16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

[bryanwess2000]

I have a 16' Sylvan aluminum bowrider and wanted to know how much
flotation foam you starcraft guys use? I'm using the 2'' pink extruded
polystyrene from Home depot. My boat looks like it originally came with
a ski locker, it had the frame but no door under some 3/4'' ply laid on
top of the original floor. If I use the ski locker I'll loose about a 6' section
between the floor joists. So far I have 1 sheet of foam installed. I'm only
replacing the foam beneath the floor, the foam above the deck is fine.

I experimented with seeing how much weight a sheet could suspend
and can up with 450-550lbs based on a rough calculation.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

Ayuh,... If you cram in as much as you can, it'll keep the boat retrieveably floatin'....
I wouldn't loose any sleep over the amount you want to Not put back in(the ski locker)...
You also have to add in the buoyancy of the materials used in All of the boat's construction,+ stuffed into lockers, if ya wanta get Technical about it...

 

[andgott]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

I experimented with seeing how much weight a sheet could suspend
and can up with 450-550lbs based on a rough calculation.

A 4 x 8 foot sheet of 2" foam is about 5 1/3 Cubic feet in volume- Most sources say that closed cell foam gives you about 45-50 Cubic feet of buoyancy per cubic foot, so you'll get roughly 250 lbs per sheet, if my calculations are correct... Cram what you can in- The more the better!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

Take a look at the USCG regulations and google it too

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/backyardboatbuilders.pdf


The amount of information available about flotation research will drive you nuts! but....... it's good reading.

 

[jspano]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

just read the coast guard reg on floation i need to go on a diet or get thinner friends.

i hope my math was wrong


lol

joe

 

[lakelover]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

I just plan on replacing what was there, and then adding as much as I have room for, for extra measure.

 

[bryanwess2000]

Re: 16' starcraft restorers, how much flotation foam?

Thanks for the link Bob, I had checked out that site before but couldn't
remember how I found it. I don't think I'll be able to achieve level floatation
so I guess I'll just put in as much as I can.