The use of foam as a flotation device?

[jurgenscraft]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

How can you call me "nuts"All I did was ask a question? Any way a friend of mine, a long haul driver travels on a weekly basis from Johannesburg(6000 ft above sea level) to Durban (sea level) and volunteered to do some tests for me,we cleaned and dried twenty 2 liter bottles screwed the caps on pretty tight, boxed the bottles up and put them into the back of his truck,When he got down to the coast he checked the bottles and they looked fine, he then did the same with twenty bottles down at the coast and brought those back with him to Johannesburg, Yesterday he offloaded the forty soda bottles and they all looked okay to me, I was unable to measure the bottle pressure in any way without releasing the cap but the next test will be to test the soda bottles to bursting pressure using a gauge to measure the bursting pressure and then to simulate the rate of expansion of the air inside the bottles by filling them in the morning and exposing them to a average African mid summer day 30 deg, c. plus and if required up to 50 deg, c. the way I see things is that if the temperature was to rise to the point that the bottle would burst, the cap would start to leak and pop off before the bottle burst,I am going to make up a test rig whereby I will be able to measure the pressures at diffrent temperatures and then I will report back,Kind Regards William Wright,

 

[xtraham]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

FYI, saw that on myth busters, if I rember correctly it took over 60#'s of pressure to bust a 2 liter bottle

 

[crunch]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

FYI, saw that on myth busters, if I rember correctly it took over 60#'s of pressure to bust a 2 liter bottle

I was going to hook a bottle up to my air compressor to test that.... then I looked again at my Avatar and re-thought that 8)

Anyway, why reinvent the wheel? And as someone mentioned the foam adds strength and sound proofing to the hull.

 

[karrick]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

Why not just use a ton of ping-pong balls

 

[AguaSki]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

Why not just use a ton of ping-pong balls

Ping Pong balls are interesting, but if you are involved in a catastrophic accident where your boat fell apart, you would be clinging to a fist full ping pong balls as the other balls float away. Not much flotation there, but the littering mess you made may make you easy to spot from a searching aircraft.

I am also not sure how many 2 liter bottles I can hang onto at one time if I was in a similar catastrophic situation.

If you are taking on a serious amount of water it could be because you collided with something, or struck a submerged object. In either of these instances you will have significant structural damage, and I don’t think bottles or balls will be of much value as they would be destroyed or just float out of the busted boat. As I mentioned earlier, this is an interesting idea, but I am not sure I am totally sold. I am starting to believe the 2 liter bottle idea will work, but only if the boat stays together. The bottles will protect you from stupid stuff like forgetting your plug.

Some of the other posters mentioned a combination of foam and bottles. This is interesting as it minimizes the foam that could eventually become saturated, but it also allows you to maintain a minimal level of the structural qualities that foam offers. A combination of both foam and bottles seems to make sense and would not significantly increase costs.

I like the creativity and the testing efforts being used. Keep us posted and I will observe from a distance.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

I am also not sure how many 2 liter bottles I can hang onto at one time if I was in a similar catastrophic situation.

Two bottles will keep me comfortably afloat in saltwater, one works, but two is better. I'm 6'4, 196lbs, not too much body fat to help with bouyancy.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

I don't think anyone thinks of the foam in their hull as being a personal flotation device.... just as something to keep the boat floating.

I really like this idea of using the bottles other than foam. Just seems lighter. As aquaski said, the combination of the two seems really neat.

 

[Mr Hands]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

There was a concern raised regarding removing the foam. There is no question about it - the stuff sticks tenaciously to any thing it comes in contact with.
I ended up laying down light plastic drop cloths to cover the bottom before I poured in the foam. That way in the event I ever had to (god forbid) get to the bottom of my hull to do any repairs, I could avoid a lot of scraping.

 

[flyingfish58]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

This thread is 3+ years old and I'm wondering if anyone has actually done the 2 litre bottles for floatation. There is talk here about doing a lot of testing and I'm curious if anything happened.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

Not that I have seen. I believe some have used pool noodles though. Many of us (myself included) are using the blue or pink construction sheet foam from Lowes/HD cut and pieced to fit.

 

[Azonic]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

I say fill the 2 liter bottles with the foam...
Then put them in the hull...

No wet foam to clean out...
and all the flotation...

Come on... It's a good idea!!

 

[jspano]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

why not fill the botles with expandable foam(great stuff) and cut off excess and seal the cap back on.

 

[Bondo]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

why not fill the botles with expandable foam(great stuff) and cut off excess and seal the cap back on.

Ayuh,... Because of the added Weight,+ Expence, with absolutely No benefit...

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

This thread is 3+ years old and I'm wondering if anyone has actually done the 2 litre bottles for floatation. There is talk here about doing a lot of testing and I'm curious if anything happened.

Here's one that I've seen...I used the pink stuff from HD myself,
Whatever floats your boat LOL.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=322024 {see post#15}

 

[BobsGlasstream]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

The debate goes on.
Foam seems to be one of the largest debated issues around. I think it's in almost every thread I've read. Gotta love it.
Bob

 

[Wallman67]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

I read somewhere in the forums they used pool noodles, like the ones at Wallmart for kids and swimming...there water resistant and cheap.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

I read somewhere in the forums they used pool noodles, like the ones at Wallmart for kids and swimming...there water resistant and cheap.

I'm actually leaning that way myself.....

 

[Wallman67]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

Quick thought.....when doing foam in bottom does one account for water drainage. How should one connect the bow to the stern for proper drainage and yet keep the foam dry ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: The use of foam as a flotation device?

Quick thought.....when doing foam in bottom does one account for water drainage. How should one connect the bow to the stern for proper drainage and yet keep the foam dry ?

Ayuh,... Do a search for Foam,... That question has been covered, In Depth...

The Reason that I'm an Anti-foamer, is Drainage...
The few that still think foam Has to be used, have atleast rallied around the Drainage issue, with Many, Many ideas...