Motor “WaveRunners” from Yamaha (Iwata, Shizuoka / Japan; www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/products/waverunners) conform to lightweight and buoyancy requirements of personal watercraft (PWC) standard ISO 13590 through the use of “E-por” particle foam from BASF (Ludwigshafen / Germany; www.basf.com). The material is installed in the front and side spaces of the body of the VX700S model by the Japanese manufacturers where it ensures the buoyancy of the PWC due to its low density.

At 240kg, the weight of the three-passenger model consists mainly of the engine, jet, tank and hull. To achieve the necessary floatage, the watercraft requires a stable structure which provides the buoyant force and, despite making up a large proportion of the total volume, the “E-por” parts account for only 3.3 kg of the total weight.

The material is an expandable polymer based on a complex formulation of polymers which interact with each other as well as with the blowing agent. The crack-resistant particle foam is well-suited as a floatage structure thanks to its low density and property profile. It can be easily processed into the required density and shape so that the moulded parts can be inserted optimally into the casing, BASF said.