All That Foam Has To Go...

[BoatFixx]

Well... I've decided to keep my $3,500.00 alley find (I found my boat in an alley in Puyallup, WA. and re-build my 96' SeaPro 210 w/a.
The aft deck is soft, and I'm sure the tank is due to be replaced. I'm going to pull the top piece off the boat, turn it upside down and strip the rotted balsa core and replace it with Divinycell. While the top is off, I'll dig out all that foam and install a new tank.

Does the foam have to be replaced?

I've got 40 years in big boat repair and re-fit, but these little boats pumped full of foam I only partially understand. I state, partially understand because I'm sure the main reason is to meet some sort of USCG buoyancy (Flotation) rate?

Other than that I'm not sure why its used.

I'd like to not put all that foam back in my restored boat.

If there are any professional small boat builders reading this, I'd appreciate any helpful comments.

thanks!

[Simple Man]

I'm no boat builder, professional or recreational, that said, to me foam is your friend. It provides dampening as well as all important floatation in the event of a capsize. If it wasn't in my way, I would leave it.
Good luck with your build, you've got a job ahead of you. Keep us updated with pictures to record your experiences for posterity!

[BoatFixx]

Howdy,

Federal regs require flotation in boats up to 20' as far as I can tell.
I've always speculated that it was also an easy way to set a fuel tank in slightly larger trailer boat as well, but what that does is makes for a very damp, up against the tank environment. I've pulled many a rotted fuel tank that corroded from the outside bottom inward from wet foam.
I've given thought about the sound dampening qualities, and that may be a factor but there are other ways to do that.
I've read where some stated that it also is part of the structural integrity of "some" boats. I'm not sure about the SeaPro hull, but I doubt that is the case. I'll find out once I dismantle the boat.

Once I get going on this project I'll start a web page documenting my work and progress.

I'm also adding a hard top for our wet/cold weather up here and a aluminum hull extension as I've got a lot of weight on the back of the boat.

The top will be ultra-lite carbon fiber.
Nolan Design will be drawing that up for me, and the extension is being drawn up by Conrad Yachts in Canada.

[CaptWoody]

Nor am I a boat builder but I was sure glad that I had the foam when I launched my boat without the drain plug installed and didn't even realize it for awhile. She floated high and dry, except for the flooded bilge.

[freezerfiller]

If you replace it with new, make sure you use the good stuff for boat building, and not "great stuff" type home foam products that absorb water.