Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

M

matantiques

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2003
Messages
21
Ahoy all,<br /><br />A while back I read something about using plastic soda bottles as under floor flotation instead of foam. Have any of you actually used bottles and if so explain how you did it and please post pics if possible. The idea sounds interesting. Thanks to all.
 
C

crab bait

Captain
Joined
Feb 5, 2002
Messages
3,831
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

it's just fine with the USCG.. but must be latched/bonded/secured incase of hull breach.. <br /><br />don't want them to float off wthout your boat..
 
Bondo

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,103
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

I Think I would be the one Guilty of Promoting this Idea..........<br /><br />A few years ago a fella rented a slip in Fla....<br />He Filled it with Soda Bottles, Bound together with Fishing Nets......<br />And then Set-up Camping on it......<br />I saw this on Disco, or TLC one night........<br />He built his own Island, so to speak....<br /><br />I've got a 18' Alu.boat that I just Stuffed all the soda bottles that would Fit, Under the floorboards.........<br />No Pics thou...<br /><br />When I do it again, I'm going to Freeze the bottles,+ caps, Before I seal them..... <br />This Should give them a slight positive pressure, at room temp....<br /><br />Depending on What you've got to work with...<br />I think the Fishing Nets would satisfy the concern crab bait brings up..........<br />Onion Sacks, Maybe..?...... :D
 
W

wyoben

Seaman
Joined
Nov 29, 2003
Messages
54
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

I want to put some plastic bottles under the deck of my boat, but I need to get some first. If it was beer bottles I could probably fill it. Any Ideas on where to salvage a bunch of empty plastic bottles?<br /><br />Also Bondo, explane your freezing idea some more.<br /><br />Ben
 
JasonJ

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Too bad you don't live near me. I had access to counltess 1.25 gallon jugs that would be perfect for a person going the bottle route. They are pesticide jugs, very thick and strong. Triple rinsing cleans then properly. We all know my opinion of floatation techniques but I see nothing wrong with jugs if they are heavy duty and bound together. Maybe if you could go to an auto shop or lube center and see if they have waste jugs for antifreeze or something like that. A recycling center would be the ticket, but I think they prefer to recieve and are not too keen on giving.<br /><br />Bondos freezing idea is to achieve positive pressure in the bottles. I would think this time a year all a person needs to do is go outside, let the bottles set, cap and seal, and you would be all set. it is cold at night, so the air will be more dense. In the summer that dense air will creat positive pressure.
 
M

matantiques

Cadet
Joined
Oct 11, 2003
Messages
21
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

I think I like the beer bottle idea better as well. But.. I have collected about 150 plastic soda bottles with their caps over the last few weeks. I needed to reinforce the stringers on my 17' fiberglass lonestar, so I built 3 crossbeams that I thought would add extra weight to the boat along with the 3/4" ply for the floor and the matt/epoxy. The bottles seem to weigh less than 2 part foam and are much cheaper. I do however plan to secure the bottles with that cheap canned foam from Home Depot. Do you all think that the bottles will do the trick? I also have several large(very) & sturdy white styrofoam coolers used to transport medical supplies that I can cut up and placed under the floor. Which one would you use if you had to pick?
 
JasonJ

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Its all about displacing water. If you can seal the bottles and keep them secure with foam, you should be okay. Try to get closed cell foam so you don't end up with water saturated foam. Good luck...
 
H

Hooty

Rear Admiral
Joined
Oct 2, 2001
Messages
4,496
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Fuel will dissolve the styrofoam. <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty
 
R

Rhadley

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 20, 2003
Messages
227
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

I would think the stiffness of bottles would be much less than fully the foamed condition. Probably some boats have plenty of stiffness from the wood and fiberglass, but if you replace foan with bottles there would be a stiffness reduction.
 
Bondo

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,103
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Also Bondo, explane your freezing idea some more.
Click to expand...
Just what JasonJ says... I noticed that a partial bottle of soda, left on the counter,+ at room temp, <br />would Suck in,+ shrink, when put back in the fridge....... <br />So I Thought, Why Not the Oppisite.....<br />Positive Pressure, Less chance for leakage,+ they'll Pack Tighter......<br />
I also have several large(very) & sturdy white styrofoam coolers
Click to expand...
As stated by Hooty, <br />They'll Evaporate, If exposed to Fuel.......<br />
I do however plan to secure the bottles with that cheap canned foam from Home Depot
Click to expand...
The Whole Reason I'm going the route of Soda Bottles is, <br />I Want Total Bilge Drainage......<br />Trapped Water Rots the Boat out from under you.........<br />And, Your Foam WILL Trap Water........<br /><br />One more thing.......<br />There has been the suggestion, That IF you Breached the Hull, Your bottles Could float away......<br />It's been MY experience that If the Hull Is Breached, The bottles will be the Least of your problems, <br />Because your Brains will be Spread All Over the Dash.......<br />It takes One He!! of an IMPACT to Breach a Hull.......................... :eek:
 
Bondo

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,103
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

maybe a few blow-up dolls???
Click to expand...
NO, NO... Not in the Bilge........<br /><br />Air Bags.......<br />They Have to be mounted on the Dash ........... :D
 
JasonJ

JasonJ

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 20, 2001
Messages
4,163
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Someone recommended blow-up dolls in the past, configured in the spoon position between stringers. I had laughed for the remainder of the day when I read that one....
 
flashback

flashback

Captain
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Messages
3,987
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

guess you could put a shot of great stuff in each bottle before you cap it, that would give it a "positive charge" :D :D :D
 
T

tmcalavy

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 29, 2001
Messages
4,005
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

an alternative to blow-up dolls in the bilge or on the dash would be to cut holes and install round access ports and just have your boss come by every now and then and blab the hull full of hot air...we all know hot air riises, probably good flotation characteristics, too. Course he/she might confiscate your dolls, but life is risk is it not?
 
Just_a_Kid

Just_a_Kid

Seaman
Joined
Apr 18, 2003
Messages
73
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Would it matter if you didn't secure all of them ... or could you use a net to secure them all intogether ?<br /><br />I am thinking of options other than foam ... and I realy don't want to use foam to secure the soda bottles ... that way it will drain the water better and not soak up the water ..
 
C

Commander McBragggg

Recruit
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
5
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

But wouldnt they rattle? I have a Lone Star Cruisemaster that needs floatation, but aluminum and plastic sound like a combo that will rattle with every bit of chop that I hit!
 
W

Winger Ed.

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 24, 2004
Messages
649
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

Originally posted by Commander McBragggg:<br />But wouldnt they rattle? I have a Lone Star Cruisemaster that needs floatation, but aluminum and plastic sound like a combo that will rattle with every bit of chop that I hit!
Click to expand...
Nah.<br /><br />If its a slow boat, stuff them in tight. When the floor goes on, they'll compress even more. And,,, no rattles.<br /><br />Or, if you have a real good horse power to weight ratio---- put them in loose to save weight, and the faster you go, the less you'll hear them. <br /><br />I'd stay away from that aerosol foam. Either use 2-part (closed cell), or nothing. the spray can stuff is 'open cell', and will eventually waterlog, or when fuel hits it-- you'll have the most unholy mess you can imagine. <br /><br />Ed.
 
D

dakotashooter2

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
125
Re: Plastic bottles for under floor flotation??

A couple of problems with soda bottles<br />If you live in an area of extreme temp changes the bottles will expand/contract resulting in the loss of flotation capacity and possibly popping the caps. In my area winter temps (cold storage) can reach -30 and I wouldn't doubt if summer temps under the deck reach 120 or hotter. The expansion and contraction of some types of bottles can cause brittleness,stress cracking and leaks. <br /><br />Most plastic bottles are flamable. Get a fire under the deck and your flotation disappears real fast. While many foams can burn they will probably degrade slower and still provide some flotation.<br /><br />Some bottles may last forever others may not. Your choice but probably not the best one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top