Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

[jasoutside]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I can't believe I engaged in another flotation thread, rats!!!

 

[KING RAT]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I like this thread; Iwas thinking of using bleach bottles but went with pink sheets and pool nooles
out one day forgot plug 1/2 way across lake before i noticed it ......

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I know a boat can sink with just the bilge plug out I said the EASIEST Way to test that is with big ***** hole in the transom. If it will sink with 1" hole think what it would do with a 12" hole? My boat is an inboard so my motor partially sits below the water line. If I flooded my boat to even the level of the Lund boat I would have water in my oil. The standards I was quoting was USCG Standards. I believe mine will float better than USCG standards and would like to have it float at a point where my family is not totally sitting in water.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

My boat is an inboard so my motor partially sits below the water line. If I flooded my boat to even the level of the Lund boat I would have water in my oil.

Gee Whiz! It must be terrible to own a boat like yours eh?!:facepalm:

 

[64osby]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

1 4'x8' sheet of 2" thick foam is 5.44 cubic feet.

I came up with 5.333333334 CF. Just being picky.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I came up with 5.333333334 CF. Just being picky.

Did you multiply 4x8x.17? I rounded off .1666666 to .17

 

[BonairII]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Just guessing I'd say BA's bilge displaces 12-16 cubic feet which is pretty typical for a tinny displacement and is plenty enough room for the correct amount of floatation... if not more.

... and, 1 4'x8' sheet of 2" thick foam is 5.44 cubic feet. Add in a waste factor for cutting the foam to fit and BA could probably fill his bilge with 4 sheets.

Foamular F-150 2 in. x 48 in. x 8 ft. Scored Squared Edge Foam-45W at The Home Depot

Yeah, that's $138 for sheet foam floatation... and if BA's boat is worth less than $100 it probably isn't worth putting foam in it.

How much would you say your boat is worth BA?

I've got about a $1000 bucks into so far. My budget remains tight, so I'm just trying to find the most cost offective way to keep my boat afloat.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

You need to keep in mind that of almost equal importance to having enough foam is where you put it. If it is all below the cockpit sole (the deck as people here seem to call it), if flooded, the boat will most likely role over and end up upside down. Likewise, if a good portion of the foam is up foreward under the foredeck the boat will float almost vertically with the outboard straight at the bottom, and the stem out of the water pointing toward the sky.
For an outboard, the best situation is to have the foam under the gunwales and a significant portion of it in the stern.

 

[64osby]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

did you multiply 4x8x.17? I rounded off .1666666 to .17

(2/12)*4*8= 5.33333333333333333333333333333333:d

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

i was considering trying to seal my deck and installing a pressure gauge and schrader valve in the floor, my dad used nitrogen to pressurize underground cable for at&t it kept water out and lets you know if theres a leak not sure if it would work on a hull

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

You need to keep in mind that of almost equal importance to having enough foam is where you put it. If it is all below the cockpit sole (the deck as people here seem to call it), if flooded, the boat will most likely role over and end up upside down. Likewise, if a good portion of the foam is up foreward under the foredeck the boat will float almost vertically with the outboard straight at the bottom, and the stem out of the water pointing toward the sky.
For an outboard, the best situation is to have the foam under the gunwales and a significant portion of it in the stern.

This is true.

While my boat has a lot of foam below deck:

It also has a lot above deck too:

I call these floatation logs for a lack of a better term. They're 8"x8"x10' and about 4.5 cubic feet of foam each above the deck.

Although it's good to have floatation above the deck if you have room for it, you can still have a safe boat with floatation below deck... if you have enough room. Boats with a lot of freeboard aren't known to take on a lot of water over the bow, gunwales, or stern unless you're operating on big water and rough conditions... or doing stupid stuff like reversing into swells, and BA has already said he doesn't boat on big water.

(2/12)*4*8= 5.33333333333333333333333333333333:d

Yeah, .1666666666666666666666666666... I always round that up to the next hundreth to .17

 

[Grandad]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

i was considering trying to seal my deck and installing a pressure gauge and schrader valve in the floor, my dad used nitrogen to pressurize underground cable for at&t it kept water out and lets you know if theres a leak not sure if it would work on a hull

If it's that well sealed, you don't need to pressurize it. Technically, increasing the pressure makes the air inside heavier. - Grandad

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

i was considering trying to seal my deck and installing a pressure gauge and schrader valve in the floor, my dad used nitrogen to pressurize underground cable for at&t it kept water out and lets you know if theres a leak not sure if it would work on a hull

The trouble with pressurizing the hull is hit one rock and ppppppsssssssst glub, glub.

 

[djpeters]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I put pour in foam in mine. My thoughts...

After 32 years the original pour in foam that I dug out was still 99% dry.

I kept the center (keel) section open front to back, so the foam is only outboard and uphill from the keel. There would have to be 6" of water in the bottom of the boat before my foam got wet.

Pour in foam fills the space completely.

It's easy to calculate how much flotation I have. I poured "x" amount in, it expands a given amount, which floats a given amount. If I remember correctly, I have over 1.5 times what's needed.

If I gash the hull anywhere the foam is, I won't take on water. Kind of like an automatic plug.

It's easy and quick to install.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

The trouble with pressurizing the hull is hit one rock and ppppppsssssssst glub, glub.

thats why i went with the poured foam, it floats even when punctured, if my boat goes down i want my evinrudes back:facepalm: thinking of stuffing noodles in my gunnels too think of the foam as inner tubes that cant go flat

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

My side panels are filled with sheet foam plus under the deck. I can't wrap my head around noodles - too much empty space. I better clarify that last statement. I mean empty space inside and between the noodles. Or maybe I mean the other thing.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I can't wrap my head around noodles - too much empty space.

... but you could wrap a noodle around your head!:lol:

 

[BigFishDave]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

My Starcraft SS currently has no floatation foam(except for about 35 pool noodles)

I only run the boat in a somewhat small lake, but it's time to make some decisions on what to use to keep the boat afloat in the event of a leak, swamping, etc.

After reading thread after thread on pour-in foam, pink foam board, etc etc.....I'm now actually considering using heavy duty tire inner tubes under the deck(i.e. sealed air chamber floatation). Not only would it (hopefully) give me more buoyancy than pink foam board, but I would never get waterlogged.

If I decide to go this route, I would mount the the tubes with the valve stems protruding through the deck(locations to be determined later), so that I could monitor air pressure periodically.


Anyone ever do this? Or have thoughts on its feasibility?

I think it is a fantastic idea, and very cost effective. I am in the process of adding flotation to my boat, which is similar to your Starcraft. So far, I have added pink foam, which is extruded ploystyrene. I have used it in another boat, and it is completely water proof; but there is not enough room under the floor for all I need.

A truck tire inner tube could add a lot, and may be tied down. It may also serve as a life raft, if properly outfitted with ropes.

I would suggest trying it.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

Or why not rig up automotive air bags in stratigic places on the boat, 3 on the bow and 4 on the stern... all wired to a deploy switch to activate at the press of a button?:facepalm:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Inner tubes instead of floatation foam for my Starcraft SS ?

I hear automotive airbags make excellent ejection seat or instant MOB* seats.....**
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*Man over board
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**Not intended for actual use in this manner, SATIRE ONLY!!!!!!! :facepalm:

BTW: I'm not sure I want to depend on a life saving intertube 'raft' roped to a tinny as a flotation aid to keep IT a float instead of me & mine. But ask the Admiral, I just might be crazy......