Abstract: A layered skin useful for protecting buoyancy materials of the type comprising a plurality of generally spherical buoyant bodies encased in a matrix of syntactic foam. The skin comprises an inner layer made from syntactic foam having a thickness capable of preventing implosion of buoyant bodies located in outer portions of the matrix at a desired hydrostatic pressure, and an outer layer for resisting damage to the structure and providing strength, composed of reinforcing materials such as fiberglass permeated by syntactic foam. The matrix and both layers comprise one integral structure.