Marine foam must comply with U.S. Coast Guard requirements under Title 33 CFR.

The Code of Federal Regulations is particular about testing for water absorption, resistance to fuel, fuel vapor, bilge cleaner, and oil.

Here are the requirements regarding Title 33 CFR 183.114: Test of flotation materials.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force more than 5 percent after being immersed in a fully saturated gasoline vapor atmosphere for 30 days at a minimum temperature of 38 °C

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force by more than 5 percent after being immersed for 24 hours at 23 plus or minus two °C in reference fuel B of ASTM D 471.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force by more than 5 percent after being immersed for 30 days at 23 plus or minus two °C in reference fuel B of ASTM D 471.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force by more than 5 percent after being immersed for 24 hours at 23 plus or minus two °C in reference oil No. 2 of ASTM D 471.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force by more than 5 percent after being immersed for 30 days at 23 plus or minus two °C in reference fuel B of ASTM D 471.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force more than 5 percent after being immersed for 24 hours at 23 plus or minus two °C in a 5-percent solution of trisodium phosphate in water.

  • The flotation material must not reduce in buoyant force more than 5 percent after being immersed for 30 days at 23 plus or minus two °C in a 5-percent solution of trisodium phosphate in water.

  • The buoyant force reduction in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section is measured by ASTM D 2842.