From cargo ships to fishing boats, flotation foam is the unsung hero that keeps boats afloat. It’s importance, however, goes beyond preventing sinking. Marine foam also improves insulation, reduces noise levels, strengthens the structure of your boat, and more.
Let’s look at why you might want to add flotation foam.
Benefits We Will Cover:
Preventing Sinking
Structural Reinforcement
Improving Stability
Adding Insulation
Dampening Sound
Reducing Energy Consumption
Benefits of Flotation Foam
Naturally when thinking about adding flotation foam to your boat your first priority should be increasing the buoyancy. Here’s how flotation foam can help.
Prevent Sinking
Flotation foam acts as a life jacket for your boat. If the vessel is punctured and develops a hole or leak, it will still take on water, but the flotation foam will significantly slow the rate at which the boat sinks. In most cases, flotation foam provides enough time to radio for help and wait for a rescue, or to make it to shore before the boat goes under. In fact, if you have enough foam, it could prevent the boat from sinking entirely, saving your gear and your life.
Structural Reinforcement
Using flotation foam boosts the durability of a boat’s hull in areas prone to high stress. Dense foams increase strength and stiffness withstanding pressure without deforming. This added support helps prevent cracks, leaks and structural issues ultimately prolonging the lifespan of the boat.
Improved Stability
Strategically placed foam enhances stability on the boat. By elevating the center of gravity it lessens the chances of tipping over when making turns or navigating rough waters. Evenly distributed foam helps in maintaining balance by preventing any shifting of weight and the extra buoyancy minimizes rolling for a more comfortable boating experience.
Add Insulation
Flotation foam, specifically polyurethane spray and injection foam, is ideal for providing thermal insulation on a boat. While this is not a common reason to add flotation foam on small boats, it is important on larger vessels, especially those used for habitation, or ships that have climate-controlled cargo or refrigerated storage areas. Foam can also be used to insulate the pipes on a boat. Much like adding insulation in your garage to prevent pipes from freezing in winter, flotation foam can protect the pipes on a boat in colder temperatures.
Dampen Sound
If you’ve ever dropped a fishing sinker in an aluminum boat, you understand the value of flotation foam to lessen sound. Every little noise on the surface is amplified and carried underwater, which is particularly frustrating for fishermen. Even shifting weight in the boat or the simple rocking of the waves can create unwanted sound. By padding the deck of an aluminum or wooden boat with flotation foam, you’ll be less likely to spook the fish, and more able to enjoy a quiet day on the water.
Reduce Energy Consumption
By smoothing the bottom of the hull foam helps decrease resistance in the water resulting in improved fuel efficiency. It also assists in achieving planing, enabling your boat to reach and maintain higher speeds with less effort. In some cases, using foam for structural components can even lighten the overall weight, further enhancing fuel efficiency.
What Type Of Foam Should Be Used For Boat Flotation?
Polystyrene vs. Polyurethane Flotation Foam
Polystyrene is a poor choice for flotation foam because it soaks up water. It can also soak up petroleum, making it a very dangerous fire hazard in the event of a gas leak on a boat.
Polyurethane is a much safer choice because it will not absorb water or petrochemicals. It is also available in liquid and spray form, which allows it to mold perfectly to your boat.
Empire Foam Solutions’ 2.2 Closed-cell Bio-Renewable Spray Flotation Foam insulation has an R-Value of 6.5 / inch and will not only insulate, it will simultaneously add 59 lbs. of positive flotation force for every cubic foot of installed product. In addition, our flotation foam is flame retardant and self-extinguishing, as seen in this video demonstration.
Get Help Installing Flotation Foam
Whether you are trying to figure out if your boat flotation foam needs replacing or you are looking to add foam for the first time, our experts are ready to offer advice. To get started, contact us online or call (518) 587-0285.