Looking for info on a non boat related project and thought you could help

[Floatingaway]

Hi there.

I am hoping to build something like this.

Link to picture

If the link didn't work imagine the shape a very large person would leave if they lay on a memory foam mattress.

The idea is to fill this shape with water that is saturated with salt so you can float on it. Imagine the dead sea but even denser.

My first idea was to carve the shape i want out of foam and then fiberglass over it but I'm not sure if that would be strong enough to hold the water.

What materials or techniques should I be using?

 

[TANSL]

The same technique used in bathtubs or jacuzzi.

 

[hoytedow]

You could make a female mold in damp sand simply by lying down in it as if you were making a snow angel then make a plaster cast which you then wax and fiberglass the shape.

 

[Petros]

carving that shape out of foam and fiber-glassing it should work out okay. use fairly high density foam, build a wood frame for for it to hold it all rigid on the outside, and use enough fiberglass thickness on the inside. Others on this forum could recommend weight and number of layers of cloth since I am not familiar with fiberglass construction details.

If you just wanted to try it out in a "quick and dirty" way, I would just dig a hole in the ground the shape you need (or perhaps even is a large sand box), and put a heavy water poof tarp in it and fill it up. if it helps you as you expect, than build yourself a permanent one out of fiberglass.