Sadler 26 buoyancy foam

[Geoff A]

I have been researching Sadler 26 yachts, including looking on the informative Mike Lucas website, but could not find he answer to my question. Perhaps some of you know. How would a surveyor discover if there is delamination or the breaking down of the foam inside the hull / interior mouldings. The only way I think it could be done is by sound either tapping with a hammer, or maybe some type of ultrasound equipment.

 

[Tranona]

That is the normal way - the "hammer test" and it is pretty easy to identify any soft spots or delamination as the sound is completely different. No reason why it should break down in normal use, nor is delamination common except on the large flat bow panels, and then more on the larger 29. Very easy to spot.

 

[Geoff A]

That is the normal way - the "hammer test" and it is pretty easy to identify any soft spots or delamination as the sound is completely different. No reason why it should break down in normal use, nor is delamination common except on the large flat bow panels, and then more on the larger 29. Very easy to spot.

Thank you

 

[vyv_cox]

As Tranona says, failure of the foam is unusual. There are sometimes reports that the foam is found to be wet but this is always because the integrity of the double skin has been compromised by owners who have drilled new holes and omitted to seal them.

A past editor of Yachting Monthly, Andrew Bray, raced his Sadler 34 across the Atlantic twice, in very testing conditions. He told me of the possibility of foam failure in the flat bow sections but despite the treatment he had given his boat (Dash) there was no detectable deterioration.

I cut two rectangles of foam from the topsides of my 34 when I fitted yacht legs. Installing Yacht Legs The boat was then 10 years old. The foam was in good condition and absorbed no water when immersed for a day.

 

[Geoff A]

As Tranona says, failure of the foam is unusual. There are sometimes reports that the foam is found to be wet but this is always because the integrity of the double skin has been compromised by owners who have drilled new holes and omitted to seal them.

A past editor of Yachting Monthly, Andrew Bray, raced his Sadler 34 across the Atlantic twice, in very testing conditions. He told me of the possibility of foam failure in the flat bow sections but despite the treatment he had given his boat (Dash) there was no detectable deterioration.

I cut two rectangles of foam from the topsides of my 34 when I fitted yacht legs. Installing Yacht Legs The boat was then 10 years old. The foam was in good condition and absorbed no water when immersed for a day.

Thank you