Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (E.V.A.) is a material that is widely used in purse seine fisheries, and in other fisheries where a durable float is needed. Some of its characteristics are:
- Very light with excellent buoyancy
- Will stay soft even in very cold weather
- EVA is an elastic material that will stretch under pressure more than PVC will and has a high tensile ( breaking strength)
- Absorbs almost no water- even if cut or punctured
- Buoyancy remains constant even after many days underwater
- Resistant to sunlight to avoid fading
- Will not crack, fracture, or split up to 200 meters ( 650 ft) deep in seawater.
- EVA will rebound to its original shape after distortion caused by water pressure
- Abrasion resistant
- Not as economical as PVC
- Marine paint does not adhere to the surface of EVA as well as it adheres to PVC
- Limited colors are readily available
- Limited sizes and shapes are available