04-15-2014, 04:25 PM
PON: Plywood is not the best thing, it swells when wet and takes a long time to dry out. The surface will become rough with some possible splinters from going through the wet/dry cycles unless sealer applied. Also the glue will slowly dissolve over a long period of time unless it is sealed periodically. Marine ply will hold up longer, but I would go with cutting board or boogie, or a plastic patio chair with the legs cut off and placed on top a la TD,(comfort wise).
MB: Those were my very concerns when considering plywood. My thoughts were aggressive sanding of top and bottom surfaces. As well as, rounding all edge and corner surfaces. Then, a sealer would be used. But what type? A wood deck penetrating stain, a wax......or? Water base, or oil? Would the stain negatively effect the tube material?
PON: YES, when you sit in water the foam will push up along the entire length of the support board, so the entire board surface has an upward force. You are testing in air, where most of the force is only at the CENTER of the board, so it deflects.
MB: I cut two shim pieces from the boogie board. Some little kid, somewhere in the world, is not happy about that.
I wanted to test for closed cell properties. It squish's, and pops back to original thickness, not hard or rigid, and very similar to the squish resistance of the seat foam. But how? I then recall reading a post by Flygoddess. Stating her seat foam would water log (outcast tube?). I have read across the net, where others have had similar issues. Then, read tubedude's technical explanation regarding closes cell foam. How it is physically impossible to absorb water.
A light turned on! I placed a small puddle of water on a cut edge of the boogie board, while holding it. Just enough where the water tension held the puddle into a condensed, round shape. After a couple of minutes, it was apparent the water was not absorbing. So, did the same to the 4 3/8" width of the Outcast seat foam. Same thing, no absorption.
But how did Flygoddess and others experience water penetrating the closed foam float tube seat?
Hmmmm, same test only this time the foam was compressed with finger/hand pressure, and released.
First the boogie board: A mild squeeze of perhaps a 1/4" of the 1" width, and released. More than half the puddle disappeared! What? A second compression and release, the water was gone! I tipped the foam upside down, to allow any water remaining on the surface to drip off. Shook a couple of times to make sure. Now, with the foam upright, compress the foam to see if water was inside the foam. Sure enough water came running out upon compression. NO WAY! Release, turn upside down, squeeze and water came running out. Not dripping, running out!
Do I have closed cell foam in the boogie board, or not?
Same test with the seat foam. After all, the finger compression would closely simulate what the posterior would do. While fin kicking, boat rocking, and general moving about on the seat, including getting in and out. The seat foam took in water too!. Just as quickly, and retained the water when upside down.
Keep in mind, I did not say "absorb". My thinking is, there is air in and around the closed cells, allowing for compression. Once compressed outside of water, air fill's the void once the compression is released. In water, that void fills with water! Since the foam retains it's original shape, there must be something similar to vacuum, allowing the foam to hold or retain some of the water inside.
I have read where others have stated, there seat foam takes forever to dry out.
In conclusion, I feel I have closed cell foam in the boogie board. But, since it could, and likely would take in water and is a small enough to vacuum pack. Should I do so? I can not do that to the seat foam ( to large), but can easily do the boogie board shim pieces.
Oh, boogie board shim pieces are installed along side the seat foam, inside the seat box. Was not difficult to install, even though the overall width was 19 3/4" going inside a 19" seat pocket. Fill's the seat nicely, and the inside pontoon measurement is 19" when fully filled.
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MB: Those were my very concerns when considering plywood. My thoughts were aggressive sanding of top and bottom surfaces. As well as, rounding all edge and corner surfaces. Then, a sealer would be used. But what type? A wood deck penetrating stain, a wax......or? Water base, or oil? Would the stain negatively effect the tube material?
PON: YES, when you sit in water the foam will push up along the entire length of the support board, so the entire board surface has an upward force. You are testing in air, where most of the force is only at the CENTER of the board, so it deflects.
MB: I cut two shim pieces from the boogie board. Some little kid, somewhere in the world, is not happy about that.
I wanted to test for closed cell properties. It squish's, and pops back to original thickness, not hard or rigid, and very similar to the squish resistance of the seat foam. But how? I then recall reading a post by Flygoddess. Stating her seat foam would water log (outcast tube?). I have read across the net, where others have had similar issues. Then, read tubedude's technical explanation regarding closes cell foam. How it is physically impossible to absorb water.
A light turned on! I placed a small puddle of water on a cut edge of the boogie board, while holding it. Just enough where the water tension held the puddle into a condensed, round shape. After a couple of minutes, it was apparent the water was not absorbing. So, did the same to the 4 3/8" width of the Outcast seat foam. Same thing, no absorption.
But how did Flygoddess and others experience water penetrating the closed foam float tube seat?
Hmmmm, same test only this time the foam was compressed with finger/hand pressure, and released.
First the boogie board: A mild squeeze of perhaps a 1/4" of the 1" width, and released. More than half the puddle disappeared! What? A second compression and release, the water was gone! I tipped the foam upside down, to allow any water remaining on the surface to drip off. Shook a couple of times to make sure. Now, with the foam upright, compress the foam to see if water was inside the foam. Sure enough water came running out upon compression. NO WAY! Release, turn upside down, squeeze and water came running out. Not dripping, running out!
Do I have closed cell foam in the boogie board, or not?
Same test with the seat foam. After all, the finger compression would closely simulate what the posterior would do. While fin kicking, boat rocking, and general moving about on the seat, including getting in and out. The seat foam took in water too!. Just as quickly, and retained the water when upside down.
Keep in mind, I did not say "absorb". My thinking is, there is air in and around the closed cells, allowing for compression. Once compressed outside of water, air fill's the void once the compression is released. In water, that void fills with water! Since the foam retains it's original shape, there must be something similar to vacuum, allowing the foam to hold or retain some of the water inside.
I have read where others have stated, there seat foam takes forever to dry out.
In conclusion, I feel I have closed cell foam in the boogie board. But, since it could, and likely would take in water and is a small enough to vacuum pack. Should I do so? I can not do that to the seat foam ( to large), but can easily do the boogie board shim pieces.
Oh, boogie board shim pieces are installed along side the seat foam, inside the seat box. Was not difficult to install, even though the overall width was 19 3/4" going inside a 19" seat pocket. Fill's the seat nicely, and the inside pontoon measurement is 19" when fully filled.
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