[Rhodes22-list] Bow floatation

[Rob Lowe]

I reported to the list some time ago that the foam floatation in the bow of our boat (1976 model) was "loose" and had shifted so that it was no longer level and certainly useless as a berth.  I finally got around to addressing it over the weekend.  I took the plywood covering off (after unscrewing to 50 odd screws holding the hinge together).  The foam had shifted aft and the forward part was lower.  So, how to pick up the forward part and lift it?  I tried screwing in a large bolt but that didn't hold.  I looked around and there is the anchor rode sitting there in it's storage bucket.  I looped the rode around the bow part of the foam and it lifted right up.  I pushed the aft end forward as I lifted and the chunk of foam rotated.  I could feel in pop back into place.  Roger (back when he was on the list) suggested using "Great Stuff" or some other type of expanding foam to "glue" the foam back into place and I plan to do that.  What surprised me though is there is about an 8 inch gap between the foam and wooden "bulkhead" (for lack of a better word, someone know the correct term?).  

So, what to do with this space?  I could fill it with foam, but that would take probably 20 cans of spray in foam.  Or, buy the two-part-mix-it-yourself-stuff pour in foam.  Or, maybe just use 2 by 8 blocking to keep the foam from shifting aft again.

Any suggestions?  Anybody else's boat set up the same?  How is your floatation foam set up?  thanks in advance 

Rob Lowe
S/V Getaway