Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

How about a composite system where you use small empty bottles encapsulated
in 2-part foam? Originally I was thinking of a system like that using
ping-pong balls, but if cost is a factor the bottles would fill the space
much cheaper. I like the idea of ping-pong balls encapsulated in 2-part
foam, though. Kinda like REALLY big microspheres in epoxy. Might be worth
some experimentation.

--
Karin Conover-Lewis
Fair and Balanced since 1959
klc dot lewis at centurytel dot net


"Tailgunner" wrote in message
...
Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

Just a minute!
Two-part foam is not necessarily a good solution either.
Some of 'em will soak water, getting heavy and encouraging rot and mildew.
They prevent access for repairs and wiring, etc.
THey're not cheap, either.

Have you considered inflatable items like truck tubes?

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

If the peanut gallery says that sinking an empty soda bottle to 10
feet will collapse it, then the same applies to any flexible air
container unless you want to put a tube in a tire/rim, and blow it up
to 15 psi per 30 feet of submersion at least!

Brian W



On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 20:12:40 GMT, Jim Conlin
wrote:

Just a minute!
Two-part foam is not necessarily a good solution either.
Some of 'em will soak water, getting heavy and encouraging rot and mildew.
They prevent access for repairs and wiring, etc.
THey're not cheap, either.

Have you considered inflatable items like truck tubes?

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

Under the side decks ( http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass ), I'll
use cut-to-fit polyethylene closed-cell foam. All compartments are limbered
to drain to the bilge BTW, except forward of the bulkhead at the aft end of
the v-berth (e.g. the bow area is separate). In that bulkhead, I've got
drain plugs in the limbers. Inside deck storage (since deck plates leak),
there will be deck plates for putting the polyethylene in or out as needed.
In addition, I will be installing Foamular paintable polystyrene under the
sheer decks all the way around. This stuff is like a high density styrofoam
but is stiff, paintable, and will remain dry until the boat tries to sink.

Brian

"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...
Just a minute!
Two-part foam is not necessarily a good solution either.
Some of 'em will soak water, getting heavy and encouraging rot and mildew.
They prevent access for repairs and wiring, etc.
THey're not cheap, either.

Have you considered inflatable items like truck tubes?

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

If your boat's 10 feet under, you're all done trying to float anyway.
Flotation is designed to keep a boat at the surface, e.g. hard to push under
in the first place (good luck) and hopefully to make the boat float upright
if swamped (if you've got enough of a boat so you have room for the required
flotation.)

Brian

--
My boat project: http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass


"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
If the peanut gallery says that sinking an empty soda bottle to 10
feet will collapse it, then the same applies to any flexible air
container unless you want to put a tube in a tire/rim, and blow it up
to 15 psi per 30 feet of submersion at least!

Brian W



On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 20:12:40 GMT, Jim Conlin
wrote:

Just a minute!
Two-part foam is not necessarily a good solution either.
Some of 'em will soak water, getting heavy and encouraging rot and
mildew.
They prevent access for repairs and wiring, etc.
THey're not cheap, either.

Have you considered inflatable items like truck tubes?

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about
using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly
for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able
to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

Pre pressurise your floatation pop bottles with a pinch of baking
powder and a drop of vinegar. Screw the cap back on, and you no
longer have soft bottles, but hard ones which will not lose
volume and bouyancy when they are submerged and get cold. the
caps are quite secure. Stick them together with cellophane tape
and expanding foam caulk, just a dot here and there to stabilise
the herd. You could probably build a skeleton for a boat out of
this kind of mess, then cover it with a thin skin of glass and
resin. Cello packing tape is phenomenal, I have used it down
wells and know that, at least in the dark, it withstands fresh
water immersion quite well.

I will be trying this idea one of these years, just to say I did
it.

The manager of our local bottle exchange said I could have a big
bag of about 1000 pop bottles for 50 bucks bag and all, but was
not enthusiastic when I suggested the guys leave the caps on for
some reason, possibly related to training and retention. Those
highly skilled lid flippers are hard to recruit, and get edgy
when asked to make major adjustments to their task descriptions.

This spring I may attempt to make a floating dock out of pop
bottles. 1000 bottles makes 4 tons of bouyancy. I am gathering
ideas as to the best method for construction. I want small
modules to enable easy in - out with seasons that include mucho
ice.

Terry K

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

--
Terry K - My email address is MY PROPERTY, and is protected by
copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce it is
specifically denied for mass mailing and unrequested
solicitations. Reproduction or conveyance for any unauthorised
purpose is THEFT and PLAGIARISM. Abuse is Invasion of privacy
and harassment. Abusers may be prosecuted. -This notice footer
released to public domain. Spamspoof salad by spamchock -
SofDevCo

Terry Spragg ) writes:

This spring I may attempt to make a floating dock out of pop
bottles. 1000 bottles makes 4 tons of bouyancy. I am gathering
ideas as to the best method for construction. I want small
modules to enable easy in - out with seasons that include mucho
ice.

with an underwater "V" section ice should push the floats up.

to make watertight containers for carrying food and camera on river trips I
cut circular seals out of foam meat trays and put them inside the screw on
caps of empty plastic peanut butter jars. to test I half fill a jar
with water, screw the lid on, invert the jar, and squeeze. if no water
comes out its good. this tip is from a book by Bill Mason who made books
and films about canoe camping.

I've also made watertight containers out of small plastic leftover
containers by stretching a ring of bicycle inner tube around the top edge
of the container to act as a seal. I tested these by immersing them in a
rain barrel. I figure bicycle innter tube to be a long lasting type of
rubber seal unlike, say, wide rubber bands. this is not as secure as
plastic jars with screw on lids but is okay for moisture and short
duration capsizes. I bought the leftover containers at a church rummage
sale for a dime each. that's Canadian currency. I don't know what they
would cost in US dollars.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-freenet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

Uh, I hate to bust into this party, but a simple solution would be to
copy whatever those European yacht builders like ETAP and others use
to guarantee their boats "unsinkable"...or so goes the marketing
bumpf.

The best retrofit solution might be to stow the Zodiac in the cabin
roof, but that only works for short sailors, I think G

R.


On Thu, 25 Dec 2003 00:27:27 GMT, "Brian D"
wrote:

Under the side decks ( http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass ), I'll
use cut-to-fit polyethylene closed-cell foam. All compartments are limbered
to drain to the bilge BTW, except forward of the bulkhead at the aft end of
the v-berth (e.g. the bow area is separate). In that bulkhead, I've got
drain plugs in the limbers. Inside deck storage (since deck plates leak),
there will be deck plates for putting the polyethylene in or out as needed.
In addition, I will be installing Foamular paintable polystyrene under the
sheer decks all the way around. This stuff is like a high density styrofoam
but is stiff, paintable, and will remain dry until the boat tries to sink.

Brian

"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...
Just a minute!
Two-part foam is not necessarily a good solution either.
Some of 'em will soak water, getting heavy and encouraging rot and mildew.
They prevent access for repairs and wiring, etc.
THey're not cheap, either.

Have you considered inflatable items like truck tubes?

Tailgunner wrote:

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com

Fill the pop bottles with 2 part?

Here are my conclusions regarding that long thread I started about using
Ping Pong Balls for floatation..

Ping Pong balls are not cost effective. $20/144
PPB burn real nice.
PPB are relatively fragile.

2 Liter Soda Bottles are cost effective.
2 LSB can withstand the temp changes here in New England.
2 LSB looses volume quickly under external pressure. Designed mainly for
internal pressure.

Both will degrade in direct sunlight.

What will I do? More than likely I will fall in with everybody else and
use 2 part. I'll just have to make allowances for moisture to be able to
flow from bow to stern. With either of the other methods I would not
have to do this.

Thanks to all that posted.

--
Tailgunner
http://boat.nbrigham.com


John 3:16