Flotation Foam?

I see a number of boat owners who have removed bench seats that were filled with flotation foam and a couple who cut the top to the seat out and removed the foam to make room for storage. I like the openness that removing the seat adds, and I really like the idea of using the bench seats for additional storage but I'm wondering about the practice of removing the flotation material. I'm not passing judgment here, I'm just trying to understand. It seems to me that the foam was placed there for a very valid reason and that removing it could be disastrous. Nobody wants their boat to swamp but if it does but doesn't sink, you've still got a fighting chance to save it. If it swamps and DOES sink, well, you're out a boat and it could cost you your life. Or, is the amount of flotation that's provided not enough to keep a boat from sinking that's loaded with fishing tackle, motors, electronics, coolers and people?

You can get most any jon straight from the manufacturer sans seats (and their foam).

If you choose to remove foam in seats, just add it back somewhere else like under a floor or front deck if flotation after swamping is a concern.

That foam has nothing to do with it floating while you're in it.... it's for when your boat flips over - it keeps it from sinking!

I took the foam out of my middle bench and made it all storage... and I have no problems with my boat.

One thing to think about if you take the seat out completely is the purpose of bracing that it may serve to the sides of your boat. Unless you have ribs that run far up the sides, and a lot of them, I wouldn't suggest taking out the whole seat unles you plan on using some other type of brace or support to span the width of the boat.

yeah russ010, I think yours is one of the ones I saw that used the seat for storage. I really do like that idea. I'm aware of the need for replacing the bracing if the bench is removed, but I'm thinking I'd like to extend the deck from the existing deck to the front bench seat and not remove it. If I did remove the seat, the decking and a front piece to box in the decking would provide strength to resist flex.

Or, maybe I should just leave the boat as it is and go fishing!! Yeah, I like that idea!!

MikeA57 said:

Or, maybe I should just leave the boat as it is and go fishing!! Yeah, I like that idea!!

Click to expand...

I think you got it right!!! it''s spring and time to go fishing that gives you all spring summer and fall to fish and think
of the mods you want on your rig then do the work over the winter

I turned my whole back seat into a huge storage compartment and added foam under the floor. My rig has realy tall ribs and if you do the math, I now have more foam in my boat than was in the seat.
Hope this helps a little.

when MFG's add foam to the boats they build, it is up to the rated capacity to keep it afloat even if it fills 75% full. when you add decks, floors and extra weight over and above the MFG's rating, the foam is worthless at that point. besides foam is only used in smaller boats anyhow because they can fill up quickly.

I only took a the foam out of my middle bench seat and there is enough added to insulate my livewell to replace it.
I think i'd be more worried about the fact I don't have a bilge pump than I would the boat sinking. just get going and pull the plug, the suction will remove the water.....lol

one point to ponder on this subject is that foam isn't used in pocket cruisers and yachts.

The foam is meant to provide level floatation when loaded at capacity & the boat is completely filled with water. If you remove 1/4 of the foam (as in taking out an entire bench seat) odds are the boat wont have level floatation anymore. Will it matter 99.99% of the time? No. But make sure to read the last paragraph.

Another point to remember is that putting foam in the floor as replacement floatatoin foam can lead to trouble, as in having the floation too low. This will make the boat less stable when swamped by having the floatation to low, the boat will tend to capsize if swamped. Not a good thing. But if you swamp on a rough day, it probably wont matter, you will most likely capsize anyway.

Another consideration is insurance & liability. If you remove flotation foam and dont properly replace it, and then sink, your insurance may not cover your loss. If someone drowns in the process, you could be held liable. This is something that we should all think about when making major structural changes to any hull. If your changes lead to an accident or an unsafe condition, and you have an accident, you are liable.

I agree with CarlF.

Your boat will float above water with literally a ton of weight in it. However once it submerges the floataion foam keeps the boat floating and not sinking to the bottom. If you exceed the floatation rating (gear/person total weight rating on the tag) your boat will sink to the bottom, and you could die waiting for resque. If you and all your gear is less than the weight and it submerges, you could hang onto the boat until help arrives, think of it as a big life jacket.

Remove foam you reduced the weight it will float. Add foam and you increase the rating. However adding foam or moving foam requires some thought. If you take all the foam out of the bench seats and stuff in under the front deck, your boat will float like a bobber.

There is a reason you must carry life jackets and a noise making device on all boats. Its for your safety. Same goes for floatation foam, its for your safety. As with all safety items. They are generally in the way, get abused, neglected, and missplaced. You hope you never need to use them. However the one time you need them, your life could depend on taht neglected, abused piece of equipment collecting dust in some remote corner.

it may just be me, but.... I removed that middle bench foam and with everything I have it there, I have about 700lbs including me... I've been fishing in the rain many times and the water has come up to the top of my decks on more than one occassion... I've yet to have any problems with it yet and I don't ride low in the water.

But, keep in mind that I fish electric only lakes, and the only motors I have pushing me are 2 - 55# TMs in the rear, and 1 40# in the front

Foam is just a small bit of insurance in case you sink a boat... it will be recoverable. It was never intended to take the place of a proper PFD and should not be thought of as such. If your boat fills with water but does not sink, you are still in the water and succeptable to hypothermia. More than likely it is also going to capsize regardless of where the foam is located if the water was actually rough enough to swamp it in the first place.

There are tens of thousands of boats out there without any seats to speak of containing very little foam straight from the factory. My big boat has it in the back corners, under the floor and up the side skins. There is no foam in the bow and it has no center benches. It came that way from the factory. I have a buddy with a brand new War Eagle that has a pod seat in the rear (each corner) with a low front deck.. no floor or side skins. The only possible place for there to be any foam is those small pod seats and a little under the front deck (storage there also). It came that way from the factory. His load rating is roughly the same as mine.. it may actually be more.. with less foam.

Get yourself some good PFD's and a good bilge pump and enjoy your boat.

Thanks guys. I'm just now trying to come up with a plan and in going through all the different scenarios I just started thinking about that. I'm not too worried, I'm a good swimmer and I do always carry PDFs but it's that 0.01% that CarlF mentioned that you can't ignore.