Could you fill a dinghy with foam?

[Tom.B]

I was just wondering if it would be completely nuts to fill an Avon dinghy with expanding foam instead of air? Not thinking of doing it... yet... but it sure seems like it would be better than air in a few respects. Just askin'. Discuss.

 

[Delfin]

Tom, that's an interesting idea, and would work if you could get the material distributed so that as it expanded filled in the tubes. *However, it probably wouldn't hold up very well, since polyurethane foam once compressed doesn't decompress.

 

[Forkliftt]

Delfin wrote:


Tom, that's an interesting idea, and would work if you could get the material distributed so that as it expanded filled in the tubes. *However, it probably wouldn't hold up very well, since polyurethane foam once compressed doesn't decompress.

I thought about this too- I have a small leak on my front center tube I have'nt located to repair. But I'm with Delfin. Every time a tube got hit and crushed, it would stay crushed.
But it sure sounds possible, if the foam did not affect the Hypalon or PVC material.

 

[Larry H]

I read of someone filling an old Avon with foam. They hung the boat and cut x shaped openings a couple of feet up from the stern. Filled that section, then moved up, cut another opening, filled and so on till the entire boat was filled. I suppose they glued patches over the cuts, but Gorilla tape might work. Could be a way of making a free Avon usable.

 

[GarryP]

Your bound to eventually get water between the foam and the tube. I think it would be a sloppy mess.

 

[koliver]

the only place for a dinghy like that is in a dumpster!

 

[FF]

A 4K dink would probably get a few more years , esp if you painted the outside to stop the UV from eating the fabric.

A high speed RIB would not be worth the effort as it would not stand the change in relationship with the hull loads.

IF the RIB was driven hard.

 

[Larry M]

We've seen a few dinghys that have been filled with foam with less than perfect results.* The main problem is the when the foam is sprayed into the tubes it has to displace the air as it expands.**Also the*tubes are not rigid enough*act as a mold during expansion so when the foam does expand it doesen't expand evenly.*

 

[hollywood8118]

Nobody has mentioned the weight of the foam.. the dink would weigh a lot more and have less capacity
HOLLYWOOD