Update in general; Interior and flotation experiment

This week has been about getting things ready so that once the weather warms up I am good to go on projects. Ordered some more books. Ordered a Davis 3 sextant. It  is plastic and I'm not wild about that but it works and I have heard good things online about his brand so will use it to learn and once I can afford a metal one I'll keep this one for back up or life raft. Got epoxy for the holes in the deck / hull connection. Decided to fill in the holes and put the screws back in the original spots to see how that does.

Instead of sanding out the entire interior I am going to  hit the loose spots and insulate it . Seriously thinking about foam that has aluminum on one side. I already have one sheet. Based on what I have seen online where others have used a foil based insulation, it should show up like the QE 2 on radar.  Plus it will add to flotation.The question is what  do I want to use for covering the foam sheets? The jury is still out on that question. The big thing is making sure it is sealed so those dirt daubers don't get free condos behind the walls like they did on the trim board  I took off.  Silicone  caulking should do the trick there.  The question is how to compensate for the inevitable condensation that occurs on the inner hull. I saw a web site that addressed that issue but do not remember where, Have to look that one up again.

 A lot has been said about the fact no foam is 100 percent water prof and that it will all eventually soak up water and increase load, making the boat sluggish.  This is true and there is no getting around it,  if water gets next to your foam. It seems reasonable and someone please, correct me if I am wrong, that the thing to do is take what ever precautions possible to keep water and foam separated.
 I have been debating on how much flotation to add. I  am thinking the thing to do is take measurements of how much is still  in the stern.  That part is easy. It is a large rectangle.  Filling in the couple of inches in the top that is empty will add a considerable amount.  My bright idea on that is using displacement to see what is already there and adding to it. I an planning on filling up a large rubber made tub that I have about half way with water, mark the water line, then  put the chunks of foam in while forcing them under water with some landscaping net that I have on hand ( if that works) or a cut out of plywood  (if the netting does not work)  until they are all just below the surface of water level and marking the place the water comes to. Measure the distance between the  two marks ad find out the volume of the chunks. Yes, it will take some time to get them all done but it is the best idea I can think of.

For condensation compensation I'm thinking the thing to do is put a heavy sheet of plastic down under the foam and leave the bottom inch or two empty so the condensation that collects from the hull can run to the bottom  It is a down hill slope that leads to the main cabin so any water that collects should come into the cabin where I can use a sponge to clean it up. Inserting a small hole and a short stub of PVC to allow water to pass into the cabin is a given. Fiber glassing that board is also a given. Fastening a pointed wooden dowel of the proper dimensions next to the drain with a lanyard  for the worse case scenario of a hull breach will suffice. The other idea is fiber glassing the large section of foam  after cutting them to dimensions that can be put in  place is better but way to expensive for this boat. If I was going to build a large blue water boat I would seriously consider that option.

If worse case scenario happens since this is not a blue water boat, I should be fine long enough to get back to shore or get a tow. Expensive? Maybe.  It is still cheaper then having her brought back afloat  because she sank. I need to do the math to see what she actually is going to need under sail as far as figure out her true weight and allowances for gear etc. The question is do I need to  take storage space and use it for flotation to be with in my personal comfort zone?

 To answer the question of how  long it takes  for foam of different types to get waterlogged,  I have set up a small experiment. I put four different types of foam in a cup of water and weighted it down. Each piece  has finished surface and open celled surface.  Three pieces are different weights/ compositions of  regular Styrofoam I picked up for The Toy. The fourth piece I took off  the  failed prototype hull. It is the spray canned foam you get from any home improvement store. In salt water results may be different. Let's see how long it takes for them to get  water logged in non salt water.

Day 1 immediately after setting up experiment.

If my theory is correct, it should prove out that on a coastal cruiser or lake situation.  you have some time to make it to shore or get a tow,  before your boat flounders, which is the entire point behind flotation. The question is how much time before water soaks the foam.

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