Styro-foam Flotation

[dmarkvid2]

I am replacing my deck. Would I be able to glue 4 or 5 pieces of 2" thick industrial styrofoam (pink) together to make a 10" block, cut it to fit the bilge, mabey wrap and seal it in plastic, or a rubber epoxy leaving enough room in the bilge to let water pass, and use that as added flotation before installing the deck?

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Styro-foam Flotation

Sure that will work. But dont wrap them in plastic as that will hold unwanted water. Also use an epoxy, something water or petroleum will not effect.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Styro-foam Flotation

Is this the only floatation it would have? If so, I wouldn't bother. To achieve bouyancy, you must displace water. one cubic foot of water weighs about 65-ish pounds. So, one cubic foot of foam displaces 65-ish punds of water. I don't know how big your boat is, but I'll use my boat as an example. I have 16 cubic feet of foam under my floor, and it is a 17 foot boat that weighs maybe 1500-ish pounds (unsure). This foam combined with structure/mass of the boat itself displaces enough water to keep the boat at the surface. Any less and I would have wasted my time because it would sink. Just having foam is not enough, you have to have enough foam or don't bother.

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: Styro-foam Flotation

Jason, I had foam in the boat when I took up my old deck. But it seemed old and started to flake, and crumble. It was green in color. So not only was I going to replace it, I was going to add even more. There is also foam up under the gunnels that looks like is in good shape, and some up under the transom. Like someone always always says here on this fourm, "a little grease is better than no grease at all". By the way I have a 21' cuddy cabin with a 5.7 alpha1 gen1 mercruiser.