Wet foam....now what?

fishnfetch · #1 06-08-2011, 06:21 PM

ive owned my 88 v20 for a few months now, as i was backing the trailer down the ramp to load up this afternoon i noticed the boat lists to one side. i notice it when im running up to a certain point and then it seems to level out. i noticed it today when the boat was empty; both fuel and my load of ice are on the center line so those would not cause it. battery, oil tank, and swim step are on that side but how much could they weigh? so anyhow, to make a long story short, i figured i must have waterlogged foam under the deck. my floor is rock solid though.

what do i do now? there is no way im capable of cutting and reglassing the deck or seperating the liner from the hull. i figure it doesnt have to be fixed now but it will at some point and who knows what it will cost.....

how can i tell if the foam really is the problem? what else could it be?

tsubaki · #2 06-08-2011, 06:36 PM

I've always been told horror stories of saturated foam in a boat.
Had the pleasure of gutting one a few years ago, we went to the extreme to keep a count of the amount of water. This boat actually had 6" of water above the floor, idiot left the plug in all winter.
After all was initially drained, keeping a cut off barrel beneath the drain hole for a few weeks, checking daily, then later removing the floor, we could account for less than 5 gallons of water that was either trapped and/or absorbed by the foam.
We were convinced saturated foam was the problem, found out it was just a heavy boat.
I'd be more inclined to think the slight imbalance of weight is the culprit more than the wet foam.
I've got saddle tanks, everything is perfectly balanced except when I burn about 10 gallons of fuel from one tank. Causes the same situation you are describing.

fishnfetch · #3 06-08-2011, 06:45 PM

thanks for the reply. im really having a hard time believing its the foam, structurally and maint. wise this boat is in great shape and has been very well cared for as well as being trailer stored its whole life. the gelcoat on the hull sides could pass for new. just over 600hrs on the boat, motor, and trailer

tsubaki · #4 06-08-2011, 06:47 PM

Easy test.
Add the same amount of weight to the other side and see.
Also, saturated foam actually sounds and feels more solid that dry foam.

fishnfetch · #5 06-08-2011, 07:02 PM

how do i get access to the foam though

phatdaddy · #6 06-08-2011, 07:04 PM

pull the rod boxes out on the sides and see if you can access that way or put in a small 4" inspection plate in the deck somewhere. i had a boat that listed when running and it turned out to be a transducer.

jasoncooperpcola · #7 06-08-2011, 07:48 PM

My 250 Sportsman lists to the starboard side just because of all the throttle cables, hydraulic steering hoses, and wires run down the gunnel for the engines! It listed when sitting still and running full throttle. But we mounted our house battery on the port side and that solved the problem. That just goes to show it does not take much to make a boat list.

fishnfetch · #8 06-08-2011, 08:08 PM

everthing is on that side of the boat; rigging, hydraulic steering, transducer, swim step, battery, oil tank. there are no signs of water intrusion anywhere on the boat

Destroyer · #9 06-08-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishnfetch

everthing is on that side of the boat; rigging, hydraulic steering, transducer, swim step, battery, oil tank. there are no signs of water intrusion anywhere on the boat

So you have several pounds of equipment on that side... sounds like you found your problem.

Road King Cole · #10 06-09-2011, 11:02 AM

OK, now that we think that is it, WHERE IS YOUR FISHING REPORT?????

rkc