Built in bouyancy/flotation

[Leeward Rail]

I'd not trust foam that is that old from that era.
Most of the foam, of all types (household, marine, automotive), that I've seen from the 70's and 80's has broken down by now.

Then again, if it didn't stink, or hold water, I'd not bother removing it either.

 

[watercolors II]

Floatation foam is a great selling point to first time sailors but, maybe beyond this point it may be that to have the boat certified by the Coast Guard it’s a requirement.

One would have to talk to a dealer about ordering a new one without the foam to see if it is Guard required.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I tried hard to find a clip from Cap'n Ron where Martin throws the life preserver over the stern to rescue Ben and it sinks

 

[Track4ever]

Floatation foam is a great selling point to first time sailors but, maybe beyond this point it may be that to have the boat certified by the Coast Guard it’s a requirement.

One would have to talk to a dealer about ordering a new one without the foam to see if it is Guard required.

I don't believe that foam has been offered as an option in the c-22s for a couple of decades.

 

[tpenfield]

Late to the party, and did not read all of the material . . . but . . .

The pictures of the C22 knock-down are pretty cool and show that the C22 will float high enough in the water to stay afloat for a simple knock-down. Problem would be in ocean or rougher lake waters where the waves toss the boat around before it can be righted.

FWIW - yes they can and do sink.

I did 'the math' and added foam flotation to my 1982 C22, as it did not have any.

Here is a link to my web page on the subject. . . http://www.tpenfield.com/Catalina22/Floatation.html

Of course it has not been 'tested' , thankfully. The biggest challenge (to me) was getting enough flotation in a 'balanced' fashion throughout the boat. There tended to be more space in certain areas and not enough in others.

My O'Day Mariner has built-in flotation, some of it is water logged. So, it is currently 'under the knife' to do some restoration work and the wet foam will be replaced. I also plan on adding a bit more foam.