Not that it should make a difference...but what does gas do to a noodle?...I suppose if ya ever had to deal w/it, a melted noodle would be the least of yer problems...:zip:

I have no idea. I know that gas melts Syrofoam, but I have no idea with it will do to pool noodle material. If, as I suspect, that the noodles are made out of polyurethane, then there probably will be no effect. Polyurethanes are not attacked by resins and they're resistant to gas and oil. They effect the foam only by a slight swelling after several hours of complete immersion when low density (1.5 to 2.O lbs. per cubic foot) types of foam are used. However, this quality of the low-density variety does allow it to absorb large quantities of water over a long period of time. (I'd be willing to bet that this is the type of foam that was origionally used in our boats.) Because of this, low density foam is not my recommendation for use below the waterline. For applications below the waterline, I think we should use urethane foams of 4.0 lbs. per cubic foot density or greater. At this density there is also no discernible impact on the foam from the hydrocarbon solvents such as gas or oil, and as an added bonus it will not absorb large quantities of water like the low density types do. I think a test block of pool noodle (say a 1" x 1" x 1" cube) weighed and measured carefully, then submerged in a pail of gasoline for 24 hours should prove or disprove it's use as foam floatation. If there is no decernable difference in size of weight, and the material doesn't soften, it should be ok for use belowdecks. :head:

Just take your time foaming it all in nicely and never mind messing around with pool noodles.

Do it right, close it all up, be happy.

Ok... figured out the problem with the camera. (I hope) These are a few of the pics of the foam problem. That black stuff in the center of the foam at the bottom of the holes is actually standing water. The wood is what was removed from the underside of the deck...totally saturated and rotted...falling apart.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...511/photo1.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...oam/photo2.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...oam/photo3.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...oam/photo5.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l1...oam/photo4.jpg

That is some fugly stuff there Destroyer. I like foam. It always amazed me how dry the foam was in my boat. Not much water absorption at all. If the foam was installed correctly I don't see how it got under the foam? I mean why didn't the foam bond to the hull and just fill the compartments to the top? Then why black water? was that contributed to by the rotten wood in the sole?

I would spend the $200-$300 and refoam. I was drum fishing one night in my 81 CC with the live well going not knowing it was leaking like a sieve. It wasn't obvious because my bilge was dry due to all the water running to the bow of the boat.

I only realized something was wrong once my livewell intake was above the water line.

I like to think that the foam occupied that space that the water would have gone before realizing I had a real problem in the middle of the Pamlico Sound that night.

Yes, I think you're correct on the wood staining the water. It smelled like a cesspool when first opened up... (UGH) As to how it got there... all I can think of is the PO never opened the hatches and let the poor thing air out over the winters. Once removed, if you look at the compartments that the foam is in you can see that they are all sealed from each other, so there's no bilge water that can flow from one compartment to another.... and I'm pretty sure that the hull was never submerged... so I just don't know.

One thing I'm going to do though is install a storage locker in front of the fuel tank. There's a big open area under the deck...just begging to be used.. so I'm going to put a hatch into the deck.... probably about 24 x 30 or so... (haven't taken any measurements yet). It will make a great place for an anchor locker or anything else I might care to put into it.

Anyways, my plan is to change all the hoses for the fuel tank... (they look good, but while it's open now it the right time to change them), install a new bilge pump and whatever else needs to be done, then fill the compartments with foam, reattach the deck, and then put down a rhino liner type of coating over the entire cockpit area. (It comes in white now). Then attach the radar arch, bimini, electronics, gauges, and engine and that should just about do it...:head:

One of the things I like about using noodles is they don't fill the entire space, it allows air to move freely around them, I don't care what you do, water is going to go where you don't want it, I put drain holes in each compartment that feeds to the bilge. if you get water in an area, it will drain to the bilge and not puddle in any compartment. The air moving around the noodle tend to dry it out. The V's have more than enough glass in the hull, they aren't using foam for any structural use. After owning two McKee's, and working on at least 100 Whalers, Scout's and McKee's over the years, foam construction ins't the best idea for combining with wood structure. I haven't seen a foamed boat yet that didn't have some water in the hull, that includes brand new ones that haven't even been put in the water

We're proud of you - keep up the good work.

destroyer, this is the storage i added under the deck between the cabin & fuel tank. lotsa room for buckets, bait nets, spare anchor ,etc. i like that i can stick my head down and look under the deck and also keep the channel clean under the fuel cell.

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/o...6/DSCF0397.jpg

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/o...6/DSCF0395.jpg

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/o...6/DSCF0399.jpg

this is looking toward the stern, under the built in deck locker,my fuel tank is in the very stern.