Daysailor I Flotation

[Guest]

I am restoring a 1963 daysailor 1 and am not sure if there is any foam left in the bench seats or bow tank. If any is left, I am sure it is water logged. Can someone please explain how to cut and patch holes cut in tanks to replace foam? What type of foam is best?
Thanks,
Dan Thompson
Dallas TX

Dan Thompson (danthompson77-at-hotmail.com)

[Guest]

You might find some other information on other threads, but what I've discovered is that other DS owners have installed 4" inspection ports into the seats and bow tank. Then you can try to get the old foam out of there, and replace with closed-cell foam. The 'noodles' that kids use at the pool are a good choice, as are empty (but capped) 2 liter soda bottles.
My DSI has drain plugs at the bottom of each seat and bow tank...the bow tank one almost always yields water after a good rain (I keep mine at a marina dock), even though it's covered. The seat tanks stay dry, though.

Good Luck.

Tom (tbeames65-at-cs.com)

[Guest]

I used a grinding wheel and ripped the bench seat out to inspect the floatation foam. My advice: DON"T DO IT! It was a genuine hassle to get the seat back in place correctly. I think the 'access hatch' plan sounds much more workable.

How sure are you that it needs to be done? Does the boat list in calm water? If not, your foam might be OK...

Greg



Greg Farley (farley-at-bio.fsu.edu)

[Guest]

I just came across our post, and have also just returned from the DS NACs in Eugene. After multiple capsizes in one race, there was considerable discussion about flotation in the DS1.

A couple of points:

1. The best way to add flotation to the existing tanks is to cut a hole at the front of each seat tank (where there is a flat surface). I installed 6" inspection ports. Put and additional one in the bow tank. I used the 1 1/2" foam boards, ripped down to 4" wide to stuff each tank full.

2. DO NOT REMOVE YOUR SEATS. I boat a couple of years ago did this, installed them incorrectly, and the boat was deemed not in specs for racing on its measurement certificate.

3. As part of the flotation discussion, Chuck Wilson detailed how he added flotation to the underside of his cuddy. While it was a significant amount of work, it resulted in a boat that was very easy to right after a capsize. When the boat turns turtle (which it does very easily), the floatation in the top of the cuddy keeps the boat "riding high". There is a post by Chuck elsewhere on this board, where it gives his email address so you can contact him directly. Chuck stated that he will try to get an article out in the quarterly about how he did it.

Good Luck

Don Trop (don.trop-at-eds.com)

[Mike McDonald]

I just cut inspection ports into the front of my seat tanks and removed the soggy styrofoam. What do I replace it with? Home Depot has 4'X8'X2" extruded polystyrene sheets for $18. Does this stuff absorb water? Mike

[Roger]

I have used polystyrene sheets for other floatation purposes (saddle seat for a whitewater canoe) and although it does not absorb water, it does break down over time, and is also brittle and difficult to work with as such. Many people have added pool noodles through 4 inch inspection ports. I cut two inspection ports into the seat fronts of my DS II this summer to repair the backing for the jib lead track. Examination of the floatation indicated that I was still ok.

Click on this site to see pictures of the port and what I saw. click on each picture for a larger view.

http://groups.msn.com/RogerConrad/shoebox.msnw?Page=3[/img]

[Mke]

How about this idea? Instead of foam, use what they use in new Lasers for flotation: plastic 5 gal. containers that fill with air called cubitainers. I roughly figure about 4 or 5 of these in each seat and bow cavity would offer the same displacement as the styrofoam I removed. They are $9 each at Annapolis Performance Sailing online for a total cost of $100 to $150 -which is probably cheaper than buying the number of water noodles you'd need but considerably more than a couple sheets of extruded polystyrene from Home Depot. Mike

[jpclowes]

I don't know about displacement, but the pool noodles I put in my DS1 cost me about $1.50 a piece. I bought 20, used 18 in my seats. (I put one in the front storage area, until I get a chance to change out the front tank floatation) I got them at Dollar General back in March. (I cleaned out 2 stores of them.)