Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Decked Canoes, Open Canoes, as long as they're canoes!

Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin

Post Reply
User avatar
Gord
Pain Boater
Posts: 56
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 3:08 am
Location: northern Ontario bush

Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by Gord »

I was cleaning up my L'Edge today for winter storage......Yes winter. We have no water to speak of in the rivers due to an overly dry summer and fall......

Anyway, I noticed the bulkhead no longer fit tightly against the bottom of the thwarts. The bulkhead is still glued securely to the hull, it just looks like it shrank.

The weird thing is that when I was paddling regularly this summer the bulhead fit so securely it actually bowed the thwarts up slightly.

Should I be concerned with making the bulkhead fit more securely under the thwarts?
2opnboat1
Mohawk Canoes
Posts: 753
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 12:14 pm
Location: Chattanooga
Contact:

Re: Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by 2opnboat1 »

when you put it in the water again it will all be tight. Your weight pushing against the water will tight'n it right up
Richard Guin
Lazy good for nothing slacker
RodeoClown
BlackFly Canoes
Posts: 631
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:54 pm
Location: New Hampton, NH
Contact:

Re: Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by RodeoClown »

My experience is that it does compress over time if there's pressure on it. I wouldn't be overly concerned about it unless it's really loose.
Jeremy Laucks
Owner, Blackfly Canoes
http://www.blackflycanoes.com
SkeeterGuy86
Select Paddles Sponsored Paddler
Posts: 262
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:09 pm
Location: Lost Tribe

Re: Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by SkeeterGuy86 »

i have had to add foam to the top of the saddle to fit under the thwarts tight again
SG86

here in the south east god paddles on the left and that's how he made our rivers ~ oc1paddlr

http://select-kayaks.com/en/paddles/canoe-raft/c1/
Sir Adam
CBoats.net Staff
Posts: 4136
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:00 am
Location: Adirondacks, NY State, USA
Contact:

Re: Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by Sir Adam »

I haven't noticed much shrinkage from grey mini cell, but the black neoprene variety can shrink alarmingly. I have what's left of the bits that came in my Wheelboy...
Keep the C!
Adam
ezwater
C Maven
Posts: 1652
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:43 am
Location: Decatur, GA

Re: Does mini-cell foam shrink??

Post by ezwater »

Yeah, I think that nitrogen is used to make the bubbles in (black) neoprene, and it gradually finds its way out of the bubbles. I have a wetsuit custom made for me decades ago, and now it looks like it was made for my pet monkey. :roll:

On minicell, obviously it will expand in warm weather and contract in cold weather. I have not seen evidence that there is bubble linkage and permanent shrinkage. For example, I made a removable pedestal for a Dagger Zealot in '96, and it fits just as tight now as it did then.
Post Reply