Foam suggestions

[North Beach]

Re: Foam suggestions

I don't necessarily agree with the whole pool noodles thing either. I have a couple in my shed that are out of the sun and are still withering away to nothing with time.

I have however, done roof surveys on 20 year old ten to twenty story roofs with Dow extruded polystryene insulation that was covered with filter fabric (to protect from uv) and it looks like new.

The expanded polystyrenes (white bead board), the sprayed polyurethanes, and a host of others that hit the market in the early to late 80's have been known to absorb moisture (under high heat exposure) and leach chemicals that cause corrosion of metals.

And I'm not really interested in what the Coast Guard says is OK. I'm more concerned with keeping my butt dry till I decide to dive off the back of my boat at the beach. Now I want to at least meet their requirements, but none of those guys have showed up at my shop to look at the insulation I'm taking out of my boats 20 to 40 years after it was installed.

I'm sure the foam you're putting in your boats meets the CG letter of the law, and I'm sure it will save someone's butt if the boat capsizes, but I don't want my son to have to re-do the floor in the family boat I'm gonna pass on to him in twenty years so I'm gonna use the blue or pink.

And BTW, kudos to you on building those boats from scratch. Way more skill involved in that than the hatchet work I'm doing.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Foam suggestions

Oh yeah....another reason to use a two part marine foam is that it meets the US Coast Guard flotation requirements. I don't think pool noodles do. Here is the Coast Guard link: http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...iew=text;node=33:2.0.1.8.45.6;idno=33;cc=ecfr

I dont want this poor newbies first post to turn into a p'ing contest over foam...I would say that I think the USCG regs deal with new construction, not restoring...

 

[North Beach]

Re: Foam suggestions

Yeah you're right Kev. I guess you can tell I just finished a few weeks of dealing with PIP foam on a restore and I ain't too happy about it. My apologies for goin off the deep end

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Foam suggestions

Yeah you're right Kev. I guess you can tell I just finished a few weeks of dealing with PIP foam on a restore and I ain't too happy about it. My apologies for goin off the deep end

Actually bud..I was talking bout all of us..lol

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Foam suggestions

Noodles are where it's at. jasoutside has the right idea!

http://www.thereheis.com/nucleus3.22/media/gallery/20060127-fsm.jpg

 

[littlehero]

Re: Foam suggestions

But do the noodles have enough density without soaking up water? The old foam in my boat is pretty think in the stern.

 

[littlehero]

Re: Foam suggestions

Oh and don't sweat the flurry of responses, I enjoyed the back and forth!

 

[jspano]

Re: Foam suggestions

i believe pour in foam is great if used and applied properly building in a means for water to travel to the rear. also 2 part seams to fit the need of fiberglass boats more than alum.
for alum i'ld perfer the sheets of extruded polystrene, which is not availible in all areas... hence the tubes of extruded polystrene, aka pool noodles.
if 1 can support me 4 can do all of my passengers and me the other 100 or
so will do the boat

JMHO

 

[saildan]

Re: Foam suggestions

...just follow the instructions.

Hmmmm..., this seems to be one of the largest obstacles.

It appears that the USCG manufacturing regulations I posted earlier don?t apply to owner refits, at least not with the teeth they have for builders, just for good sense and your insurance. So what other practical criteria are people trying to meet?

1. Just to be able to say I did it
   
2. Something to whine about ? but it gets me out of the house
   
3. Keep the boat from sinking in the event of a mishap
   
   • Float upright
     
   • Float bow-up
     
   • Float upside-down
     
   • Float near enough to the surface where I can still stand on and fish off the deck.
4. Just leave enough brightly colored stuff floating on the water to mark where the boat went down.
   
5. Match or better the original flotation
   
6. Emergency, what emergency ? this stuff floats the boat ? you gotta have it
   
7. Insulate the beer ? is there another reason to go to all this trouble?
   
8. Deaden the deck sounds so as not to scare the fish.
   
9. Homage to Jimmy Hoffa

 

[oops!]

Re: Foam suggestions

what the deal with pip foam is that it has a structural component to it.

boats like old bayliners actually use the foam for hull rigidity.

understand in new hull construction the mold is gellcoated......then chopped (adding fiberglass via chopper gun) then either the hull is placed on a cradle and given stirngers or its left in the mold and foam is added then they blow chopped over the foam shape for the stringers. (yes....foam stringers....its the glass that is strong) then the foam is added to the hull right there.

if the mfgrs use more foam, they can use less fiberglass.....foam is cheaper than fiberglass.....so it is used as a shape to help the hull stay in shape.

that is also why there are so many hooked hull stories after foaming a boat....because they hull was not supported properly before the foaming.

pool noodles are fantastic for floatation and id rather have them than none....
however if the boats hull is thin,....you must use the pip foam.....or add glass to beef the hull