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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Posts
    6

    Thumbs up Buoyancy material

    I'm building a 14' ply yellowtail sailboat and the plans call for sealed sections filled with "buoyancy material".
    The plans don't elaborate as to what material should be used.

    1. Is this really necessary?

    2. What stuff can I use?

    3. Would polystyrene packaging do?

    Cheers in advance,

    Watnee

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Toowoomba
    Age
    72
    Posts
    373

    Default

    Laurie - away from the sea

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Kempsey NSW
    Posts
    24

    Default

    Polystyrene is fine, but best to use Extruded Polystyrene (XPS), rather than the more common Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).

    Most packing materials are EPS. So OK if it is a dense one, not the one that looks like beads glued together.

    Whatever you do DO NOT use the liquid, mix-together Polyurethane foam that is designed to fill cavities, as this defintely does absorb water and break down over time.

    Personal experience...sadly.

    EVA foam is also OK, like the stuff pool noodles are made of. This is also cheap, if using pool noodles, as they are often for sale in packs of three or four for a few dollars each. Cut a few in half lengthwise to fill the gaps.

    Judging by their use as pool toys, a single 4' pool noodle supports around 80-100kg.

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