soggy foam blocks

what was the purpose of foam blocks in plastic bag in h 18 1980 model, mine feel very heavy, and the plastic bag has disintegrated. Do they hold water, can i remove them and use some other type emergency flotation if that was their purpose?
Thanks haveing a blast with my new to me old h 18

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Hobie 21se
feral cat

Their purpose is to keep your boat from sinking should you get holed and the hull fills with water. If you remove them, you should replace with an alternate source of emergency floatation - people have used pool noodles.

sm

when the plastic bags disintegrate it is time for them to go. i have tried removing them but it is not easy. to get the foam around the dagger board wells up to the port hole will take a lot of time and various removal tools. hopefully somebody has a easy solution without having to install a rear port hole.you probably could leave them be if the hulls are always dry.

The foam in the plastic bags is a closed cell foam, and should not soak up water. The plastic bag is there to keep the resin from disinigrating the foam during the curing/mold process.

I would rip what is left of the bag off and leave the foam as is.

Are you positive that this foam is full of water or just assuming?

If there is water in the foam, I would try to dry the hull/foam out before trying to remove it. If you can dry it out and keep it dry it is worthwhile to keep in the boat.

The best option to remove the foam is by adding a rear port hole, and cutting it out with an electric filet knife.

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

Tom thanks for the reply I am assuming the foam is waterlogged I was moving it around with a stick and it felt fairly heavy, I will probably leave well enough alone
Ted

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Hobie 21se
feral cat