Boat Flotation Replacement

[KayakKid]

Alright, so yesterday while in the midst of a new project on my Jon boat I found that the foam in my boat was completely water logged. It was so bad that I could cut a chunk of it out and squeeze the water out to the point where it must have lost like 20X it's weight. I then realized that it was the reason my 1448 seemed to weigh 600 pounds and the reason that the tongue weight on my trailer was just more than 25 pounds. I concluded it absolutely needed to go. The problem is that I don't just want to replace it. All over online people seem to just hate foam weather it is closed cell or not, and I can now say that I share that hatred. Point of the matter I just don't know what to put in instead of foam. I thought that maybe instead I would get some big inter tubes at Fleet Farm, and just inflate them with like 5 psi every season. I thought that maybe I would fill the compartments with milk jugs and small plastic pop bottles, and I also even considered filling one of the compartments with some orange life jackets. I don't know what I am going to use yet, so I just want to know what you guys think would be the best alternative to foam. I realize that foam has great sound dampening quality's, and that is the sweet spot I'm trying to find. All help is appreciated, and 'bad' ideas are welcome too; some how I seem to like them more anyways.  

[zachb34]

If you want a bad idea, fill it with concrete. Concrete doesn't absorb water once it cures. In all seriousness I believe it's a coast guard regulated rule that your boat needs to have proper flotation. Don't think you can get around that. If you take all of the foam out from under your bench seats, they will probably get flimsy and loud. That's how my tracker 1542 is and couldn't imagine it without the foam.

[SHaugh]

The  trouble with foam is that they always use the cheapest junk they can find or worse that poured stuff that is destined to become waterlogged because it's very weak and porous. 

 

My advice would be to use the blue foam insulation from home depot.  It's laminated with plastic so water can't easily get into it.  Just make stacks into blocks that fit tight where you want it..   wire them together or use clear packing tape... that stuff will last for decades if you keep it out of the sun.

[Way2slow]

You can order two part closed cell flotation foam and replace it. Apparently What you have now is open cell. I didn't realize anyone was still using open cell because it will absorb water and hold it for a long time. Closed cell will only absorb a minute amount, and it dries back out pretty quick.

Just make sure you read up real good on using it. It has a very short working time once the two parts are mixed and it can destroy a boat if you use too much. I expands at about a 5:1 ratio and will develop a lot off pressure in any area it does not have room to expand.