make your UL-1 rock solid

[mike martin]

I have done this to most of the UL-1s in our club it has worked great .
first take out motor so no dust gets in it
next drill 3/4" hole in the sides of the tub towards the front on each side
next use 2 to 3 oz each part urethane pour foar mix well pour into one side shake boat so that the foam goes towards the front it only takes a few minutes to expand and dry
Repeat to the outher side no need to patch holes their on the inside and full of foam
reinstall motor give it hell;

DO NOT USE SPRAY FOAM IT WILL BLOW APART YOUR BOAT:::

you can get the (urethane pour foam) from US Composites (www.uscomposites.com) PH# 561-588-1001 the 2 lp marine foam is about 30.00 shiped this will do a bunch of boats I use it to stiffen and for flotatin in all my boats just remember a little goes a long way

last weekend I hit a bouy square with my ul-1 shattered the plastic nose piece into 100 pieses
not a mark on the hull it doesn,t allow the fiberglass to flex so no cracks

[JimClark]

I know the spray foam will retain water what about the urethane pour foam do we know for sure that it does not retain water?

Jiim

[mike martin]

no it does not retain water it is marine use to foam in gas tanks fish boxes ect. on real boats

[JimClark]

Mike a couple of questions for you. Can you buy this stuff in small quantities? Can you sand and shape it after it hardens? I an thinking about using it in the sponsons of a micro hydro.

Jim

[mike martin]

you can only buy it in 2-1 quart can about 30.00 shiped last time i ordered

yes it sands very well

if you cut it to shape inside a boat i will epoxy coat the area i cut

[Darin Jordan]

you can only buy it in 2-1 quart can about 30.00 shiped last time i ordered

yes it sands very well

if you cut it to shape inside a boat i will epoxy coat the area i cut

Mike, how do you deal with the existing floation in there???

[mike martin]

Darin once I pour in the foam I place a piece of tape over the hole and shake the boat all around trying to keep the foam to the front it just surrounds the foam thats in their you have to be quick . 2oz of each part per side will run about 2-3 in. behind the sponsons and fills in the front of the tub also

I have drilled the holes in front of the tub and on the side I like about 3/4in from front on the sides the best also I will pull out the hoses in the back for air to escape

[10gauge]

MikeMartin, this is fantastic advice! It seems as if the urethane foam is acting like a space frame for the front section of the UL-1.

1. How can you tell how much rigidity is being imparted to the hull? Do the sponsons flex much less after treatment?

2. Would this urethane foam be ideal to strengthen an epoxy sport 40 hydro too in the same areas?

[mike martin]

MikeMartin, this is fantastic advice! It seems as if the urethane foam is acting like a space frame for the front section of the UL-1.

1. How can you tell how much rigidity is being imparted to the hull? Do the sponsons flex much less after treatment?

2. Would this urethane foam be ideal to strengthen an epoxy sport 40 hydro too in the same areas?

after the foam is in , the sponsons are solid no flex just make sure you shake it to the front and let it grow to the back

the foam is great for all boats I use it in every boat i build now that I know better some of my monos i foam all the way back to the opening then cut out were i want the batteries. it adds strength and also helps bond the hull to the cap so at high speed crashes the hulls will not separate

[JimClark]

Mike is this stuff about the same weight at the pink or blue stuff you get at Home depot?

[sailr]

I've been afraid to use the two-part foams. If it over expands, you've got a balooned or broken hull. You say the stuff you're using is forgiving enough to not do that?

[Bill-SOCAL]

As long as you give this foam a place to escape it will not damage the hull.

It is much lighter than the foam you buy at Home Depot.

I now use it on all my hulls, FE and gas. Stiffens the hull, reinforces the seam, adds flotation, and is impervious to everything.

I let some set up as a blob. I placed it in a jar of acetone and also some gas. No changes. I have also soaked it in water. No absorption.

It goes off very quickly. Play with a little first to get the hang of it.

I got mine in Costa Mesa, CA at a boat place called Crystaliner. Most boat repair places should carry it.

[JimClark]

Let me know if this sounds like it would work. I have on of Randy's micros that is a drop sponson. I would like to fill the sponsons in foam. So if I put suran warp on the underside of the top of the boat, taped the two half's together and pored the foam to fill the sponsons would I be able to then un tape the two half's and get them apart to shape the foam that would prpbably creep into the interior of the boat?

Jim

[AndyKunz]

Bill,

Does that stuff start expanding later on if it gets hot? I saw a beautiful 1/8 Scale explode when it sat in the afternoon sun once (it was in the shade in the morning, but the sun moved). He had used some sort of blow-in foam but I don't know which brand. I've been looking for a foam that doesn't do that for a while - it would be nice to have something available.

Thanks.

Andy

[Bill-SOCAL]

No, once it is set it is set. I have not seen any changes in it in any of my boats. The crap you get in a can at Home Depot/Lowe's/Whatever is just that, crap. Don't use it.

THis is a 2-part urethane foam made for use in full size boating. Great stuff, and not cheap. Two quarts (1 quart of each part) is $30. But it works.

[Steven Vaccaro]

I've been trying to get the NHP version of this product for several months now. It was sold in smaller sizes. Seems NHP is out of bussiness or doesnt want to return calls.

[chessmonster]

Do you guys think that adding this foam would help with the side fin issue at all?

[jcald2000]

Flotation foam

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

[sailr]

That's the foam I'm using. Great stuff! $30 delivered for the two quarts is a bargain! Look around the net, their price is FAR below what most people want for this stuff. The two quarts (1/2 gallon) will last a LONG time because a very small amount the stuff expands tremendously.

For my UL-1, I drilled holes in 5 places, one in the front of the compartment and two on each side. I used .85 oz by weight of each component and did the pour in each hole.

A tip...when the foam comes out of the hole it will get on the surface inside the radio compartment. Use some clear packing tape to cover the hole and then cut the hole out prior to pouring. When the material is fully set up and hardened, cut off the excess with a razor saw and then pull off the tape. It will take any residue with it!

BTW, you want the 2lb. density variety!


Flotation foam

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

[JimClark]

Tapplastics.com has it also. for 26 and change for quartshttp://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79&
shelf life 6 months

Jim

[Darin Jordan]

This is the stuff I ordered from US Composites



2 LB Density Urethane Foam
(U.S. Coast Guard Compliant Marine Foam)

FOAM-0204 4 LB Kit 2 Cubic Feet $20.50

Common Applications: Our 2LB density marine foam is recommended for void filling in nonstructural applications. This product can be poured underneath decks and inside cavities where a lightweight flotation foam is needed to provide buoyancy. This foam has been tested in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard Regulation # 33 CFR 183.114 . This foam is approximately 95-98% closed cell which resists absorbing water, however continuous water submersion can eventually lead to loss of buoyancy over a period of years. We recommend this product strictly for flotation applications. If looking for a liquid foam for sculpting or casting we recommend using at minimum our 3LB or 4LB density.



http://www.shopmaninc.com/Images/foam/0204.jpg

[sailr]

That's for a 1 quart kit, half as much and $7 more!


Tapplastics.com has it also. for 26 and change for quartshttp://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79&
shelf life 6 months

Jim

[JimClark]

Except I don't have to pay shipping and I can get it the same day Darin and I are both in Seattle.
Onto another subject just had a thought has anyone tried this foam in a ABS hull or is it going toeat into the hull?

Jim