Buoyancy Foam
 

Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc?

The reason that I ask is that my local chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Keith

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc?

The reason that I ask is that my local chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to
risk using sub-standard or inappropriate products.

"over time" ??? How much time?

It is a safety issue, but most or us aren't going to spend weeks or months
depending on it.

Sometimes the difference is not in the material but in the documentation and
"approvals."

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:E9xKe.5643$lK2.4843@trndny01...

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc? The reason that I ask is that my local
chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to risk
using sub-standard or inappropriate products.

I agree that safety is paramount. The aerosol foam that I was shown at
the chandlers when I asked about buoyancy foam looks very similar
(including ingredients and warnings) to the foam available at the
builders merchant that is why I asked. I'm in the UK and this is for a
7'6" pram dinghy. I don't want to screw it up after all my loving
building work so I thought I'd ask those with more experience in such
things.

Keith

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 01:37:13 GMT, "Roger Derby"
wrote:

"over time" ??? How much time?

It is a safety issue, but most or us aren't going to spend weeks or months
depending on it.

Sometimes the difference is not in the material but in the documentation and
"approvals."

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:E9xKe.5643$lK2.4843@trndny01...

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc? The reason that I ask is that my local
chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to risk
using sub-standard or inappropriate products.

The short answer is "everything costs more at a chandlery".

Cosed cell builder's foam will absorb water after years of continuous
immersion. Foam can be dissolved with chemicals and replaced. Sorry I
don't know the name of the chemical but I've seen it done.

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I've worked on a few boats that had saturated floatation foam. The boat was
not submerged, just exposed to normal bilgewater or rain water over the
years. The foam sure didn't look like it would float in its saturated
condition, it was extremely heavy. I threw out 700 lbs of it from under the
floor of a 20 open powerboat.

Just something to keep in mind.

Jason


"Roger Derby" wrote in message
nk.net...
"over time" ??? How much time?

It is a safety issue, but most or us aren't going to spend weeks or months
depending on it.

Sometimes the difference is not in the material but in the documentation
and "approvals."

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:E9xKe.5643$lK2.4843@trndny01...

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc? The reason that I ask is that my local
chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to
risk using sub-standard or inappropriate products.

Goo'day,

On 11 Aug 2005 16:58:13 GMT, (William R.
Watt) wrote:


The short answer is "everything costs more at a chandlery".

Cosed cell builder's foam will absorb water after years of continuous
immersion. Foam can be dissolved with chemicals and replaced. Sorry I
don't know the name of the chemical but I've seen it done.

"Servisol"????

Regards,

Bruce Nichol
Talon Computer Services
ALBURY NSW Australia

http://www.taloncs.com.au

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is....

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've now located some of the proper 2
part polyurethane foam on the net at a reasonable price and I will go
with that.

Keith

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 08:20:16 +1000, Bruce Nichol
wrote:

Goo'day,

On 11 Aug 2005 16:58:13 GMT, (William R.
Watt) wrote:


The short answer is "everything costs more at a chandlery".

Cosed cell builder's foam will absorb water after years of continuous
immersion. Foam can be dissolved with chemicals and replaced. Sorry I
don't know the name of the chemical but I've seen it done.

"Servisol"????

Regards,

Bruce Nichol
Talon Computer Services
ALBURY NSW Australia

http://www.taloncs.com.au

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is....

I've dug out a lot of soggy foam too. Undoubtably it was 2 part foam, but
even so, it soaked up water , so I expect there may not be much difference.
You just keep it dry 'til you need the floatation, and hope you won't need
it to float but so long !

"Jason" wrote in message
...
I've worked on a few boats that had saturated floatation foam. The boat
was
not submerged, just exposed to normal bilgewater or rain water over the
years. The foam sure didn't look like it would float in its saturated
condition, it was extremely heavy. I threw out 700 lbs of it from under
the
floor of a 20 open powerboat.

Just something to keep in mind.

Jason


"Roger Derby" wrote in message
nk.net...
"over time" ??? How much time?

It is a safety issue, but most or us aren't going to spend weeks or
months
depending on it.

Sometimes the difference is not in the material but in the documentation
and "approvals."

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:E9xKe.5643$lK2.4843@trndny01...

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc? The reason that I ask is that my
local
chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over
time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to
risk using sub-standard or inappropriate products.

You make a good case for the flotation being up high, like under the side
decks, to keep it out of the bilge water. I thought it was located there
just for stability when swamped.

I'm planning "bricks" of laminated pink foam, Velcro'd to the bottom of the
deck in the aft storage compartments.

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Garland Gray II" wrote in message
news:zhTKe.297$Ji.39@lakeread02...
I've dug out a lot of soggy foam too. Undoubtably it was 2 part foam, but
even so, it soaked up water , so I expect there may not be much
difference.
You just keep it dry 'til you need the floatation, and hope you won't need
it to float but so long !

"Jason" wrote in message
...
I've worked on a few boats that had saturated floatation foam. The boat
was
not submerged, just exposed to normal bilgewater or rain water over the
years. The foam sure didn't look like it would float in its saturated
condition, it was extremely heavy. I threw out 700 lbs of it from under
the
floor of a 20 open powerboat.

Just something to keep in mind.

Jason


"Roger Derby" wrote in message
nk.net...
"over time" ??? How much time?

It is a safety issue, but most or us aren't going to spend weeks or
months
depending on it.

Sometimes the difference is not in the material but in the
documentation
and "approvals."

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:E9xKe.5643$lK2.4843@trndny01...

keith wrote:
Just a quick question. Is polyurethane buoyancy/flotation foam in
aerosols the same as the polyurethane foam sold at builders merchants
for sealing voids and cracks etc? The reason that I ask is that my
local
chandlery has aerosol foam that
looks about the same if you read the ingredients etc on the tin, but
the builders is cheaper.

Floatation foam is generally a two-part foam specifically made to be
waterproof. Most foams used in construction will absorb water over
time.
Considering that buoyancy is a safety issue, it doesn't make sense to
risk using sub-standard or inappropriate products.