Foam blocking in stern on canoe

Advice
#1

I purchased an older Coleman Scanoe. In there stern, there is a small covered compartment with foam in it. The foam is in pretty rough shape. Should I replace? With what?

How necessary is the foam if I only plan to canoe in still water?

#2

You only need it
if you plan on capsizing so the boat doesn’t just sink to the bottom. If you are never ever ever going to capsize then you don’t need it.

#3

You might replace it with a tough beach
ball. Don’t over-inflate so it doesn’t “pop” with changes in temperature or pressure.



Another possibility is, stuff often comes packed with strings of poly cells strung together. Maybe your stern compartment is tight enough that you can pack it with as many of these as will fit.



The “class” solution would be to find some slabs of that gray minicell foam, and glue together to fit the compartment. But it’ll probably cost you about $50.

#4

A can of the non-expanding foam
sealant may work fed through a hole in the cover. The kind for widow and door frames that shouldn’t distort the boat/cover. Others may have tried it? Just a thought. R

#5

you can replace with …
… a two part marine grade , liquid expanding polyurethane foam .



As for necessary , that’s up to you … all I can say is what pirateoverforty already said , plus I personally would want it .



Here’s an example product … a 2 cu.ft. kit of 2 lb. density (weighs 2 lb./cu.ft.) is probably sufficient for replacement , that’s 120 lbs. of floatation (perhaps 1 cu.ft. - 60 lb. flotation each end , or where ever you want it) , for 20 some bucks .



Of course you’d have to remove the old deteriorated and then mix & install the new (best done in two or three steps to keep from overfilling (over expanding) . The new stuff is about 95% closed cell now a days . This stuff is sticky and can be messy , the poured liquid expands , so work careful and in small quanities waiting for complete expansion until void is full to where you want it .



http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html

#6

It would have to be closed cell foam,
or it will soak up water. All the expanding foams I’ve seen are mainly open cell.

#7

An’ make sure it’s…
“GRAY”!



FE

#8

Good Point Thanks
Forget my “thoughts” above, R