Posted by brw on August 13, 19103 at 13:00:56:
In Reply to: Re: Anybody got good ideas for flotation/webletters? posted by Eric W. on August 13, 19103 at 12:26:01:
: Barry,
: In your response below you alluded to a question that I have been pondering for awhile. I am fairly close to putting in the foam floation in my Console Skiff. I bought the two-part pour in stuff from US Composites specifically for marine applications. My question is, is it ok to fill up the entire space below the sole (except for cable runs of course). I'm wondering if some water gets in there between the foam and the planking, will it be able to dry out or will having the entire space filled up with foam promote rot? I've been thinking about leaving an open corridor with no foam down the centerline, above the keel laminations to allow for drainage and drying. Any thoughts?
If I were building the boat and I only intended to go on small lakes and rivers, I probably wouldn't use flotation. Specifically on the Console Skiff, I would make air-tight compartments at the transom with a volume that would support the motor weight. Approx 60 lbs per cubic foot.
If floation is used, the area where it will be put should be well coated with epoxy. Half cardboard tubes running fore and aft can be laid, taped in place, so that there would be channels for water to drain to transom after foam is poured.
Realize one thing about flotation, if you have 2 sealed boxes, 12" cube, both will not sink. If one is filled with a pound of flotation, it will have one less pound of bouyancy. The Titanic, in essence, had sealed bulkheads. When it hit the iceberg they would not have sunk had only the outer hull been breached.
If you hit something at high speed, is it likely that you will breach both the bottom and bulkhead?
This opinion is mine. The designer prefers the extra security of flotation.