Flotation question

Joe Mama

Joe Mama

New Member
Hello,
Where is the floatation located, how do I know if they are bad? if they are how does one go about replacing them w/ cubetainers?
Regards,

JKM
 
I don't recall how many pieces of foam were put inside, it was between 3 or 6. At some point they starting putting them inside of plastic (ie garbage bag style plastic) One or two behind the cockpit, the rest in front of the cockpit.

The foam doesn't "go bad" per say, but it will pick up and hold water. It's easy enough to check once you have the inspection ports holes cut - just break off a piece and see if you feel moisture.

You don't have to remove them, especially if they aren't soaking wet to begin with - the object then would be to keep the boat as leak free as possible for the rest of the time.

The usual method to remove them is tedious hand labor with your tool of choice to break the foam into small pieces of that you pull out thru the hole you cut for the port.
Once you have the pieces out, the cubitainers go in (deflated to get them in, then open the top, let them expand or help them with a little lung power and close the top)
 
Once you've cut an inspection port, you'll be able to find the bow ones inside by feeling around.

If they're soggy, soft, wet, and heavy, it's time to replace by painstakingly sawing them into small pieces inside the boat (hard work!) and pulling out the chunks.

If they're stiff and firm, leave 'em alone.

Don't remember the exact count, but there are some (2 or 3) in the bow area, and some (2 or 3) in the stern area.
 
bjmoose said:
Once you've cut an inspection port, you'll be able to find the bow ones inside by feeling around.

If they're soggy, soft, wet, and heavy, it's time to replace by painstakingly sawing them into small pieces inside the boat (hard work!) and pulling out the chunks.

If they're stiff and firm, leave 'em alone.

Don't remember the exact count, but there are some (2 or 3) in the bow area, and some (2 or 3) in the stern area.
Click to expand...
If after cutting the hole you find that you need to remove the foam:

1. Would it help to remove the foam prior to installing the port hardware... to maximize the hole size and not have to deal with the threaded "ring" portion of the new port.

2. Could you take mason string and string it underneath the foam with the two "ends" of the string held ...one in each hand ...out above the hole...and saw thru the foam?? You would have to lift the foam up to the hole opening to keep it from moving around!! I've done it many times with pvc pipe in confined areas...cuts right thru!...learned it in prison.

3. I've found by accident!! that there are chemicals that dissolve foam ...has anyone tried that? Obviously there are precautions to be considered trying this "stunt" inside a fiberglass hull.
 
is there a best practice for stopping the cubutainers from bouncing around in the bow area ? ie tape 'em to the dagger trunk or mast step ?

cheers
Bill TGH
 
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