safety flotation reinstall or not

[eta1091]

I am wondering how much difference there is in our style of boats when the rear flotation compartments are not reinstalled. Has anybody gone without and wished they didn't? Am I making a big mistake by not putting them back in? Let me know from you if you have info to share please.
Thank you

[Crebb]

Just me but i think the foam is 1, in the way and 2, very important and needs to go back in. You dont need that stupid fire ext either untill something goes wrong. Put it back, it could save your life someday.

[Hyperacme]

IMHO
I only boat on rivers and small lakes, I only go with other friends/boats.
If something were to happen I could swim to shore and other in my boat would be my concern, not the boat.
I removed rear foam and foam in floor, the floor foam will be replaced with swim noodles but the rear foam boxes will not.
I think if my boat go's down it would sink the rear and nose would still be out of water because of foam under deck and fuel tank, but just guessing on that.
Some CVX owners have only put half the foam back there so they could make storage compartments but still have some flotation.
I'm sure this will be a poplar thread with many opinions ...
Did you see the other thread about floor foam ?

[OleRed]

Most polyurethane pourable foams will create about 60 pounds buoyancy, a little different depending on density, but a block of the foam 3' X 24" X24" will float approx 1400 pounds, of which would about equal the weight of the motor and drive of a big block w/drive assy. My boat weighs 2410 pounds off the trailer.
I have installed enough foam under the floor, bow, and hip pockets fo float the boat, not including the air pocket created up in the bow, should it become swamped, it won't be floating up-right, it would be floating in a  bow bow up position, thats good enough for me. 

[Shrom CVX-18]

Last year  I had my boat moored one night camping.  Woke up the next morning to find the back end filled with water because one of my bellows got a rip in it . I had it close to the shore and the front beached, but the foam seemed to keep the back end floating and not fully under the water.   

After that I have decided that when I redo my interior, I am deff keeping them in. I believe that if they were not in there the whole back of my boat would have bin under.  I have also sense made sure my auto bilge pump works...

[Jerry]

The MN DNR requires 1 size B-1 fire extinguisher on all inboard boats.
Foam does 3 things 1- Floatation, although I think an empty area that is water tight is as good. 2- it fills the space so it can't fill with water. 3- it makes the hull solid so you don't get any flex.
Noodles are for soup Greg.
ALWAYS INSTAL A BILGE PUMP!!!!

[Hyperacme]

So I should put in water absorbing foam blocks ...Like was in there ?

[75starflight]

So I should put in water absorbing foam blocks ...Like was in there ?

Yep, that way she sinks to the bottom. 

LOL

The 2 part foam from express is really easy to work with, water sits on top and just beads off. I just finished foaming Phoenix Rising with it.

[still_fishin]

I know the storage sucks in these boats, I have two of them. All I can say is you never know when something bad will happen. Early and late season boating means cold water. This also means you probably aren't swimming very far in it. I run the Mississippi 99% of the time. There are lots of unknowns, logs, trees, wing dams, dead headsubmerseislands..........the list goes on. I'm sure you are inquiring about your intimidator. The area where the flotation boxes are located are not that easy to access either. Put your motor back in and it will get worse.

[still_fishin]

I just read over what I posted. I didn't want to come off like my way is right, it is your boat after all. Do what makes you comfortable. They can always be added later.

[Tmstibbe]

There should be no question here.  Safety comes first.  I recall the Glastron advertisements in the 1980's, which would include a picture of a fully loaded boat with the maximum number of people, and also full of water.  The boat would float in normal position with people in their seats or standing near their seats.  A few years back, during November on the Mississippi near La Crosse....  2 State DNR people were out in an air boat and flipped it over.  The boat went straight to the bottom.  Thank goodness the 2 guys were not tangled in gear and went down with the boat.  One passed out due to hypotherma, the other was able to get both to shore, where they were later found alive.  They were wearing vest pfds.   The boat had to be found and pulled out, per state rule, and it took a week's work to recover the boat.  The air boat didn't have floatation.  But it does now.  Don't give your insurance carrier the opportunity to deny a future claim, because you modified the boat and removed the floatation.