Foam

[Discus]

I am very disappointed and upset about the boat. I am working on the 18 feet boat, the floor isn't great in shape. The foam soaked so I have to remove it . I need to put new foam but it's very expensive to buy foam. What do you suggest me to get good foam ?

 

[scott craven]

I wouldn't replace the foam, it's just a sponge that will eventually get wet again.
check stringers for rot and replace the floor.
lots of work ahead !

 

[Clint r]

I had to do the same last year. Scott's right. Ditch the foam it's nothing but a pain. While your floors up and your doing the work, make yourself a spot for an in floor fish locker.

 

[daddystoy]

That's ugly!! Been there! Done that! My advice is don't be shy on how much you start tearing up. You want to fix it ALL the first time.

 

[daddystoy]

I agree. Forget the foam.

 

[stephennicholls531]

I've been there, done that - too. Once I got it all out, and replaced the transom and stringers, I had West Coast Foam from Campbell River come in to my workshop (he has a mobile service) and spray closed-cell foam into my project. Waaaay easier than trying to do it yourself, and very competitively priced compared to any other system/product I was able to find, and a much better installation process than the usual bucket brigade. Google West Coast Spray Foam for his website. Why use the foam? My thoughts were that if that foam stops my boat from going to the bottom directly after I happen to take a big green wave over the side - even once - it will be so worth it, given all the hours of work I've already put into this project.

 

[ChilliSpoons]

I've read a few aluminum boat restoration threads on other Forums where guys replaced the foam with pool noodles. I know it sounds comical but each noodle has around 150 lbs of buoyancy and won't absorb any water. The noodles will break down when exposed to UV but below a floor they should last a lifetime. Any water that seeps past the floor will travel through to the bilge as there are enough spaces between the noodles.

A cheaper alternative and easier to work with as the noodles can easily be cut and shaped to size.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Anyone else heard of using pool noodles. Is that really a viable option. Just curious as I have my floor boards up in my aluminum boat and I'm thinking my my foam isn't in that great of shape either.

 

[bones]

i dunno man POOL noodles??? they dont absorb water? i was swimming at buddies couple days ago and his are all waterlogged (open cell design). i have never done a foam resto but i'm with stephennicholl. do you and your insurance company a favour and replace it with up to date closed cell foam. if its a big claim and they recover the boat to investigate why it sunk. you may loose your claim. if someone drowned because the life jackets went down with the boat..... ouch.
i believe and i may be wrong but if you hole a boat isn't it supposed to float? double chamber or foam?

 

[TheBigGuy]

Ya sounded kind of dicey to me. Mine is good for a while anyways.

 

[ericl]

In the US boats of that size are required to have flotation foam. Dunno about Canada. It also MIGHT provide some structural benefit.

 

[ryanb]

My boat was built with polystyrene panels (Styrofoam) for floatation. I've heard that these may become waterlogged after a long time, but I'm not sure if I believe it. When have you ever seen waterlogged Styrofoam?

 

[kevind]

Yes Styrofoam does become saturated with water over time. It was in my boat and many other boats. Does it still float yes it wont sink like a rock even with it being saturated. In a aluminum boat saturated salt water foam is a very bad thing when in contact with the aluminum as it will corrode through the hull. Boats under 20 feet are required to have flotation foam.

 

[kevind]

Anyone else heard of using pool noodles. Is that really a viable option. Just curious as I have my floor boards up in my aluminum boat and I'm thinking my my foam isn't in that great of shape either.

I have seen some pics of people using noodles and also cutting that pink or blue rigid insulation and putting it under the deck. that way at the end of the season or when ever they want to inspect or clean under the deck they can remove the insulation. Ideally you would like a gap between the aluminum and the insulation so they are not in contact with each other. Some guys have even lined the pockets under the deck with plastic and filled with closed cell foam so that it isnt attached to the aluminum and can be removed.

 

[Damien]

I don't believe pool noodles will give any real buoyancy. '125lbs' is a joke. I bet a 15lb downrigger ball would sink one, or close to it. Dead weight is different that the weight of an already semi-buoyant human, holding onto a noodle and floating happily.

 

[Discus]

Thank you for the feedback, I decided to remove the foam out.

The boat is 46 years old but the hull is mint, no starches or chip etc.

I removed the foam and the fiberglass cloth are not good I have to remove. I will put pictures on here soon.

 

[Discus]

Today I removed the floor and wet foam out. It is almost done.

Sore my hands the hull is strong and hard solid.

 

[bigdogeh]

read a long post a few weeks ago (different forum) about a guy who had a new custom aluminum catamaran (32'?) built but who specified no foam in the build. the manufacturer of the boat had always used foam in all their previous builds. He got out in some mid range rough stuff and the boat sank. one of the hulls split a seam. not sure if sprayed in foam would have helped as there were other circumstances that also led to one of the hulls separating at the seam. but I believe that sprayed in foam can add some structural rigidity to aluminum. If done properly I'm a believer in foam. I know alot of guys aren't and understand their reasoning as well. It's a personal choice the individual makes.
also like that it helps with the sound deadening of slapping water.... and if my boats filling up with water I want to know there's foam sprayed on all the panels. I have lots of foam sprayed on almost all panels and in both hulls but haven't found any waterlogged yet... knock on wood.
should mention all foam (majority) is under the pilothouse section so is fairly isolated from the elements. in the engine compartments there is no foam but there is hard foam panels taped in to the transom, hull sides, and engine compartment doors.

 

[kevind]

For hewescraft boats over 20' they place enough foam to give it a recoverable flotation rating. basically a part of the bow should be above the water line in calm conditions. Just don't let the foam give you a false sense of security if something happens.

 

[sly_karma]

I replaced my deck and waterlogged foam same as the OP is doing. My fibreglass guy sourced closed cell foam. The foam does more than fulfil the requirement for flotation in small boats. Most hull designers are counting on the additional rigidity the foam lends to relatively thin outer hull materials.

Different application, but we use spray foam in all door and window installations now, and not just for sealing off air gaps. The foam adds rigidity to an assembly that receives cyclical movement and vibration. We use it in all interior door applications. Once the door is correctly adjusted it is spray foamed and does not move any more. We do a one year check and adjust as a courtesy service; since we started spray foaming we rarely need to adjust anything. The foam has a similar function in a boat. It adds rigidity to the deck and hull. Closed cell foam is a necessity to prevent waterlogging, but doing away with it altogether or replacing it with loose fill like pool noodles is not advised.