Question for the Old Salts here.

[Bass Runner]

Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with the older Texas Maid Aluminum Runnabouts? I have a 1959 Texas Maid 16'Fiesta and wondered if they have floatation under the floor? I know they have it under the front seat but that dosn't seem like enough foam for a boat as big as this. Any help appreciated i don't want to have to unscrew and pull up part of the floor to check as the floor is good and has carpet on it. I looked on the fiberglastics page and have tried finding web sites for old aluminum boats but no luck.

 

[Mr.Ladyfish]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

Our first boat was a '65 Texas Maid. It was fiberglass though. I can tell you it didn't have any floatation in it. I especially like watching the side walls "breathe" when we hit a 6" wave.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

This boat has a bench seat in it and has a block of floatation in it about 2'x2'x5' long do you think that would float a boat this big? Iv'e been told they also has underfloor flotation in the outer spars but haven't found any way short of pulling the floor to find out, I don't think that one block of foam would float the boat and motor if swamped? Maybe i'm wrong, any help would be appreciated, it will save me the expense of pulling and replacing the floor.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

Guess no one has ever owned a Texas Maid out there

 

[VistaMan]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

I may ne wrong but don't you figure out floatation capabilities by calculating the weight of the water displaced? I think water is 10 LB / Gal. and i Gal = 231 Cubic inches so 231 cu inches of foam would give you 10 LB of boyancey. So under your seat you will have about 150 LB of boyancy.

 

[Terry H]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

Bassrunner...looks like you have 20 cubic feet of floatation...that's quite alot. You can find formula to figure the amount of flotation somewhere on the USCG site. My 16' only takes 6cf of foam so I am sure you are fine with 20...just a Thought

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Question for the Old Salts here.

I Guess i'm just a little spooky, I am thinking of putting a new floor in the boat next winter I might just go ahead and foam the outside stringers just to add a little more, don't want to loose the old girl. Thanks for all the help