Kim:
Thanks for the note on packaging material vs ensolite. I am
very much considering that option but have to get a bit
better understanding of the materials. Do you have any more
data on PolyPlank?
One interesting note, I sent a request to Bobs foam in San
Francisco and wrote airex off kind of quickly
Bobs wrote.... The Airex price is $ 322.29 plus shipping
and sales tax. <one sheet> Which is expensive as you
mentioned, so another option for you is: # 4525F or 3225F
material they are both a 2.5 lb. density and the price is
the same as well for either choice, which is 4 x 42 x 68
cost is $ 75.37 ea., plus shipping and sales tax as well.
Nice people at Bobs and a quick response -- I have to
research the other foam a bit. I believe that the Airex
Foam is produced by a team consisting of the last remaining
Vestal Virgins who actually hand form each cell and then
lovingly attach them together into the foam material.
Back on packaging material -- I bought some closed foam
material (polyplank)for a project at work a while back that
was kind of waxy and came in a blue color. Tough stuff, but
kind of stiff for this application. As I recall it was
about thirty bucks for a 3x6 (?) sheet and could be cut to
shape with a saber saw. I wonder if this sort of stuff
comes in different hardness' for different applications.
On the subject of open cell foam -- I had some interior
cushions on my old Siren (
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/montl/siren.html ) that were
open cell and they really didn't give me any trouble. Of
course I didn't take them into the cockpit or get them wet
and I kept the boat well ventilated --- had a 10 watt solar
panel that charged batteries as well as a small 12 volt
muffin fan. That fan really made a difference -- it was
larger than those little solar vent fans and moved a lot of
air _out_ of the hatch (which was modified for the fan).
Anyway, I am thinking that if the cushions are internal --
and if I can keep the inside of the boat dry -- maybe open
cell foam isn't such a totally bad idea. You don't think
the stuff absorbs humidity out of the air??
I was also looking at some of the cushions on our lawn
furniture (don't tell my wife) and it's made with a fiber
product that seems to just let the water run thru it. They
sit out in the rain all summer and seem to dry out pretty
quickly. Of course you get an unpleasant surprise if you
forget that it rained the previous day and decide to sit
down .
Lots of options....
Rye Gewalt K9LCJ
HMS19 658
Springfield, VA