Adding foam for more buoyancy

[Robm422]

I was thinking about adding some spray in foam to the back (unused) bilge area and possibly sides of my malibu stealth 12. I wonder how much this would increase buoyancy (ala boston whalers)? Any thoughts or experience on doing this?

[StinkyMatt]

Unless your yak fills with water and is in danger of sinking putting foam inside does absolutely nothing for you.


Emergency use only....and then you have to have enough.

[easyday]

Not sure it would add any extra buoyancy. Just if you started sinking.

[rhyak]

Stinky Matt is not always right but when he is its about foam in yaks.

Not really any point unless you sink and then not sure how much it would actually help.

Talking from experience kayaks are pretty hard to sink especially on the back side of Catalina in lake like conditions. Just ask

[Cbad Mike]

If you want to be higher off the water buy a PA. If that's not high enough buy a boat.
Do the job that Malibu didn't, seal your hatches and your Stealth won't sink!

I ride one and love it!

M.

[Cbad Mike]

Originally Posted by rhyak

Stinky Matt is not always right

Yes he is.... just ask him.

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by rhyak

Stinky Matt is not always

Originally Posted by Cbad Mike

Yes he is.... just ask him.

NO!! PLEASE DON'T!!!!

[alanw]

My Stealth leaked through the hatches when I first bought it and was a little worrying so I put pool noodles inside for peace of mind. I used enough noodles to support the yak, myself, and my gear. I have them front to back so the yak will float level, and near the top so the yak won't want to flip over. 300lbs (10 noodles) of buoyancy probably won't keep me out of the water in case of a total flood but it will keep me and the yak on the surface for sure.

[Robm422]

Pool noodles sound good, at least until i get the hatch problem resolved...

[Aaron&Julie]

We've used thick 6' pool noodles for maybe 8 years now. They are relatively cheap for a couple of 6 footers each. We put one one the inside lengthwise, but outside the scupper hole tubes, and once in place we don't even know they're there. They've never interferred with anything when stowed like that, including the times we've stuck 2 large whites down below, or many of the other times we've stowed 4 rods down below, when flipping in the surf is a possibility. If the inside were somehow to get flooded, e.g. a hatch fell overboard (happened once) we'd feel safe knowing those noodles were down there, and probably save ourselves, the kayak and the gear, too.
As yet we've never had occasion to rely on them, and maybe never will. But it gives an additional sense of security on the big unpredictable ocean of ours.
To each their own.

[Phatford]

Putting the foam would have the opposite effect if I am reading your post right... The foam would add weight. In an emergency it would displace the water that could fill your hull which is why Boston whalers are unsinkable.

[DanaPT]

What about just carrying one of these, I always do, but used it once.

It did come in handy when I had a "fail" surf launch. Had to pump water out of my old x-factor before I could haul my kayak and my sorry A$$ back to the car.

[addicted2sp33d]

It's Physics Gentlemen.

Dry Pool noodles inside the hull of a SOT kayak do not add bouyancy - they only add weight, though admittedly not very much.

Buoyancy is a measure of how much water your boat displaces, vs the weight of your boat.
"Floating" is where the weight of your boat, matches the weight of the water that you're displacing.
By adding Pool noodles inside your hull, you're not increasing the mass/volume of the displaced water, so you're not adding to the buoyancy.

If you want pool noodles to increase your buoyancy, you need to strap them to the exterior of your hull below the waterline, thereby increasing the volume of displaced water.

In the event that your SOT hull fills with water, the noodles will provide some noticeable buoyancy, but only if your hull takes on a significant volume of water.
By "significant" I mean your hatches are open and a wave came over the top and completely fills your hull.

If your hatches are not all open, there will most likely be a decent volume of air still trapped inside your hull, and that trapped air will provide far more buoyancy than a pool noodle.

[Squid Vicious]

Originally Posted by addicted2sp33d

It's Physics Gentlemen.

Dry Pool noodles inside the hull of a SOT kayak do not add bouyancy - they only add weight, though admittedly not very much.

Buoyancy is a measure of how much water your boat displaces, vs the weight of your boat.
"Floating" is where the weight of your boat, matches the weight of the water that you're displacing.
By adding Pool noodles inside your hull, you're not increasing the mass/volume of the displaced water, so you're not adding to the buoyancy.

If you want pool noodles to increase your buoyancy, you need to strap them to the exterior of your hull below the waterline, thereby increasing the volume of displaced water.

In the event that your SOT hull fills with water, the noodles will provide some noticeable buoyancy, but only if your hull takes on a significant volume of water.
By "significant" I mean your hatches are open and a wave came over the top and completely fills your hull.

If your hatches are not all open, there will most likely be a decent volume of air still trapped inside your hull, and that trapped air will provide far more buoyancy than a pool noodle.

.....what he said

[alanw]

Hey guys maybe the OP worded it wrong but I don't believe anyone thinks that adding foam inside the yak adds buoyancy while the yak is floating.

[YakDout]

I was told that if you add enough foam, it created a helium effect. You would actually be a couple inches above the water. Sort of like a flying car/hovercraft...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by YakDout

I was told that if you add enough foam, it created a helium effect. You would actually be a couple inches above the water. Sort of like a flying car/hovercraft...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No Silly,

Actually adding Feathers, like a pillow to the inside of your kayak makes it lighter, and ride higher...and faster too!

[YakDout]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

No Silly,



Actually adding Feathers, like a pillow to the inside of your kayak makes it lighter, and ride higher...and faster too!

Now that I'll believe


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[William Novotny]

One thing I have considered is the benefit of support a foam filling would have on stress areas ie. The seating area where the majority of your weight rests. I've noticed most sot kayaks after time start to leak around hatches due to your kayak flexing in the center where you sit. I've thought to add foam blocks under the seating area to prevent this and adding foam bracing down the outermost channels of the hull to make the hull a bit more rigid. I've never really been too concerned though but I have noticed that almost all kayaks I've owned older then a couple years old have had leaky hatches around these problem areas

[TJones]

Of that foam to keep me afloat when that 3 footer crashed on my head this afternoon at Leo . Getting ready for summer . Testing my crash and burn skills . Nothing has changed . My timing still sucks balls . .