structrual foam in new boats

[troy]

hi
need advise on foam in new boats
i am currently on the verge of buying a new 2004 boat without the foam.
the 2005 boat with foam is 2500.oo dearer.
what is members opinion on this.
thanks troy.

[basserman]

$2500 is sure alot of foam ;)

[NQCairns]

Troy it will be a bit quieter, a bit heavier - 30kg or so?, a bit more rigid (can be good or bad depending on build), should float level if swamped #[smiley=2thumbsup.gif]. Ask if the foam job would pass USCG standards for swamped level flotation -they might answer?

Is there any wood underfloor? if so and you plan on keeping the boat 10+ or so years you will have to trust those at the factory care about the underfloor quality as much as you would, even 2 part foam can collect water and become logged.

If it is done well foam is a great asset. $2500 is not much these days by itself but tacked onto a major purchase like yours would understandably get a person wondering if it were worth it.

[cyclone]

Troy it depends what you mean by structural foam is it bouyancy foam put into voids or is it foam in the floor stringers transom etc. My boat has klegecell foam in the transom floor everywhere structural it dosn't absorb water and is unaffected by fuel it's very strong and lighter than timber I reakon it's great stuff. I'm pretty sure most manufacturers are begining to use the modern foams these days because of thier properties and cost can't understand why they would charge $2500:00 unless it's for added flotation foam. If thats the case the boat would be a bit quieter and float like a cork if it was swamped but just be wary of the type of foam used and make sure it dosn't absorb water which would be a big headache down the track.

cheers Andrew

[reScuE_RanGEr]

Hey
Some of you may have read the posts I put up regarding the building of a new Noosa Cat rescue vessel. The decision we had when it came to foam flotation was mainly in regard to survey. If we chose foam (which we did) we no longer had to carry a life raft. So yes the foam was slightly more expensive (about $4000 i think) we now no longer have the weight of a life raft on our roof and dont have to go through the hassle of pulling it off each year and getting it serviced. Although slightly off topic in regards to life rafts and survey, I guess the point would be that if foam flotation is good enough to substitute a life raft at survey level then its got to be a good thing in any boat.

Steve

[haze]

gday troy
I recently got a quote for a new haines signature 600f. To fill it with foam, I was quoted about $900.00.
cheers

[Spaniard_King]

Troy I have fitted a boat up for survey after it has been built and the Foam was $800 for a sheet 2400mm x 1200mm x 50mm. this then had to be sealed before instalation and wasn't that fun (one hel of a jigsaw puzzle i tell ya) The foam must meet a certain density for survey.

manufacturers must supply a positive floatation certificate with the vessel if it it to have relaxations in it's safety equiptment like Rescue Ranger has mentioned.

Most manufactureres would be quoting on the correct foam to meeet survey and as others have stated it will deteriate faster if not the correct type.

Garry

[troy]

gary
the word is that with the foam it is a 6 per cent increase on the price of the hull.
cherrs troy

[Spaniard_King]

Troy what advantages do you see in the foam??

it's nice and all but $2500 :o...could buy some goodies with that

Garry

[mackmauler]

no price on staying afloat when the tigers are around ;D

[whichway]

I'll start by saying I am no boat guru, but:

How does foam ensure that you will float right way up? Is it because foam is heavier than air, therefore the boat will automatically roll over?

Assuming the boat has a sealed air filled void under the floor, then since foam must be heavier than air, a sealed air filled void under the boat must be more boyant than a foam filled void. (How much heavier is a foam filled boat than a air filled boat? A quick calc for a 6m boat would have the void about 1.5 cu.m. Foam density of say 75 kg/cu.m >> would add over 100 kg)

If the void below the boat gets a hole and fills up with water, wouldn't the boat still float. Surely there is enough volume in the boat above the floor for it still to float

Is the advantage of foam if you got a hole in the void then it will float a higher in the water or if you get a hole both in the void and the upper hull, then you still will float.

What's the theory

Whichway

[Spaniard_King]

Whichway, look at it like this.

Foam floats, if the boat has no foam and ya get a big hole (all cavities filled up) ya gonna sink :'(. If there filled with enough foam( calculated amount that if boat is full of water will still float) boat will still float no matter how or how many holes there are in the boat

hope that helped

Garry