at the same point of entry (and the wonderful craftsmen at Bayliner in the late 80's). The rest of the wood is firm throughout, should I only poly coat it for a preventative measure or use Epoxy on that too. I might be trying too hard to repair this thing!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Foam delima...

Buy some epoxy resin like west system or similar and thin it down with MEK. That makes a great penetrating resin and is cheaper than ROT Doctor products.<br /><br />I had a 87 Bayliner that I did that on. It had the same soft spot in the floor.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: Foam delima...

Tail Gunner...what the address? Don't tell me it busted apart!

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Foam delima...

Check my sig its there.