To Foam or Not to Foam? That is the question?

[jet]

I know some people have and haven't put foam back in there floors. I am worried about echos and hollow sounds without it. What do you think and why?? Jet

[mapleleaf]

My only thought has always been the sound that wouldn't be dampened if it wasn't there....

[oldman]

I wonder if you put two heavy coat of grizzly grip or a heavy rubberized truck bed liner material on the inside bottom of your hull. Would that absorb any sounds.

[sybrmike]

Still months away for me, but I'll let you know how a hollow hull sounds...

Hafta check with Okie - he's foamless too.

[tg0824SSVGG]

I thought the foam was to provide some bouyancy in case of a partial submerge?

What happens if you take on a LOT of water, without the foam? Seems to me it
would sink like a rock.

[jet]

Hmm very interesting..I never though about sinking??

[Salty87]

i put foam back in but not quite as much (maybe 20% less). my redesign allows for drainage into the main bilge valley. foam is a good thing if used properly.

i haven't noticed any sound issues. once you cover the floor with a few layers of fiberglass and then carpet, there isn't much if any noise coming thru. turn the engine on and you won't hear a thing.

foam helps to displace water...prevents it from filling what would otherwise be an air pocket. or, at least it makes that air pocket smaller so it fills with only a fraction of the water it would have otherwise held. i don't expect my boat to float at the surface, i just want a little extra time to gracefully disembark.

foam up your gunnels better if you're really concerned with floating at the surface. i'm skeptical that the old school factory design would have floated at the top anyway. all the foam is below decks which means it will turtle if sunk.

[dusty2221]

Your boat won't sink Jet. I've only seen it move once. That was from the trailer to the beach.

[Okie Boarder]

The noise difference isn't much. The most noise is heard when sitting still and things are quiet and the waves lap the boat. If you want to find out more about the foam, talk to Jim at Viper. Essentially, it will give a little more time before the boat drops below the surface, at best.

[jet]

LMAO..thats because while yall were asleep in the tent laura and I hit the morning butter. I like it smooth..

and look at this line up..which one should we take out?? Hmmm

[jet]

Salty & Okie..I was thinking about drainage holes but wont that allow water in if the bilge gets full for some reason?? I know it will drain out again but Im have a hard time wrapping my brain around that??

[Okie Boarder]

Most people I talked to recommended no foam with drain holes or foam and no drain holes.

[Salty87]

yes, water can backup if you leave the plug out or something. it will just drain right back out though. with the v in our hulls, the drainage points will be several inches above the bottom of the bilge. there would have to be a bunch of water for that to happen.

if foam is poured into the hull, you won't get much drainage if any. check my rebuild link...i didn't pour directly into the hull. i made custom-fit blocks for each space. if water gets in, it will just roll off the blocks to the hull bottom. from there it will find drainage holes and then the bilge pump.

i'm amazed that some of you guys are finding dry foam after 20+ years. after seeing it waterlogged, i wasn't going to take any chances on it getting wet again. i figure i can't glass better than a factory but if i don't cut the same corners as they did, it will last longer.

[stinky_1]

as long as your foam is closed cell you should be fine. We do all out riding inland, so I am never more than a km or 2 from the shore. When ever I get around to doing my floors I know there will not be any foam going back in.

Besides. I think I would rather my boat sink to the bottom of the lake if it was to go down. Then there is no debate, its a total loss and I want my insurance money!

I am more nervous about having water collect in my new stringers than I am about hollow sounds, or having the boat sink. Ill take my chances on the other 2 if it means I am certain the water is not pooling places.

Besides, wasnt the factory foam open cell? It should not get water logged otherwise. So I would guess Supra figured no water would get in there. But we all know otherwise.

Just seal those floors up good, and use em for ballast. Then it will solve the noise problem too.

[DAFF]

I thought about the sinking problem too... Then it came to me, soaking wet foam is not boyant anyhow. Sorry any older Supra with factory foam will be at the bottom just like the Titanic. Perhaps not as deep. Good luck Jet on the rebuild.