Foam Filled Plate Boats

[Seahorse]

has anyone had anything to do with plate boats that have been foam filled.
its soft foam about 100mm thick and put under floor to cushion the ride.

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Foam will not cushion the ride but will make it quieter and all boats under 6m should have it.

[Dicko]

Soft foam like the white styrene ?

Sounds like a bouyancy purpose rather than for cushioning the ride.

[Seahorse]

not white styene. actual foam

[Dicko]

what sort of boat. ?

Can only think it's been added for sound deading, it wouldn't do bugger all to soften the ride.

Sounds odd though. would probably soak up water & be more of a hazard than a help.


(aarh, maybe that's the idea. soak up water in the hull, adding weight & the ride smooths out. ) ;D

any pics ?

[cormorant]

Should be a closed cell foam that won't absorb water and has a fire retardant and in survey boats is shrink wrapped.

Old style Styrene foans had a lot of issues with gradually absorbing water and breaking down under heat and were not resistant to petrol. They let off poisionous fumes if burnt and some stuff also had issues causing corrosion from either chemical leach or constantly being moist against interior of hull.

Do a search on here about floatation foam as there was a couple of good threads