Why Is Flotation Foam in a Boat?
Why do small, fiberglass boats have flotation foam? Let's start with the premise that you want your vessel to be unsinkable. We should all agree on that--unless heavily insured. Fiberglass vessels will sink straight to Davey Jones' Locker if the hull is punctured. Therefore, shipbuilders must take adequate precautions and install flotation material within the hull, like foam.
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Core of the Hull
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Testing the waves. For small, fiberglass vessels, shipbuilders seal core material, such as foam within the skin of the hull. In addition, the stern hold and the storage beneath the berths often contain additional flotation foam.
Per Cubic Foot of Volume
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A boat light as air. Light density materials, like foam, increase the flotation value per cubic foot of volume. All this allows a vessel to retain buoyancy in proportion to its maximum weight. Though it should not happen, older foam of lesser quality does sometimes dry and crack, allowing some water migration, thereby reducing both buoyancy and speed.
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Larger Vessels
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Mass and density are key to a ship's buoyancy. This strategy is not beneficial for larger vessels, where the mass and density of the vessel alone would overwhelm its efficacy. Larger vessels rely on bilge systems and partitioning, such as watertight doorways, to prevent general flooding.
Small Wooden Craft
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A shipwrecked boat. If you own a small wooden vessel, you have little to worry about because the types of wood used for shipbuilding generally float. Unfortunately, they're also notoriously expensive to maintain.
How Does Flotation Foam Work?
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Motorboat The foam used in boating is isotropic, meaning it retains strength in all directions. Its 100 percent closed-cell structure theoretically prevents any water migration. It also retains shape after an impact. Most foam cores are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the more expensive styrene acrylonitrile (SAN). These materials are resistant to gasoline and fire.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Ohmer Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Ville Miettinen Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Cessna 206 Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Stanchfield Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kok Leng Yeo Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Michele Sandberg
