Other Nose foam options? Other buoyancy-enhancing ideas?

RoyalFlush@PCB

Shootin' The Crap
Location
PCB
All right peeps, here's the questions:

The topic of nose foam/increased buoyancy is at the forefront of my mind as I prepare to start reassembling my ski that sank over a year ago. What other options besides stock nose foam would be feasible in your opinions?

Also, what other floation modifications might encourage my ski to never visit Davey Jones' locker again? Handlepole noodles? Styrene in
the hood?

C'mon folks, be creative here. I don't think I've seen this topic discussed in depth. Maybe we'll come up with some great ideas!

Remember: "Friends don't let their friends' ski sink"
 

Mark44

Katie's Boss
Location
100% one place
You know those packaging material bags that you crush and the two part foam is mix together in the bag and expands to fill in the voids. I guess you could always use a couple of those around the motor.

Mark44
 

Wolf Child

Just Another Octard
Location
All over C. FL
you guys think I'm kidding but I'm being serious. they make auto inflating life vests, just adapt that system into an air bag that will deploy in the event of some catastpophic failure.. worst case senario... there is at least a float on the surface so you can locate it.
 

Matt_E

steals hub caps from cars
Site Supporter
Location
at peace
I made my own nose foam from expanded polystyrene sheet pieces, cut and glued together.
I also folded up a pool noodle, zip-tied it, and stuffed it behind the gas tank.
 
Location
NW PA
If I were you I would also focus on keeping it afloat and running rather than sunk and barely afloat

Preventative:

Dual Bilge
Run the Bilge lines high in the hull (loop and/or exit)
Extra Hood Clamps/Hood Strap
A Good Bilge Wiring Setup
New and regularly inspected hood seal
Hood Mods to encourage better water ingestion prevention
Oversize tank no more than half full
Regular inspection of coolant lines/connections
Regular inspection of exhaust lines/connections/waterbox holes/cracks

Post Flood:

EPS foam glassed in wherever the is room: under the engine, nose, hood, bulkhead, carb side of the the hull
Add Lightness (battery is the easiest place to get it)
Pole Limiting Rope that serves as a quick tow rope (clips on either end)

Good Luck!
 
Last edited:

OCD Solutions

Original, Clean and Dependable Solutions
Location
Rentz, GA
Are you thinking in addition to the nose foam or instead of? I stuffed the nose foam from a superjet in the front of my Matrix and there wasn't much room for anything additional.

I have noodles in my hood, sealed chamber in the lower rear of the hull and 2 prt foam in the rear upper deck.

If you can keep your hood on and sealed then you will need far less boyancy, if the hood comes off then the best you can hope for is neutral boyancy.
 
Last edited:

Waternut

Customizing addict
Location
Macon, GA
you guys think I'm kidding but I'm being serious. they make auto inflating life vests, just adapt that system into an air bag that will deploy in the event of some catastpophic failure.. worst case senario... there is at least a float on the surface so you can locate it.

I know of two inflating vests. One is manually activated and wouldn't help inside the engine bay. The other auto inflates when it gets wet....real fun in the rain. Either way, I don't think either will work in a jetski where water intrusion is normal.
 
Location
NW PA
I know of two inflating vests. One is manually activated and wouldn't help inside the engine bay. The other auto inflates when it gets wet....real fun in the rain. Either way, I don't think either will work in a jetski where water intrusion is normal.

Unless the water "sensor" is in someplace that would normally stay dry like the engine intake
 
Last edited:
was your ski the one that sank by the jettis and was found by some divers thats crazy i was just talking about that today with my dad and how i almost sank his xp this weekend in the surf but since my sj is worth alot more i was tryin to explain why insurance would be nice to have ,,his solution was to stay out of the rough water i laughed
All right peeps, here's the questions:

The topic of nose foam/increased buoyancy is at the forefront of my mind as I prepare to start reassembling my ski that sank over a year ago. What other options besides stock nose foam would be feasible in your opinions?

Also, what other floation modifications might encourage my ski to never visit Davey Jones' locker again? Handlepole noodles? Styrene in
the hood?

C'mon folks, be creative here. I don't think I've seen this topic discussed in depth. Maybe we'll come up with some great ideas!

Remember: "Friends don't let their friends' ski sink"
 
Last edited:

Tyler Zane

Open Your Eyes
was your ski the one that sank by the jettis and was found by some divers thats crazy i was just talking about that today with my dad and how i almost sank his xp this weekend in the surf but since my sj is worth alot more i was tryin to explain why insurance would be nice to have ,,his solution was to stay out of the rough water i laughed

your not going to find insurance for your sj. me and many others have tried just about everywhere.
 
Top Bottom