Super Jet Foam 101- if you plan on refoaming your superjet soon, read this first

[DEVIN]

yea i may have went that way with more info, but 52 dollars for more wiffle balls than i need. everybody has there way, i just want my to drain so i never have to replace the foam or worry about added water weight. i can always drain and dry back to a set weight for the ski. gotta make sure my women stays slim and light.

 

[Matt_E]

Wiffle balls don't hold air so if she starts sinking and the tray starts letting water in you're effed.

While I agree that wiffle balls would be almost useless, it would be an extraordinary situation where the tray leaks so badly that the leak will let 3-5 cuft of water into the tray in a matter of seconds or minutes. I'd deem that 'catastrophic hull failure'.
Lots of aftermarket hulls run no filler at all. They don't sink when the rest of the ski submerges because the back is sealed.

 

[SJ 701X]

While I agree that wiffle balls would be almost useless, it would be an extraordinary situation where the tray leaks so badly that the leak will let 3-5 cuft of water into the tray in a matter of seconds or minutes. I'd deem that 'catastrophic hull failure'.
Lots of aftermarket hulls run no filler at all. They don't sink when the rest of the ski submerges because the back is sealed.

I agree with that, but it could happen. Think if you're riding in the surf in a new area and hit a rock and get thrown off the ski. The foam will make it float no matter what, In that case why bother using wiffle balls at all?

 

[Matt_E]

Lots of things 'could happen', but you have to consider what the chances are. I've seen stock, foamed Superjets sink to the bottom, too - so that could happen.
It's a personal decision.

 

[QuickMick]

looks like overthinking and over engineering to me.

 

[DEVIN]

got to make sure i can remove all water after every ride not only that it is by far the cheapest way to go. and you can add in the 10 dollar buoy that i can attach to my ski to find it if i ever lose it, but i'm pretty sure its not going to sink if i stay on top of my game. hahaha

 

[RippinRob]

So its 6 years later and I was trying to find some "Beaded Polypropylene" to purchase. Most places I visit are more industrial and ask you to get a quoute. On US plastics I cannot find expanded or beaded Polypropylene. Has anyone recently purchased this online somewhere? Also can i simply use the home depot insulation foam? Is there any downfalls to this foam?

Thanks

 

[Vumad]

So its 6 years later and I was trying to find some "Beaded Polypropylene" to purchase. Most places I visit are more industrial and ask you to get a quoute. On US plastics I cannot find expanded or beaded Polypropylene. Has anyone recently purchased this online somewhere? Also can i simply use the home depot insulation foam? Is there any downfalls to this foam?

Thanks

Home depot pink foam is EPS. It shouldn't absorb water but the disadvantage is that fuel will dissolve it.

The S in EPS is styrene, so polyester and vinyl ester resins will also dissolve it. You'll probably be using epoxy for your build but I use it for plug building and anything not sealed with epoxy will dissolve. Bondo, glazing putty and gel coat also dissolve it.

 

[Moto Joe]

Just ordered 2 big blocks of this foam to refoam my Superjet. While I prepare to start cutting it, can anyone tell me what the best method of cutting this foam is? Is a hacksaw going to be sufficient?

 

[catpower]

The first post states ( closed cell ) this was understated in thread. Perhaps asking for the MSDS
Sheet on two part foam will answer any concerns about gasoline dissolving foam. I tested my two part closed cell foam in water for week and found absolutely no water absorption. I cannot say about gasoline breaking the foam Down.

 

[cpenn]

For anyone reading this thread to get a better idea of what refoaming involves, I made a few videos that show the process on my '92 SJ. Took me around 40 hours. It's a long process. I outline the materials and tools I used in the video descriptions.

 

[Pro-pulsion]

First post (#101) will give you some much needed info on foam. You definitely don't want to cheap out on the deck foam because it is a structural thing as well as flotation.

Super Jet - 1996 Round Nose SuperJet Project

I'm resurrecting my old thread. I can't believe I have had this ski for 8 years now :oops: But, I am back into the tray hauling it all apart again. My reason is that the bottom deck of my tray section has broken open leaving a rather substantial breach on both sides. My thoughts are this...

www.x-h2o.com

 

[Ozarks]

So I was thinking about installing some wheel barrel inner tubes. Then I got to thinking and googling... what do you guys think about inflatable bladders?

 

[mthomps]

Sounds like you want to give your ski a colostomy bag.

dead fish float but we dont fill our trays with them.

 

[Kohldanielzimmer]

It sure would be nice if someone were to take a mold rear bottom deck, send it to one of those companies that make that stuff and have them make us a molded EPP insert. Even if it just fit the bottom deck, then just use some EPS for the sides, that way it fits both RN and SN. If I didn't have so much on my plate, I'd investigate more.

This would be nice.