LEVEL or LEVEL AND UPRIGHT Floatation?

[seabug]

The past year there have been a number of boats that have been found ftoating upsidedown or have overturned on bars and have floated upsidedown.

Just wondering if this has made anyone think of changeing from underfloor floatation,which can cause a boat to float upside down,to Level and Upright Floatation which is supposed to keep the boat upright if swamped.

Regards
seabug

[Dicko]

Did it yrs ago. I'd prefer to be drifting around in a swamped boat that just......... um................................... drifting around treading water

[snelly1971]

Yes...just had mine done Alan for Survey......gee they have tightened up things in the past few years...but i suppose it is all for the better....i used a newer product called micro-len....suppose to be the bees nees in floatation...

cheers mick

[FNQCairns]

I have just started packing the styrofoam back into the boat, the boat has by plate basic floatation. It's going in a lot tighter with the care of the owner and I will get an extra .2 or .3 m3 back in which is nice.

My gunnels bell out a little way so one of my longer tem plans is to get aluminium cylinders welded up and add these along each side under gunnel but above floor.

Mick never heard of micro-len? googled but found nothing regarding boat floatation, do you have any more info?
I would dearly love to know I had a better option then styrofoam underfloor for later.

cheers fnq

[snelly1971]

FNQ...it is sold here in Tassie by ( The Fiberglass Shop)...I had the marine surveyer come and look at my boat and he told me that that was the best flotation to use....sorry but that is all that i know about it....2400 by 1200 by 100 sheet is $240....
I have done my gunnels like you mentioned...they extrude 100 mm wide and then return to about 300 mm of the floor..

PS...Micro-len wont absorb water and fuel does not break it down either..and also there is no need to wrap it in plastic.
I will try and find some more info out....cheers Mick

[snelly1971]

FNQ...I will contact the supplier here on Friday and find out some specs and info for you..

cheers Mick

[FNQCairns]

Thanks Mick much appreciated, but don't go too far out of your way for me, just knowing it exists is most the battle - thanks

Sounds like great stuff to place low in the hull.

Does sound like you have done the above floor floatation I have planned, do you think it worked well enough that you would do it again? Rod holders will be a pain to work around

cheers fnq

[snelly1971]

I couldnt put any floatation under my floor ..as they are sealed pontoons..similar to the stabi-crafts....so i had to go for the above floor floatation....rod holders will be a pain..but it also gives me somewhere to sit my fat arse now whilst fishing...it makes my gunnels about 175mm..

[seabug]

Hi snelly,
Any chance of some pics of the finished job?

Regards
seabug

[snelly1971]

Yes ...still being installed so when its finished i will post some pics....

Cheers Mick

[snelly1971]

Got some info on Micro - Len...
It has been available here in Tassie for approx 6 months..
The main differences between micro-len and other forms of flotation are...
1...It is alot more durable and pliable and has no memory ...
2.It is stronger.
3.It does not crumble.
4.Can be cut up into small pieces eg..bean bag ball size..but still has the same buoyance..
5.It is similar to the bouyance used in bouyance vests.
6.And generally easier to cut...shape...and work with..

The only other point he added...was that say your boat broke in half then you could grab a piece of this and it would float you..were as the older forms of flotation crumble and break up..


This information FNQ was supplied by the retailer here...
Cheers Mick

[FNQCairns]

Mick it sounds vastly better than anything out there ATM even closed cell polyurethane.

Now I am curious did you use this stuff alone under your Gunnel??

Sounds like a person could in theory even make a casting deck etc from it if used thick enough, that would be a great option to add both function and safety in one unit.

Thanks very much for the info Mick

Later I will see if the local glass guys can source it, I will do the casting deck in the stuff if at all possible.

cheers fnq

[snelly1971]

FNQ...yes i only used this under the gunnel. They also use it in kids playgrounds as well...he did what for...but i was taking so much info that i have forgot why...
As for your casting deck....great idea....there is a spec sheet available from them...I could probably try and source one if you like...I think it compares Micro-len to other forms of flotation...eg...amount of buoyance m3 ect..

And as i said before....If the Marine Surveyor is recommending this product then it must be pretty good ...compared to the older style flotation..

Cheers Mick

[FNQCairns]

Mick, Going of what you say the stuff is the bees knees, can be screwed directly to structure, stays together, it's tough and doesn't degrade!

Look forward to your pics, if a person could use this instead of ply it's not really that expensive at all and my thoughts of extra floataton below the gunnels on my boat makes a lot more sense.

also the extra oportunities for the average boat owner to easily offer themselves a bigger safety margin with this stuff compared to what was on the market before (that I found).

Mick just the weight per m3 or per cubic foot would be interesting if you run over it.

cheers fnq

[snelly1971]

I will try and get him to email me the spec sheet next week and i will post it here...I should have my boat finished by next week so i will post some pics asap...
The guy reckons cutting up the old buoyance was a prick..you would cart it home on your clothes and boots and tramp it all through your house/ car....There is no such problem with Micro -len...

And I agree about the Safety factor...i have seen too many old boats..even my last dingy was fitted with that green Buoyancy...crumbled to pieces...SH#T of a stuff...
Cheers Mick