USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

[rebuilt]

http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boatbuilder/flotation/183-516-1.htm

 

[erikgreen]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

If you look at the top of the forum, there's a sticky post on this titled "Coast Guard Rules".....

 

[rebuilt]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

I saw that. That PDF pertains to everything a backyard Joe could think of. This one pertains to the never ending debate regarding foam-no foam. In that one, somewhere, no doubt, is this one. If you'll note, I did title this post with the specific parameter "foam". Not everything under the sun that our fine folks at the USCG could think of. Maybe I put the post up as a way of saying, hey, it ain't all bad. I'll use the stuff. Mine will have a bed of 4lb pourable in it. Build the floor right, and water won't be an issue anyway. Some of us like to play out in the salty stuff. Get swamped with kids onboard. I'll deal with the wet flooring later. KR

 

[Bondo]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Possibly the last word needed ?

Ayuh,........ I failed to find the Last Word Needed,........

I'll still be building boats,+ boating Without Foam Myself..........

 

[Mark42]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

The last thing I read from the CG was to not foam under the floor, and foam above the floor. This is critical if you want the boat to float upright after being swamped. Otherwise, the boat can flip, and the occupants end up hanging on the underside of the hull.

I'd rather be sitting inside a boat full of water than hanging on the outside of an upside down boat.

 

[Coors]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Yep, I'm in the process of pulling out that foam that get's water-logged, and installing soda bottles, and closed cell kid's water toys.

 

[rebuilt]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Good point, Mark42. Point well taken. I'm gettin ready to junk a beat up bass boat that had foam down the center line. (Nothin lost, if I junk it now, before any $$ or time is spent on it )Seeing center line foam got me to thinking about doing the same thing with the other one I'm working on. I will come up with a way to box it out above the floor line. She's small, 15', and I'm scrounging ways to save space and weight. I don't have the room for empty bottles. Gotta use EPF, either cured, or pourable. Thanks for the heads up. KR

 

[Scaaty]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Go to Walmart and get a bunch of water "Noodles"..cheap, suck up zip...make great boat fenders too!

 

[rebuilt]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Belive it or not, I was actually thinkin about the same thing when I was in there the other day. Mom and Dad own an upholstery shop, and when somebody wanted a custom cut piece shipped, they would put it into a heavy duty trash bag, reverse a shop vac, and just about make it disappear. Great idea. I play with 'em in the pool with the kids, it takes two to keep me afloat. kr

 

[tommays]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

i guess only boats below 20' sink

Na just takes to much foam to keep them floating


Tommays

 

[Scaaty]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Belive it or not, I was actually thinkin about the same thing when I was in there the other day. Mom and Dad own an upholstery shop, and when somebody wanted a custom cut piece shipped, they would put it into a heavy duty trash bag, reverse a shop vac, and just about make it disappear. Great idea. I play with 'em in the pool with the kids, it takes two to keep me afloat. kr

On my little Flatbottom, its a bare hull except for 4 stacked 2x4 sheets of that white blue foil covered builders foam stuff, in a 55 gallon heavy duty trash bag, duck taped nice and neat and shoved in the bow. Keep the nose out of the water so I would have something to hang onto, that is unless they can read the name..!

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

I guess I have the best of both worlds. No foam and the boat has basically two pontoons built into it. By design the boat is to sink ***** end first (because of the motor) and bob like a cork. Sitting on the point of the bow would suck waiting for rescue but they would see you.

 

[Mark42]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Belive it or not, I was actually thinkin about the same thing when I was in there the other day. Mom and Dad own an upholstery shop, and when somebody wanted a custom cut piece shipped, they would put it into a heavy duty trash bag, reverse a shop vac, and just about make it disappear. Great idea. I play with 'em in the pool with the kids, it takes two to keep me afloat. kr

If you can suck the foam down with a vac, it is not closed cell, it is a sponge. Don't use it as floatation foam.

 

[rebuilt]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Learn somethin new everyday. The stuff my folks used is upholstery foam. And it would definitely collapse. Come to think of it, I'll bet if that stuff got waterlogged, it wouldn't hold a kitten up. I haven't even tried to shop vac noodles. Really no need to collapse it. I found the boats MT weight here at iboats somewhere. Boat, motor, fuel and gear should come in around 1000lbs. Less passengers. (Lifejackets) If 2 noodles will hold me up in the pool, at 180 lbs, 10 should do the trick. There is a big block of some really high density foam under the small step leading to the front fishin deck. My guess is 8lb at least. That stays..... Great input. Thanks, KR

 

[Mark42]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

If you boat is small enough to turn upside down on some saw horses or the like, then you can mix up the foam and pour in into the underside of the gunnels and let it setup there. It will be high enough to not get water logged, and high enough to keep the boat upright when swamped. Also, CG has a formula to decide how much foam to put in the stern so the motor doesn't pull the back end down with the bow sticking up.

A few layers of the building sheet foam cut and glued to the inside of the transom with construction adhesive will go a long way to keeping the power head above the water line and make the boat float level when swamped.

 

[rebuilt]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

Construction adhesive.... Like "Liquid Nails"?? Or flooring to joist sealant?? Or does it really matter which? I'm kinda fond of Liqiud Nails. Pretty good stuff in the applications I've used it on. KR

 

[brownies]

Re: USCG Boatbuilder's Handbook--Their word on foam. Possibly the last word needed?

The "CALL 911"...lol!! I love it.
But, it's up by the top cap.....