To foam or not to foam..that is the question..

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by RidgeRunner

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?

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...

[spareparts]

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

[bgreene]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

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...

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

[phatdaddy]

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.







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

[Destroyer]

Phat, that is exactly what I have in mind... Great to see it actually done.... nice job!!!!

Spare, what you say about the noodles makes a lot of sense. I'm still torn between using them and foaming... one the one hand I get 2.5 lbs per sq ft of added weight, sound deadening and some additional structurial integrity. On the other hand I get lighter weight, good water drainage and cheaper cost..... To foam or not to foam still remains the question.

[RidgeRunner]

Foam that baby, so when the stringers rot to he// you will at least have another foam boat like many on the market today.

IIRC, CaptPete insulated that area under the floor and uses it as a cooler. I used that space on my center by adding in a hatch and fiberglassing in a false floor. Not easy to get to on mine, the edge of the cooler seat is resting on the edge of the hatch. I shoulda planned better.

[buckleyjr]

Destroyer, Thank you for posting the pictures. I also have a V21, but I have no reason to believe I have any problems, yet. Nice to see what it looks like under there.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by buckleyjr

Destroyer, Thank you for posting the pictures. I also have a V21, but I have no reason to believe I have any problems, yet. Nice to see what it looks like under there.

You're most welcome...More will be posted as the next steps are completed...here's a couple more that I managed to get outta my camera...





Spare, you've convinced me.. noodles it is...the difference between the foam in place and using pool noodles is not great as far as floatation goes, but I like the idea of having each chamber able to drain into the bilge and get pumped overboard... that's a mighty big benefit....less weight, better fuel economy, better riding boat, dry bilge and foam, etc,...

So far the best price I've found for solid 2 3/4' noodles is $62.95 for 20. Since each noodle can support 200lbs that means that a box of 20 can support up to 4000lbs. I'm going to try and get at least 2 boxes (8000lbs of floatation) crammed into all the nooks and crannys.

As an aside, Stinky mentioned that he's always believed that a boat names itself as it is being rebuilt...that the name just comes to you...
There may be some merit to that. I think that I might name her..... "Noodles"