Extra buoyance

Buoyancy

We use PE playballs for flotation in the buoyancy chambers below deck.

 

Very interesting. Thus my idea of ping pong balls was not that crazy. I assume EP stands for expanded polystyrene. I am at present testing BobBill's idea of pool noodles. So far after a week being submerged in water, it seems that they indeed does not absorb water and is better than 2 component foam. Let see what it is after 1 month.
They are 6,5 cm in diameter and 1,5 meter long for 1 dollar. i.e. nearly 10 liter. Thus for 180 liter, one needs only 18 dollars of pool noodles. That is indeed cheaper than ping pong balls, 2 component foam, EP balls etc.
BobBill, thanks for your idea. great suggestion. (Except if I have to withdraw my compliment after 1 month. Time will learn.) Bert

P.s. I'm am convinced that the Chinese shop will sell them even cheaper than the expensive toyshop, I purchased from.

 

Bruno, can you help me with some photo's of echte Hollandse opklapbare masten, voor onder bruggen door te varen. Special the bottom part, how the folding down brackets look like. I am busy to modify my boat and love to see what other idea's are available.
Thanks if you are willing to take some shots for me. Bert

 

I'm kind of interested in the boat and especially the material....any information available?

 

Although we said 1 month, unfortunately I am on the way to Cape Town and decided to check the progress on BobBill's idea of pool noodles. Bob, excellent idea. After I dried the outside of the pool noodle, the weight was exactly de same as at the beginning. Even if I hit a nasty crack, the buoyance after 1 month and probably months and months, is not very affected. Thank you Bob, great idea.
Bert

 

sorry for the late response, we built indestructible workboats for HDPE sheets, and use PE balls as bouyancy material, please check www.tidemanboats.com or facebook

 

I have now placed all the pool noodles in my extensions and found that it was very difficult to push pool noodles into the compartment. There was a lot of empty space as a result and although it is a compromise, I have at the end sliced the pool noodles in smaller sections. Like EP balls and filled the compartments to my satisfaction. Therefore maybe EP balls if easy to obtain, is also a very good solution. But sliced pool noodles works well.
Bert

 

Pool noodles are made from very low quality materials, and a short term test doesn't mean much. I've had a bunch of pool noodles since they first came out, even in the shade and stored indoors the foam degrades over time, eventually it just kind of turns to dust. This doesn't happen the first year, on some it took a few years, but flotation in your boat needs to last a very long time.

And since so much of the allotted space is left empty, they don't add a great deal of buoyancy.

 

One should only select pool noodles made from EP. I had to make a decision, a) have 2 component foam, which if the boat gets a small leak, will fill over a period of time with water. b) foam is very difficult to remove to difficult places. c) pool noodles can be removed very easy and with no extra cost placed back.
In my case I have a 180 liter extensions and take 20 liters for wood, bolts, nuts etc. I was able to squeeze 29,5 pool noodles into those compartments and am happy to get 145 liter buoyancy extra. My total buoyancy is now 440 + 145 = 585 kg versus the full weight of 500 kg, as soon I have replaced my lead acid batteries for more lithium batteries I will have 430 kg in weight versus 585 liter buoyancy. 2 people on board make up the difference. Not many boats have 100% buoyancy. Bert

 

One should only select pool noodles made from EP. I had to make a decision, a) have 2 component foam, which, if the boat gets a small leak, will fill over a period of time with water. b) foam is very difficult to remove in difficult places. c) pool noodles can be removed very easy and with no extra cost placed back.
In my case I have a 180 liter extensions and take 20 liters for wood, bolts, nuts etc. I was able to squeeze 29,5 pool noodles into those compartments and am happy to get 145 liter buoyancy extra. My total buoyancy is now 440 + 145 = 585 kg versus the full weight of 500 kg, as soon I have replaced my lead acid batteries for more lithium batteries I will have 430 kg in weight versus 585 liter buoyancy. 2 people on board make up the difference. Not many boats have 100% buoyancy. Bert

 

I have some bad news to report. I noticed that when I sliced a pool noodle, it is also absorbing some water. I have to remove all of them out of my extension and try to find out which pool noodles are giving problems when sliced. Therefore the best solution would then be thread #91, because, nobody has or will have to slice balls. While with pool noodles one has to slice them if the length of the pool noodle is longer then the space. But where can one buy those EP balls??? Bert

 

Bert, I am happy to ship them to you! they are € 0.12 each and packed per 1000pcs
2000pcs is aprox 1 m3 and that gives you 750kg bouyancy....

 

These two letter combinations keep popping up, PE and EP, they are two different things, I think PE is what everyone is talking about.

 

Good Question...I am confused...

Do pool noodles turn to dust if held in the dark...?

I have been using these things for some years now and they seem just fine...wish we had a study on them...base control group etc...be good thesis project...

 

Thanks Bruno really appreciated, but I have already invested in my pool noodles. What I now will do is to seal the ends of those ones I have cut, with water proving paint. But maybe other readers are interested in your offer. 120 Euro for 1000 is not much. However the cost for 1/2 m3 transporting will be substantial, special to overseas. Many thanks. Bert