foam...?

[Sailor77.7]

Q1: I pulled the foam out of the bottom of the boat with the exception of the front part. I do have a question for replacing it though. When I go to put it back in, if I sprayed it or coated it with something like epoxy so that it would be sealed and would not absorb any water that might leak in. Would that be ok? Has anyone done this before or thought of a different way to water proof the foam?

Q2: Does anyone know what the USCG states is the recommended amount of foam to be in a 17' tri-hull for floatation and how do they figure the QTY?

Q3: Where do you find that informtion in the USCG regulations?

Vr,

sailor77.7

 

[8AteEight]

Re: foam...?

The way I see it, No Matter What you Do; No matter HOW HARD you try......
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Water will always get in there. And then its just harder to get it back out (the water, that is)
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of course, Ive no experience in building yet, Im just researching for my project this winter.

 

[sdunt]

Re: foam...?

Q2: Does anyone know what the USCG states is the recommended amount of foam to be in a 17' tri-hull for floatation and how do they figure the QTY?

A Link to the coast guard rules is a sticky post at the top of the forum page.

as for sealing foam, if you're going to all that effort, why not build water tight compartments? Are you thinking of putting in 2 part, pour in place foam, then cutting it loose so you can 'seal it' ?? Sounds like tons of work to me..

Sealing, foam - wood or anything for that matter, will just lead to more problems. If your foam were sealed, and the epoxy cracked because of that big wake or breaker you slammed into, water is going to get in there and STAY IN there. The same goes for the wood in your floor. If both sides, top and bottom of the floor are sealed, when the water gets past your bedding compound on the seat bolts the water is trapped inside the plywood and can never get out.

I am a big proponent of using extruded Polystyrene, building foam, instead of pour in place foams. Builders foam is DESIGNED for use below ground, where it is wet. And the fact that you have to cut it to fit into the hull means that there are spaces between the foam and hull where the water can work its way back to the bilge and get drained out of the boat.

You will never keep water out of your boat, so you need to give the water a way to be drained out or dried out of the boat and associated construction materials.

http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/imageDetail,p,148,i,2768,00.html

 

[JMRuth72]

Re: foam...?

Check out this link. May shed some light on what to do next as for the quantity of foam that you need. I don't understand all the calculations, but maybe you will. Have fun.

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boatbuilder/index.htm