need help in bulding floatation chambers to Hudson 2X

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We have here in Haifa-Israel 2 Hudson 2X OW boats. Although they are seaworthy, I would like to install flotation chambers. The prefered materials are fiberglass or carbon fiber composite. I would like, of course, minimum weight, large portholes to keep stuff dry. It should have strong enough roof to sit on it. Has anybody buildt or designed such or a similar fitting? Any help is welcome.

-- Naftali Kidron (naftalikidron@hotmail.com), May 24, 2001

Answers

This may not solve your problem and I am not familiar with the boats which you own. However, for what it is worth, if the boats hav otherwise dead space which cannot be used, particularly against the hull, you could consider filling the spaces with 2 pack polyurethane. I played around with it last year and I was amazed at how strong and light a structure can be made. The weight of PU is about 30kg per cubic metre. Water is 1000kg for the same volume. PU when covered by 1.5mm ply is highly resistant to compressive and shear forces; ie you could hit a sharp rock and probably bounce off. If the skin is pierced, there is no void for the water to enter.

-- Norman Armstrong (normana@postoffice.utas.edu.au), August 25, 2001.

I would make a male mold to fill the void where your flotation chamber will be. The mold must be removeable of course. After removeing the mold use kevlar , carbonfiber and epoxy to build the skin of the chamber. Cut an opening for the hatch you want, or leave an opening in the skin ( if you use Kevlar cutting an opening might be difficult.} Buy a hatch from a marine catalog. Epoxy the skin into place, fair and paint, install the hatch. You can not sand through epoxy or filler and into the kevlar if you want a smooth skin, short kevlar fibers will stick out of the matrix, and no matter how much you sand there will be yellow fuzz. Paint some epoxy on the fuzz, let it dry and paint on some more so you can fair epoxy not kevlar fibers.

-- Dan Ensley (d_ensley@tpo.org), December 07, 2001.

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