Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

My Starcraft SS currently has no floatation foam(except for about 35 pool noodles)

I only run the boat in a somewhat small lake, but it's time to make some decisions on what to use to keep the boat afloat in the event of a leak, swamping, etc.

After reading thread after thread on pour-in foam, pink foam board, etc etc.....I'm now actually considering using heavy duty tire inner tubes under the deck(i.e. sealed air chamber floatation). Not only would it (hopefully) give me more buoyancy than pink foam board, but I would never get waterlogged.

If I decide to go this route, I would mount the the tubes with the valve stems protruding through the deck(locations to be determined later), so that I could monitor air pressure periodically.


Anyone ever do this? Or have thoughts on its feasibility?

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

It sounds like you should be a pontoon or rubber raft owner instead of a dep V owner.

From the USComposites site:

14. Is this foam water resistant?

Yes, but with the following caveat. The foams that we sell are considered closed-cell, which means that each cell that makes up the foam structure is completely closed off from surrounding cells which prevents it from acting like a sponge. It is completely safe for this foam to be in contact with water for hours/days/weeks and even months with no adverse effects. However, it should never be submerged in contact with water permanently. Over a period of years the water contact can begin to soften the foam and cause it to lose its closed-cell status. This foam is designed primarily to be used as an insurance policy in case of damage/holes that could cause a vessel to lose buoyancy. Pinhole sized openings would essentially have no effect on the foam since the amount of exposure is so minimal but you should always make repairs as soon as possible to keep the foam effectiveness as good as possible. This will be the case with all after market closed-cell polyurethane foams and even manufacturer installed foams.

Click to expand...

Do you think your inner tubes will float your boat this well?:
Lund Boat Floatation Video - YouTube

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Even unpunctured inner tubes lose air volume over time, probably would if nitrogen filled as well.............

Wouldn't be my 1st, 2nd....... or 10th choice.......

EDIT: Did I miss the accessible air stem above the 1st time I read that
I see a whole area of the deck dedicated to air stems...
Kinda like a de-capped mushroom farm...:cold:

Still wouldn't use 'em... checkable air or not

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Maybe the idea of using inner tubes is crazy, but it just seems like that much air would make the boat super buoyant.

I def don't have the budget to spend a ton of money on pour-in foam......and am not sure that I can stuff enough pink foam board under the deck to keep the boat afloat if it's been swamped.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Uhm, The intention of foam is to keep the boat afloat enough to save lives in the case of an emergency. Bottom line I would ask is 'are you comfortable with the idea of potentially staking your and your family's lives on an inner tube that could be damaged in an emergency situation'? I don't believe an inner tube meets any third party requirement for flotation.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I can't imagine that many inner tubes being very much, if any, cheaper than foam. Unless you have them on hand already.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I read a post somewhere here about using inner tubes.....I didn't come up with the idea myself. I'm not completely sold on the idea, that's why I started the thread. It's def intriguing though.

On the subject of pink foam board.....has anyone actually definitively calculated whether enough can be fitted under the deck of a Starcraft SS to keep it afloat?

I've seen so many that have used noodles, laundry detergent bottles, etc etc for floatation....but it always seems like so many don't believe that anything short of using pour-in foam will actually work.

a1964m:
I would think that 3-4 truck tubes would be plenty. I assume that I'd find some used tubes relatively cheaply....but maybe I'm way off base.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Not knocking your idea, Bonair. BUT, yeah the big but. You can't get enough tubes under the deck for starters. Also if there is any rubbing, there will be holes/leaks. Lastly, you would have de-sharpify, in other words, no screws to hold down the deck, no drilling for screws or rivets and any sharps need to be dulled or protected. And one more thing, pumping the tubes up may lift the deck, at best it will tension the deck and hull - not a good idea. Just thoughts.

EDIT - There is really only one way to find out if any of our flotation ideas work. I just want mine to work long enough to get off the boat safely or help arrives. After that, Titanic is OK. Not preferred, but OK.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

BonairII said:

On the subject of pink foam board.....has anyone actually definitively calculated whether enough can be fitted under the deck of a Starcraft SS to keep it afloat?

I've seen so many that have used noodles, laundry detergent bottles, etc etc for floatation....but it always seems like so many don't believe that anything short of using pour-in foam will actually work.

a1964m:
I would think that 3-4 truck tubes would be plenty. I assume that I'd find some used tubes relatively cheaply....but maybe I'm way off base.

Click to expand...

On the subject of sheet foam, I think PMC has a good design in this thread:
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/1988-sea-nymph-gls-17-a-574287-8.html


On the subject of using noodles and debris for floatation, you see these threads where someone comes up with what they think is a brilliant idea for floatation foam alternatives... and they all seem absolutely sure they'll work, but... I've not seen one single person brave enough to actually test their brilliant idea, as in take the boat out on the water and pull the plug to see what happens.

I've mentioned the testing of these home made floatation designs before and was met by a bunch of screeching and wing flapping with lame-o excuses like I don't want my motor/carpet to get wet (no faith in the design and my boat is probably going to sink), it only needs to float until help arrives (that could be hours or in some cases days), and the boat is going to capsize anyway and I just need something to hold on to until help arrives (I'm a dead man if my boat takes on water).

All new and restored boats should float like that Lund in the video I posted. Expanding urethane foam is cheap when you think about what it does. $134 buys enough expanding foam to float 960 lbs., and $134 or even $200 to protect an investment worth thousands of dollars and the many man hours it took to build it is dirt cheap.

It's your boat and you can build it any way you want, but think about all the time and money you have invested in it when you decide which floatation design you want to use.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

you better put green slime in them tubes, and use super heavy duty tubes.
i give it one boating season before the deck comes back up becouse water leaked in at the stems, and tubes are flat from the old RUBOSIS........

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

For discussion -- Figuring if an aluminum boat & outboard (mostly aluminum) weighed 2000# (so for a discussion we called it 2000# of aluminum & didn't worry about the 'other stuff') you would need about 18cu ft of foam (or 2' x 2' x 4.5') to keep it at equalibrium and prevent it form from sinking.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

BonairII said:

I read a post somewhere here about using inner tubes.....I didn't come up with the idea myself. I'm not completely sold on the idea, that's why I started the thread. It's def intriguing though.

On the subject of pink foam board.....has anyone actually definitively calculated whether enough can be fitted under the deck of a Starcraft SS to keep it afloat?

I've seen so many that have used noodles, laundry detergent bottles, etc etc for floatation....but it always seems like so many don't believe that anything short of using pour-in foam will actually work.

a1964m:
I would think that 3-4 truck tubes would be plenty. I assume that I'd find some used tubes relatively cheaply....but maybe I'm way off base.

Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Truck tires ain't used Tubes, since the mid-70s....

I think they'll be harder to find, than ya think...

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Ned L said:

For discussion -- Figuring if an aluminum boat & outboard (mostly aluminum) weighed 2000# (so for a discussion we called it 2000# of aluminum & didn't worry about the 'other stuff') you would need about 18cu ft of foam (or 2' x 2' x 4.5') to keep it at equalibrium and prevent it form from sinking.

Click to expand...

There's also the displacement factor:

The less room there is for water to accumulate in your boat, the less weight it will take on when water fills the bilge.

If there's only room enough for 5 gallons of water in your bilge, that's only 40 extra pounds. Foam will fill the voids that can fill with water, the more foam you have the less water will enter your boat.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Ned L said:

For discussion -- Figuring if an aluminum boat & outboard (mostly aluminum) weighed 2000# (so for a discussion we called it 2000# of aluminum & didn't worry about the 'other stuff') you would need about 18cu ft of foam (or 2' x 2' x 4.5') to keep it at equalibrium and prevent it form from sinking.

Click to expand...

I'm guessing my boat, motor etc weighs in the neighborhood of 1200 lbs (16' SS w/ 70hp).....how many sheets of pink foam board would I need?

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Go sink your boat grub. Be sure to post up some video of the action.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

BonairII said:

I'm guessing my boat, motor etc weighs in the neighborhood of 1200 lbs (16' SS w/ 70hp).....how many sheets of pink foam board would I need?

Click to expand...

The volume of your bilge will actually determine this.

If you give me the length, width, and depth at the center of the bilge I can figure this for you and give you the numer of sheets you'll need.

jasoutside said:

Go sink your boat grub. Be sure to post up some video of the action.

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Sorry, my boat won't sink!:watermelon:
It floats better than the Lund in the vid I posted in post #2. If you're ever down Talladega way here in 'Bama give me a holler and I'll take you out and show you in person.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

BonairII said:

I'm guessing my boat, motor etc weighs in the neighborhood of 1200 lbs (16' SS w/ 70hp).....how many sheets of pink foam board would I need?

Click to expand...

This thread has info on how to calculate: http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...ns-what-will-take-float-your-boat-367571.html

Best,
Jim

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

jasoutside said:

Go sink your boat grub. Be sure to post up some video of the action.

Click to expand...

I might go do this after the new transom, stringers, floor and floatation are in but before all the wiring, jet intake and pump, and motor are installed. Just to see if it floats and then can calculate how much more it will sink with the extra weight of those things missing.

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Any area between flotation chambers is a lost opportunity for flotation. The shape of an inner tube isn't very conducive to fitting efficiently into a boat hull. There will be lots of voids to fill with water as you sink. You could, I suppose, fold only slightly inflated tubes to fit the shape of the space, but what about if someone over inflates a folded up inner tube?
If you're still enamoured by using tubes, you might investigate using them strategically folded & fastened under the foredeck or gunnels and plumbed to a compressed air cylinder that you could use to inflate them in an emergency. Still not cheap and not a proved process like flotation foam. - Grandad

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I don't know what you're asking for. By bilge...are you referring to the entire area below the deck(from bow to stern)?

If so, I don't know how to do any measuring since the floor is in the boat.