Somebody was talking pontoon foamies

[Wobbly Wheels]

And there's nothing wrong with ferro-cement in the right application.

Absoutely !

Unfortunately, amateur boat building wasn't one of those applications.

...with the steel in the plastic region...

Yikes.
What's the advantage in that ?

[Bogo]

...with the steel in the plastic region...

Yikes.
What's the advantage in that ?

My guess is the cement is the main strength component, and the steel is the waterproof layer.

[GPW]

Hmmm?? let’s see now ... Concrete ... sinks like a stone ... Foam ... Unsinkable .... Not too hard to choose which one we want for pontoons eh ???

[GPW]

just an idea ...The PVC pipe becomes the frame and the reinforcement ... No need to even cover the foam ...

[jstrubberg]

Just seal the PVC and you don't even need the foam.

[GPW]

Since this IS the Foamie’ section , just thought we’d include it’s usage ...just for conversational benefit ...

[Mary C]

About mmmmmm well lets say a long time ago there was a company who decided to spray foam to make houses. They would use a chickenwire frame and spray it in layers till it built up and sealed. just a thought, just a thought!!!! you could make it lumpy and paint it grey and black and well.........it is probably what looked like rocks, not cement. Just thinking I know I could get in trouble here, I better stop thinking!!!!


Mary C.

[GPW]

What did the Chickens think about it ??

You know a good many rocks/caves/ etc. we see on TV are Foam ... A whole Art in that ... Fake rocks ... whoodathunkit' ?

[KCStudly]

"Scotty, I need more power!" "Dam it Jim, I'm just a country doctor!"

[Mary C]

is it Chickenwire???? could the chickens swim???



Mary C.

[GPW]

Mary , we saw some spray foam things that looked like traffic cones being made ... sprayed in molds, and a pipe inserted before drying ... Maybe make a simple pontoon mold , insert a reinforcing frame (like PVC pipe) and spray the foam in ... instant pontoon , with attachments ...

I think chicken wire would eventually rust eh ? And there goes the reinforcement ... Some Foam faced houses around have not faired so well , but usually because of the wrong use and application of the materials ... The ones that failed usually involved stucco, over a wire lath attached to foam sheets ...

[Mary C]

I just want a fishing vessel that will get out about 30 or40 feet from the edge of the lakes edge. I have given up fishing off the bank too many overhanging limbs and get caught up: too, too many times, Small can carry small amount of gear( rods, small personal ice chest, and fishing lures) perhaps a electric motor and battery and ME!!! we could spray my chicken wire form and make it look like a boat. or just stack some sheets of foam together and call it a fishing float gotta go have my coffee...... Is there a formula for weight , size and how much foam, That would be my problem with building a fishing floatie. I want it small but I know it has to be big enough to hold me up!!!! gotta have coffee

Mary C.

[GPW]

Mary , the big secret is the Fish are usually close to the bank (where the food falls in ) ... not out in the middle (unless it’s a really HOT day ) ... we fish the edges and the points ... just sayin’... and we wear camo to fish in , because the fish can see you too ... True !!! We Always catch Fish ...

Boat’s only good if you want to fish the edges on the other side too ... Fun for a little sightseeing though ...

[swampjeep]

OK, cement’s out ... how about two liter bottles ... That’s been done huh ?

have you seen this, island made on plastic bottles...

http://www.wimp.com/plasticbottles/

[Wobbly Wheels]

Is there a formula for weight , size and how much foam, That would be my problem with building a fishing floatie. I want it small but I know it has to be big enough to hold me up!!!!

Piece of cake, Mary.

Figure out the volume of the foam sheets (Length X Width X Thickness) and multiply it by the buoyancy spec for the foam you're using. I think the pink and blue foams run around 20 lbs buoyancy per cubic foot, the dock foam I have is 55#. If you ask for that number at a Big Box hardware store, you'll probably get a stunned, deer-in-the-headlights look in response...but it'll be on the manufacturer's website.

That value will be the gross weight that the foam can float, so you need to subtract the construction weight and safety margin (called 'reserve buoyancy': I'm using 50% on this one) and what's left is your payload. Pontoons are a great fishing platform because there's less movement when you're casting - the buoyancy is out to either side of you instead of right underneath you. Above a certain size, pontoons become less efficient than a barge hull, but you're not looking at anything that big (like a float home).

A group 31 deep cycle battery is a little over 100 lbs and that runs my 38 lb (thrust, not weight) trolling motor for hours. Lumber weights are easily found online once you know how many board feet (wood volume) you'll need. I'm far to much of a gentleman to ask how much buoyancy you need, but that's how you can figure it out

Check out Sam's (desertmoose) pontoon boat build here. Sounds like it might be just what you're looking for...

have you seen this, island made on plastic bottles...

I'll see your garbage island and raise you one of these: