Drying out foam without removing floor?

O

Oilguy

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
38
I have another boat that I suspect has waterlogged foam... When I bought the boat it had a "New Floor" in it... Well... I didn't know what I didn't know and now I get to pay for it...
The floor seems really solid so I hate to remove it to find out... But the boat seems REALLY heavy in and out of the water...
SO... Here is the Question>>>

Is there any possible way for drying out the foamed area without removing the floor??
Can I use a holes saw and cut a 4 or 6 in hole in the rear and bow area and use a vacuum to suck or a turbo fan to blow air through to remove any moist air trapped so that the moisture can evaporate??

Appreciate this forum!! Great stuff!
 
Bob_VT

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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May 19, 2001
Messages
26,022
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

short answer.... no

you can cut holes and use a piece of pvc pipe as a boring tool to check the foam to see if it is wet.

do a search here for pvc

sorry no shortcuts :(
 
D

D.spencer

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
200
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

I agree, rotsa ruck.. I tried to "cheat" on my project and thought I could remove most of the foam, put fans on it ( not those box window fans mind you, but fans they use to inflate those games for kids like a "jupiter jump") anyhoo, left them on for more than two weeks blowing on the foam trying to dry out the area under the rear casting deck- no go.. wet just an inch or two in. That stuff holds water like nothing else I have ever seen. Just a small chunk will not even dry out.
 
F14CRAZY

F14CRAZY

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Aug 12, 2008
Messages
945
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

I tried but it simply doesn't work. The floor and foam in my cuddy cabin was wet (and so was everything else I later found out). I would close the doors and run a dehumidifier in the cabin for a week with NO real change. As mentioned the foam will only dry on the outside
 
S

Shiras

Recruit
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
1
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

So with the floor removed will it dry with a fan on it if left to sit for a while?
 
matthewp

matthewp

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Jul 14, 2008
Messages
173
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

Shiras said:
So with the floor removed will it dry with a fan on it if left to sit for a while?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it's not likely. This picture speaks the ugly truth:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...authkey=Gv1sRgCLis177855WxrgE&feat=directlink

totally dry on top - sopping wet on the bottom. The factory expanding foam forms a pretty good seal around the hull - not allowing for much air to circulate. The foam itself doesn't breath well, either.
 
92excel

92excel

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
477
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

find out the factory weight of your boat and then weigh your boat and compare. might just be a heavy boat.

as VT said.. core sample witha pvc pipe will also let you know where you are..

foam never dries out once it is wet.. enough said on that.. lol
 
erikgreen

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

The only workable technique I've ever heard of for getting foam dry when it's under fiberglass (as a core in a panel) was to run acetone through it under low pressure to displace the water, then let the acetone dry.

Probably wouldn't work for foam thicker than a quarter inch, probably would not be compatible with your foam anyway, if you tried it would require gallons upon gallons of acetone, fire and explosion hazard, and your boat would smell like acetone pretty much forever.

No shortcuts.. you either have to live with the weight and oncoming rot or you have to pull the foam out and reinstall the deck.

Erik
 
bowman316

bowman316

Lieutenant Commander
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Oct 21, 2008
Messages
1,822
Re: Drying out foam without removing floor?

drill a small hole, and stick something down there, like a hangar wire, and if you hear squish, that is bad news, crunch is good news.

If it is wet, cup up the floor, and rip it out, and keep it out.
there is a good chance that only the back foam is wet.
you may even be able to put back down the old floor if you are careful and the wood is good.
 
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