Help with adding foam to a boat

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and22

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I just bought a 16' Blue Fin aluminum project boat. one of the previous owners had put decking in it. I decided to take the decking out and check the condition of everything and the quality of the work that was done. After removing floors i noticed there was a lack of foam which worries me. That brings me to my questions, how much foam is needed typically for flotation? Also, what kind of foam do you guys recommend using?
 
How much foam?... as much as you can fit below deck.

What kind of foam?... the EPS rigid sheet foam (foam board insulation) from Home Depot or Lowes is the best bang for the buck. It's closed cell and virtually waterproof.

Some people like pool noodles... when you figure the cost of these per pound of floatation they're considerably more expensive than the sheet foam and don't last as long.

There's also the 2 part expanding urethane foam... this is the OEM for all newer boats. It has the same amount of floatation per pound as the EPS sheet but is considerably more expensive. This should not be confused with the "foam in a can" Great Stuff. Great stuff is not closed cell and will absorb water quickly unless it is sealed with paint or some other coating.
 

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