How to tell if the foam is saturated?

[TimberwolfFXDL]

Pulled a very wet floor out of the Four Winns today. Everything is really wet, but only one stringer needs to be repaired.

That being said, the foam seems to be soaked, at least at the top. If I kneel or push on it with any sort of concentrated pressure, water leeches out.

I propped a fan in there for the night. It will probably get a good 24 hours of air flow before I get back to it, maybe more.

But I don't know how deep the saturation goes... is there any way to tell? And is there a good way to dry it out?

 

[1fishbone]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

It's saturated to the core.
Shut your fan off! Get your scraper out!
Let it dry out at the land fill!

 

[TimberwolfFXDL]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

It's saturated to the core.
Shut your fan off! Get your scraper out!
Let it dry out at the land fill!

Better replace it then, eh? How hard it it to remove? I'm thinking a long blade on a sawzall and going all the way around the edges, then trying to "section" it out of there

What do you think of this stuff? http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html

I'm wondering if the 8 cu ft can will do what I need... I know I don't need 40 cu ft.

Is the 2lb variety sufficient?

 

[1fishbone]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

It's not hard to remove...get a floor scraper, or a wide piece of 1/4" steel.
You can cut it with an old carving knife.

I'm not one to put foam back in...it's just going to eventually get wet again.

When I do add flotation foam, I put in the gunnels. (Under the deck cap)
I make a removable form from cheap painters plastic and cardboard.

FYI I never sank or swamped a boat in 40+ years.

 

[TimberwolfFXDL]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

The stringers in this boat run longitudinally. there are cross pieces sectioning it up in a couple places. Everything is foam filled under the floor except the hold. Maybe I'll go back out in the shop later and see about yanking it out

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

Hmmm two very definetive methods here.

1. Take a 1/2 inch bit and drill a hole 2 inches deep....If she gushes you have wet foam.
2. Take a ballpeen hammer and give the foam a dam good wack....If you get a little water splash back you have water saturated foam.

If not hell your golden......

 

[Stratohammer]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

When it comes time to take the foam out (and it sounds like the time is now), you're on the right track with the sawzall. I had good luck with a long blade and just cut chunks I could pop out with a flat pry bar. The saw will let you know when you hit the hull, and you'd have to work at it to do any real damage.

I used the foam from US Composites and it worked great. I used about 1 1/2 of the 8 lb kits for the back half of my 17" SeaRay.

 

[Robert4Winns]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

Take some core samples to see if it is saturated. Use a piece of thin wall pvc with some notches cut in the end. Twist it into the foam all the way down and pull out some cores and see if it is wet at the bottom. If it is dry you can just push the core back in the hole.
I wouldn't use a sawzall on the foam. Foam is not hard to cut and you are likely to cut a hole in the bottom of the hull. Just use a hand saw to cut around the edge and then pry it out with a flat blade shovel.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

Is it half dry or is it half saturated, IMHO, it's not worth messing with , replace it and have the piece of mind knowing that it was done the right way!!!!

 

[stellwagen33]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

Replace the foam, You will be suprised how much weight you take out of the boat. A sawsall will work well to cut it. I took out foam this summer by cutting about 8 inch squares with a chain saw and then using a prybar to snap them out. It was in a aluminum boat, so no stringers to worry about. A chain saw will make fast work of the foam but is a little agressive. I used a pruning saw in smaller spots which works very well too.

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

if the foams saturated take it out and then put more back in its there to keep vibration and shock down

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

I can pretty much say with full confidence, if the floor was very wet, then the foam has pretty much become a big sponge and that stuff does not dry out...it needs to be removed and replaced, also, I would suggest removing it, then letting the stringers actually dry out, to make sure there is no rot in them, often times wet wood will fake you out and not show the rot the way it does after it drys(don't ask me how I know, but believe me I know )

You need to check the transom as well, if the water has been laying in there for a while..(found that one the hard way as well )

If you have it torn apart now, it is just best to repair the right way and have that piece of mind.

 

[TimberwolfFXDL]

Re: How to tell if the foam is saturated?

yeah, I've settled myself on tearing the foam out and replacing it... this darn work thing just keeps getting in the way! :lol: