Best 2 Part Foam

[fischer550]

I know alot of people here are against two part foam for fear of getting water-logged, but my last ski sunk to the bottom of the ocean and I never got it back, so I'm doing it.

For flotation purposes only, I am going to do 2lb densiy as it has the most flotation. I am wondering what is the best brand foam to use, if any.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Fibrelay Is the brand I believe.

 

[227]

I'm about to refoam a ski myself. After considering all the alternative options, Ping Pong balls, Alternate Foam types, etc, I'm just going to go with 2 lb pour foam myself. I completely gutted my ski based mostly on comments from this site and found that the only waterlogging I had was at most 2" in from the penetration point making a complete refoam mostly un-necessary, so I ended up doing a lot of work for nothing. I have now decided to seal every penetration point thoroughly with 5200 and am just going to go with pour foam due to its ease of use. I am not a flat water rider so I'm not as concerned with weight and with the high HP engine packages available today, saving a few lbs doesn't seem worth the hassle.

 

[Ken23]

I have been looking into using the 2 part foam packets they now have out for construction, it is used for setting post ETC. Everything I have read says it will never absorb water.
One brand out is Sika Polyurethane Fence Post Mix. I have reached out to some of the companies that manufacture these products but have yet to hear back.
My plan was to first spray the inside with Flex Seal and then add this foam.

 

[Harbor]

I have been looking into using the 2 part foam packets they now have out for construction, it is used for setting post ETC. Everything I have read says it will never absorb water.
One brand out is Sika Polyurethane Fence Post Mix. I have reached out to some of the companies that manufacture these products but have yet to hear back.
My plan was to first spray the inside with Flex Seal and then add this foam.

My neighbor used this on a fence post at his front gate. Both parts were in one double bag that you have like 15 seconds to mix. Well the bag exploded quicker than the stated mix time. He's got around a 2 foot green stain around the post now. It dryed and got hard/brittle. Be carful

 

[Krenn Power Sports]

I used "Total Boat" flotation foam 2lb... I foamed the wife's helium in the nose,hood and about 1/2 the tray so water still flows under it. The colder it is the longer you have to work with it... when I first foamed at 90* outside I could mix for about 20-25 seconds before it started to expand fast! now that it's i the 50's in the shop, I have about 30-45seconds to mix and it is a SLOW reaction... do it in sections so you know how much to use. It expands about 20x... do a test first in a box or something so can see how it works and TAPE off any areas you don't want it... usualy in about 30-45min it's done and you can do another section. I did a 6oz cup at a time, about 20 total cups gave me about enough cuft to be close to neutral based on what my calculations were for flotation needed... fyi, left over can be used for all kinds of stuff!

 

[Sparkplug]

empty water bottles. by far the strongest, most buoyant material you can put in a ski. Nothing floats better than pure air besides a few select gases. Nothing is stronger than a water bottle, As ive seen ram 3500 drive over them before. A slightly empty bottle will conform to shape easily.

if your tweeking hard on your tray project and do anything other than water bottles, you wasted your time

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[McDog]

What is so hard about cutting up a sheet of polystyrene from home depot or lowes?

 

[Ken23]

The problem with the sheets of polystyrene is you have to cut open the tray to install it. Which is fine if you are removing the old water soaked foam, but if you are adding flotation to a hull for the first time you are better off drilling two holes in the engine compartment wall standing the hull and pouring the foam in.

 

[McDog]

The problem with the sheets of polystyrene is you have to cut open the tray to install it. Which is fine if you are removing the old water soaked foam, but if you are adding flotation to a hull for the first time you are better off drilling two holes in the engine compartment wall standing the hull and pouring the foam in.

True, but mis time one of those pours and you are screwed.

 

[restosud]

True, but mis time one of those pours and you are screwed.

yeap,
done a few hulls and everytime i empty my pants afterwards.

 

[Ken23]

I drill 2 holes on each side of the tunnel 1 high to allow excessive foam to escape from and a lower hole to pour the foam into. It is a good idea to line the engine compartment with plastic just in case you over do it with the foam.

 

[dlsderoo]

So I have a wave Blaster 1 and the foam has been gutted out for rear exhaust and they threw the foam chunks back in the ski. So, I am finding the ski really hard to board (very tippy) like sitting still on a bicycle. I am looking to find something I could spray in the hull to give it some buoyancy. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[catpower]

I used US Composites. 4lbs foam. It must be a closed cell foam. I let a scrap piece sit in water for a week and the foam did not absorb water. I think the factory used open cell, due to cost if I recall from my house project having walls insulated. Open cell is like a sponge for water. Careful on using hardware store DIY foam. I'm pretty sure that stuff is open cell. The heavier the foam the harder it is. 4 lbs worked good for the little sculpturing I did. I cut foot tray out of my X2 and mixed and poured. I had plenty of time however i did that in 65 deg low humidity.