What is the best way to add buoyancy to a dinghy sailboat with internal buoyancy tanks. My concern is if the tanks between the hulls break they would fill with water and the boat would sink so i want to put in some bags. Are pool noodles ok to use (they're so cheap!!)
adding buoyancy
- Thread starter sam20916
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tanks
Pool noodles would work only if you had enough of them to offset the weight of a hull filled with water. That could be a lot of noodles. Built in tanks are probably just fine. even if they leaked a little, it would probably take quite a while for water to completely fill those tanks and sink the dinghy. What makes you suspect the tanks will break?
Pool noodles would work only if you had enough of them to offset the weight of a hull filled with water. That could be a lot of noodles. Built in tanks are probably just fine. even if they leaked a little, it would probably take quite a while for water to completely fill those tanks and sink the dinghy. What makes you suspect the tanks will break?
Flotation bags
Optimists and Blue Jays are fitted with inflated flotation bags made of a tough coated fabric. They strap into the boats, either under decks or thwarts. Try looking them up in an online chandlery.
Optimists and Blue Jays are fitted with inflated flotation bags made of a tough coated fabric. They strap into the boats, either under decks or thwarts. Try looking them up in an online chandlery.
Flotation
Many years ago I had a Venture 22 that used large styrofoam blocks under the v-berth and cabin setees. Have you tried a whitewater outfitters store? they sell flotation devices for canoes (foam and air bags). How about drilling a few holes in the internal tanks and filling them with canned insulation foam? That would solve the problem of them filling with water
Many years ago I had a Venture 22 that used large styrofoam blocks under the v-berth and cabin setees. Have you tried a whitewater outfitters store? they sell flotation devices for canoes (foam and air bags). How about drilling a few holes in the internal tanks and filling them with canned insulation foam? That would solve the problem of them filling with water
Foam?
I would think the best solution would be to open up (add an inspection port?) to the bouyancy tanks, and fill with closed cell foam. I'm pretty certain, though, that even just one of your buoyancy tanks would keep you afloat if the other was holed. how much damage do you plan on sustaining and keeping this thing afloat? If you get a hole in a tank, i would envision by simply moving your weight you could keep the hole "down" and the non-holed portion of the tank "up" and it wouldn't entirely fill. If you really want this dinghy to float after recieving massive damage to both buoyancy tanks..just wear a pfd?
I would think the best solution would be to open up (add an inspection port?) to the bouyancy tanks, and fill with closed cell foam. I'm pretty certain, though, that even just one of your buoyancy tanks would keep you afloat if the other was holed. how much damage do you plan on sustaining and keeping this thing afloat? If you get a hole in a tank, i would envision by simply moving your weight you could keep the hole "down" and the non-holed portion of the tank "up" and it wouldn't entirely fill. If you really want this dinghy to float after recieving massive damage to both buoyancy tanks..just wear a pfd?
check it and see what it does
You may not need to do anything, sink the dingy and look for air leaks, if they were full of water the boat would be waayy to heavy. If you use foam it can really cause a problem, expanding foam is easy to install wrong and hard to do right. I have seen it lift out cabnets and counter tops. one one project insulating an ice box it pushed a basketball size lump out the hull side of the boat. If not mixed perfectly it will obsord lots of water. I would bet the air boxes you have are fine and would keep it afloat longer than you could hold on to it. packing foam, styrofoam ect. will drink up the water over time. the didnt put foam in there for a reason.
You may not need to do anything, sink the dingy and look for air leaks, if they were full of water the boat would be waayy to heavy. If you use foam it can really cause a problem, expanding foam is easy to install wrong and hard to do right. I have seen it lift out cabnets and counter tops. one one project insulating an ice box it pushed a basketball size lump out the hull side of the boat. If not mixed perfectly it will obsord lots of water. I would bet the air boxes you have are fine and would keep it afloat longer than you could hold on to it. packing foam, styrofoam ect. will drink up the water over time. the didnt put foam in there for a reason.
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