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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: May 2007
Posts: 13,347
Default to sink or not to sink

Buzzihd Beah wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

On Aug 19, 2:17 am, Buzzihd Beah wrote:
Gentlemen,

Say I want to make sure my boat does not sink even if it's full of
water.

It weighs 4330 pounds. Does that mean I have to add about two cubic
meters of foam somewhere? There isn't enough space for that much.

Or can I somehow take into account the buoyancies of fiberglass, fuel
tank, engine, and all the other stuff? Is there a method to calculate
things like that?

What year and size is your boat? Newer boats already are required to
have floatation. Usually it's expanding foam under the floor and in
the sides. US Composites has a good expanding foam.


This one is 1988, 25.5', and there is no foam in it. The only "flotation
device" is the 160 gal fuel tank (if I'd keep it nearly empty). The
other possible one is the toilet, if I'd make a new door and find a way
to seal it.



It is unlikely you are going to be able to stash enough flotation in a
boat that large to keep it floating upright and level if it is holed or
swamped. Keep it insured, be careful, and spend enough to buy first
class lifejackets and other safety gear.