House boat in need of foam to keep it from sinking

Discussion in 'Materials' started by mydauphin, Sep 13, 2012.

  1. latestarter
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    latestarter Senior Member

    CDK has posted while I was writing this so covers some of what I have to say.

    If you used damp proof membrane or pond liner it would be cheaper. Over here 4 rolls of DPM 40' by 13' costs about £140 approx $230. You would need to check it is not affected by UV light.
    They can be "welded" together to form a large sheet.
    Attach the shorter edges to wooden beams with ropes at each end, might need some weights to get neutral buoyancy on the front one. Also some means of pulling up the sides when in position.
    Pull the sheet under, then tack it to the front and back above water level. Pull in the sides and support above water level while the water is pumped out then tack to sides.
    You could drape some more attractive material over to hide the sheet and its attachments.
    Have some juicy meat available to draw away the crocs. ;)
     

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  2. keysdisease
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    keysdisease Senior Member

    I wonder if the Army Corp of Engineers would let you use one of the lakes locks as kind of a dry dock? Fat chance of that happening. I guess the travel lift at that yard in the cow field is too small? American Custom could certainly haul it just past the Easternmost lock.

    And I think those are gators in the lake, or do croc's get that far North and into the fresh water?

    Steve


     
  3. idkfa
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    idkfa Senior Member

    Why not temporarily stack concrete blocks/drive piles to stop the sinking, then jack clear and fix the holes from below? Should be structurally strong enough, it is a boat. Sorry does not answer you question though.
     
  4. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    We call them alligators but they are classified as crocodilians. They are not crocs but just as deadly.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocodilia
     
  5. keysdisease
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    keysdisease Senior Member

    Gators are wimps, I've shoo'ed them away from fishing spots more than once. Croc's on the other hand, are historically more aggressive. Both are native to Florida, one of the few places in the world where they both can be found. Crocs are basically limited to parts of Florida bay and upper Key Largo, gators are everywhere and plenty of them.

    IDK might have something with jacking the thing up, plenty dangerous to be working under something like that on unsure ground and the thing might even break trying to do it.. Come to think of it, a travel lift might break it too.

    I'm not a fan of the foam idea at all. Even closed cell foam gets water intrusion between the cells and effectively waterlogs.

    Build a new hull (skin only) for it, sink it, move it under the existing hull, and pump it dry. Easy!

    Steve


     
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  6. GTS225
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    GTS225 Junior Member

    I know squat about 'gators and crocs, but is there some non-harmful noisemaker that could be dropped into the water to drive them away so that underwater repairs could be made, then removed so as not to disturb the natural habitat any more than needed?

    Electrifying the water would do the job, but one couldn't do the repairs.

    Hmmmm....maybe a shark cage?

    Roger
     
  7. GTO
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    GTO Senior Member

    1. Are the beams wood or metal?
    2. How are you getting epoxy into the holes if they are under the beams?
    3. If the holes are under beams, is the water spraying out from under the beams for some length of them?

    Any chance of making up some type of box to attach over or to the sides of the beams/hull and then pumping epoxy in under pressure?
    Sistering the beams, cutting out the ones over the leaks so the screws could be applied?

    All I got.
     
  8. rberrey
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    rberrey Senior Member

    We use saw dust and hydrolic concerte to stop leaks in our barges. The saw dust and concrete is sucked in from the out side, the saw dust swells the concrete hardeneds the leak stops. Poured foam in a plastic bottle wont absorb water and gives around 68 lbs flotation per cubic foot.
     
  9. GTO
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    GTO Senior Member

    So drill a hole angled to break thru the outer hull just under the beam/leak area and then pump the dust and concrete in until the leak stops?
    Then hammer a wood dowel (epoxy soaked?) thru the new hole and trim as necessary?
     
  10. Tim B
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    Tim B Senior Member

    Apply a cup-shaped object to the outside, over the hole (could be a half tennis ball). This can be done using a long pole (or possibly several long poles). Dry out the interior and clean the affected area as much as possible. Drill through the hull (inside the cup area) as close as you can to the original hole (if hole not visible). Dry the inside of the cup as best you can. Now mix up enough epoxy with microfibres to fill the cup and cover the inside. Fill a syringe and inject the filler into the cup, and spread liberally over the inside, sealing the penetrations.

    Hopefully this will protect the area adequately well.

    Tim B.
     
  11. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Best answer yet. And swimming pool liner/rubber roofing material is or was less than a dollar a square foot. It comes up to 16 ft wide at least and long as you like. It is relatively durable and will keep the boat afloat but in the end, the thing is in need of hauling and possibly total rebuilding,
     
  12. SamSam
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    SamSam Senior Member

    What is your friend going to do, wait until it sinks and then walk away from it, leaving 40 tons of **** laying around on the edge of the Okefenokee?

    I wonder why.
     
  13. keysdisease
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    keysdisease Senior Member

    He's in Lake Okeechobee, not the swamp. Which brings to mind another thought about using the locks.

    Block the hull up where it is and ask the Corp to open the locks and lower the lake enough for you to do the job. Turn the entire lake into a dry dock of sorts.

    :idea:Steve


     
  14. SamSam
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    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    My bad. If it's Southern Florida, I guess it will be ok to let it sink there.
     

  15. mydauphin
    Joined: Apr 2007
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    mydauphin Senior Member

    This has been very entertaining so far, but not very decisive. No this is not a puzzle but a real housebarge. Yes, they are gators not crocs. But the big problem is the mucky ground under it. The water is super murkey. The gators love to sleep under it and even though I have dived with them before, I don't like to wake them up.

    I believe it is not strong enough to carry via a couple of slings or by just lifting in a couple of spots.
    Was thinking of another crazy idea. Sealing hull area as best we can, pumping pressured air into so would positive pressure then pumping fast curing liquid epoxy on inside. Pressure would hopefully push liquid into holes and seal them. Sort of the opposite of vacuum infusion.
     
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