{"id":965,"date":"1999-11-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1999-11-30T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/?p=965"},"modified":"2015-10-16T12:13:05","modified_gmt":"2015-10-16T17:13:05","slug":"hull-insulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/hull-insulation\/","title":{"rendered":"Hull Insulation"},"content":{"rendered":"
Linda\/Steve, You are the woman and the man! I am building a 46′ aluminum Radford R14 pilothouse. Your specs on the FPB 83 note 1\/2" Armaflex insulation on the hull – why not thicker insulation? Does your choice of Armaflex usher in a product that will become the aluminum boat standard insulation? Appreciate your reply. – John <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Hi John: The question of insulating an alu. hull is complex. Here are our considerations:<\/p>\n
1-As Linda is allergic to mold and mildew avoidance of these is the #1 requirement.<\/p>\n
2-Sprayed foam absorbs water from the air and over time loses its insulating capabilities, in addition to which it is a great mold factory. Also, the foam continues to release unpleasant gases throughout the early years (or more) of its life. <\/p>\n
3-We chose Armaflex because it has the lowest moisture absorption rate we could find. It is also very good on noise attenuation.<\/p>\n
4-The 1\/2" (12.6mm) thickness was chosen as it eliminates condensation down to about 20F at a 65-degree F interior temperature at a humidity level we think we can achieve. This is below where we ever expect to operate the boat. <\/p>\n
5-More insulation would probably be warranted for colder climates, but for our purposes, when we looked at the heat load differential between 1\/2" and 1", it did not warrant the extra cost, weight, or installation hassle. <\/p>\n
6-We are using 1" material in the engine room for noise control. 2" is used on the watertight bulkhead into the interior. <\/p>\n
7-We expect there to be a slight cost premium compared to a sprayed foam system, after taking into account clean-up costs with the foam.<\/p>\n
Hope this helps – Steve<\/p>\n
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