No more foam (correction More Foam)

[dgarner]

I'm in the process of removing all the 34 year old foam from my Sea Ray SRV 240. The foam has water in it and all the wood surrounding the foam is rotted. I won't be putting the foam back just going to re-build wood support for fuel tank and the cabin area will be rebuilt. Law does not require foam in this size boat. What do you think?

 

[Ciera2450]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Your gonna start a fight with that one....lol
To foam or not to foam...that is the question.
Some say yes, some say no.
I didn't replace the foam on my tri-hull.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Are you trying to save money or the extra work by not adding foam. Just wondering.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

plastic bottles make great flotation..... 20 oz. 2 ltr. 1 qt. 1 gal. etc..... just sayin

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Are you trying to save money or the extra work by not adding foam. Just wondering.

The extra work and the money to put the foam back in.

There is no telling how many years this boat was used with the foam soaked with water. If it was to sink with the foam currently in the boat it would sink faster than without the foam. I'm thinking just put a water alarm in the boat so if it was to take on water you'll be alarmed and can bail out before she goes under.

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

plastic bottles make great flotation..... 20 oz. 2 ltr. 1 qt. 1 gal. etc..... just sayin

I've heard of doing this, and the pool noodles. Would still require building the boxes to hold the bottles or noodles. It's not about getting out of work or spending less money. Just what will the foam do for me. If it sinks, let it sink I have insurance, and it would be a nice new home for the fish.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

soooooooooo what are you asking?

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

soooooooooo what are you asking?

I was just seeing if I could get my mind changed on putting the foam back in.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Well it's your estate the lawyer's go after if there is ever an accident......... If you want to go against the USCG building regulations then do not invite us to participate.:facepalm:

 

[jigngrub]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Safety is overrated eh?!

I use bamboo canes in concrete for my fish structures, but have always wanted to fish a sunken boat! Please post the coords where your boat sinks in the fishing section!

See you at the bottom! (on my sonar)

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Well it's your estate the lawyer's go after if there is ever an accident......... If you want to go against the USCG building regulations then do not invite us to participate.:facepalm:

My boat is over 21' (24' my boat) didn't think foam is a requirement? If its required by law I'll put it back in.

 

[sschefer]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

I'm in the process of removing all the 34 year old foam from my Sea Ray SRV 240. The foam has water in it and all the wood surrounding the foam is rotted. I won't be putting the foam back just going to re-build wood support for fuel tank and the cabin area will be rebuilt. Law does not require foam in this size boat. What do you think?

The law does not require level float in boats over 20'. Assuming the numbers 240 mean approx 24' you do not need to replace the foam for level float purposes but it may have been there for structural reasons. Personally, I'd put it back in because it wasn't required when the boat was built so the likelyhood of it being structural is pretty strong in my opinion.

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

The law does not require level float in boats over 20'. Assuming the numbers 240 mean approx 24' you do not need to replace the foam for level float purposes but it may have been there for structural reasons. Personally, I'd put it back in because it wasn't required when the boat was built so the likelyhood of it being structural is pretty strong in my opinion.

The foam in the boat defiantly wasn't structural foam, this boat doesn't even have wood support braces.

 

[sschefer]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

The foam in the boat defiantly wasn't structural foam, this boat doesn't even have wood support braces.

Even more reason to belive it is structural. The combination of the deck and the foam beneath are used to create a sort of inverted delta frame in some of these boats. It works pretty well, lasted 34 years in your boat.

I don't really care if you put it back in or not, it's your boat. If you think your plans are better than the original ones then go for it.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

If it sinks, let it sink I have insurance, and it would be a nice new home for the fish.

I hope your insurance claims investigator doesn't see this statement. You may not have insurance coverage because you modified the vessel and removed safety equipment; required or not. You would be held culpable in causing/contributing to the loss of the vessel. Think about that for a moment.

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Even more reason to belive it is structural. The combination of the deck and the foam beneath are used to create a sort of inverted delta frame in some of these boats. It works pretty well, lasted 34 years in your boat.

I don't really care if you put it back in or not, it's your boat. If you think your plans are better than the original ones then go for it.

So do all fiberglass boats require some sort of wood or foam structural support? If my foam and the wood around the foam was there for structural support I would put it back. I'm no boat expert so input from any source is much appreciated.

 

[dgarner]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

I hope your insurance claims investigator doesn't see this statement. You may not have insurance coverage because you modified the vessel and removed safety equipment; required or not. You would be held culpable in causing/contributing to the loss of the vessel. Think about that for a moment.

I'll be sure to tell them not to look in this forum. The boat is a goner with or without foam if it takes on water. Insurance isn't going to do an all out investigation for a 34 year old boat.

 

[gozierdt]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

Certainly many boat designs use the foam as a structural element. The foam doesn't have a lot of puncture resistance- like if you poke a pencil into it. But if you put two pieces of fairly stiff material (outside of the hull and floor deck) on either side of the foam, it'll support very large loads- like the pressure of the water spread over the surface of the hull as it pounds through waves. An unfilled hull structure will flex like a drumhead with every wave it hits. The larger distance between support elements, the larger the motion. A filled hull structure will be almost motionless, since the water pressure isn't a puncture like spot force, it's the sum of a smaller force over a large area.. I know what kind of hull I want under my family. The foam isn't only about floatation in most smaller hulls at high speeds...

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

If the claim involves loss of life or personal injury, don't be so sure of that! And you won't have to tell them about this thread - They will find it, they get real money for getting claims dismissed. My last words on this.

 

[sschefer]

Re: No more foam

Re: No more foam

If the claim involves loss of life or personal injury, don't be so sure of that! And you won't have to tell them about this thread - They will find it, they get real money for getting claims dismissed. My last words on this.

As much as I'd like to argue this, I can't. It's the absolute sorry flippin' truth.