Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby John in CC on Fri Nov 21, 2014 5:08 pm

Pictures to add to the post...
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[img] http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b7/jb ... 36.jpg/img]
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby DanaDCole on Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:24 am

Thank goodness for this forum! I'd like to add one point. With all that floatation foam under the cockpit, I see no reason not to drill a limber hole at the bottom of bulkhead 8. This would allow any water that finds its way into the rear compartment to drain harmlessly into the bilge. You could put a drain plug in, but then the water at the very bottom would not flow out. I will also probably put a hole and drain plug at the bottom of bulkhead one so I can check in the forward compartment from time to time.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby DanaDCole on Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:33 am

A couple quick questions:

The plans state 1.38 cu ft of foam in the transom compartment. A quick measurement makes me think it is more like 3 or 4 cu feet, although it may be that if you use 2" block (or sheet) foam you might not be able to get it under the lazarette compartments, so maybe that makes up for the difference. How much of the stuff should I order? I can figure out how much I need for the forward compartment (fo'c's'le?) and gunwales, I just need to know how much more to order for the the transom cmptmt.

Where do you find the block (or sheet) foam? I've searched all over the internet and all I can find is the pourable kind. Pourable is tempting, but from what I have read so far, not the best idea. Block foam is recommended because it allows water to drain out. (I have even read that pool noodles are best because they allow for better drainage due to octagonal shape and being hollow--worth considering.) There is a drain hole at the bottom of the forward compartment, and I have added one at the bottom of bulkhead 8, now that I know foam goes in the transom cmptmt. Two plugs come with the hull kit, so I gather the second hole was always intended.

Back to my question, I am not finding block foam, except possibly on places like Amazon where I can't be sure it is best for marine purposes (and who I don't like to purchase from anyway).

(I guess there are really more than a "couple" questions included--oh well.)
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby Bflat on Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:24 am

I'm pretty sure people are just using foam board insulation from Home Depot and the like. That's what I did. Looks like others did, too.
Last edited by Bflat on Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby Bflat on Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:55 am

Let me go out on a limb here.
I think it's no accident that the design as is doesn't call for the foam in the lazarettes to be boarded in. This leaves an option open, that of not putting foam in there at all and instead counting on "floaty" gear to serve as flotation. I'd rather stuff usable items back there than foam. As long as it's taking up room it may as well serve more than one purpose. Stuff an extra boat cushion under the footwell. Fenders take up a lot of room and reside in the lazarettes once leaving the dock (perfect). A cooler, extra life jackets (obviously not those worn in the cockpit), half empty fuel containers all float.
I'm speaking only of the lazarettes, not about the foam in the forepeak or seat back chambers.

Of course, clc can't endorse such an action (similar to the mainsheet cleat discussion). A wink and a nod - maybe.

And I might be all wrong.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby DanaDCole on Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:46 pm

The way I understand what I have seen on other posts is that one may or may not enclose the lazarettes. My plan is to enclose them down to the level of the bottom of the footwell. Below the enclosed lazarettes and the footwell is where the foam would go. It might be nice to have all that space for storage, but if some disaster came along, I think it would be "nicer" to have the floatation. Besides, I've already drilled the drainage hole, although it will have a plug, and I am determined to drill holes for conduit, so it would be best to enclose the lazarettes and add the foam.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby Bflat on Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:01 pm

I'm not suggesting going without floatation, only that perhaps the floatation be in the form of buoyant gear serving double duty.
Foam just floats, but boat fenders or extra life jackets and etc could serve as floatation instead of foam.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby DanaDCole on Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:42 pm

Got it. The way I see it, though, it would take a lot of life jackets and fenders, and it would be pretty hard to rummage through them with the small lazarette doors. I can definitely see the advantage of all that extra storage space though, but I'm sticking with my plan--to each his own.
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby craig on Fri Dec 12, 2014 7:52 am

My friends keep asking me if I boat will float. "It can't sink!" I keep telling them, because of all the floatation foam! Come launch day we'll see if I'm right (and it doesn't help that the boat's name is "Titania", an obvious similarity to an ill-fated ship). Remember too that unless your hull is voided, the air volume alone in the lazarettes will provide enormous positive buoyancy. That won't help if the boat is swamped for a long time, or the hatches are open when you take on water, but it's better than nothing. I figured that permanent foam under the footwell and a wide-open lazarette was a good compromise (and seems to be what the plans indicate, anyway).
Titania, launched January 2015
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Re: Flotation Styrofoam: Transom Compartment???

Postby DanaDCole on Fri Dec 12, 2014 9:34 am

Thanks to the many posts, I think I am finally starting to figure this out. Foam under the footwell defines one side of each lazarette. The lazarette extends all the way to the hull, and the foam prevents objects from getting lost under the footwell (provided the foam is cut fairly precisely, but I think I can accomplish that. I like this much better--more space in the lazarettes and a lot less work. I have the bedding tape Captain Charlie recommends for the hatches, but any water that does manage to get in the compartment can be easily drained into the bilge through the drain hole I have added.

I will have to remember to open the drain plug from time to time, but now that I think about it, why close the plug at all? I guess if the boat is swamped, having the hatches battened down and the plug closed will provide more bouyancy than the foam along. This tells me I should seal the conduit holes with sealing foam.
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