How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

[beardeddone]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

Historically speaking this is a massive understatement and not just with wooden ships though the sloth, corruption, and lack of quality control during the age of fighting sail is legendary and that's before you get into wartime problems like use of green timber. As you say however the engineering was often incredible. Besides it's not like we've gotten that much further ahead. Titanic's steel was incredibly brittle (read about in Smithsonian magazine in the 90's) and the early Liberty ships had a major structural flaw that caused them to split in two.

While most all of this may or may not be true we'll probably never know, but what is known has been a subject of major proportion ever since the sinking of the Titanic and was such a tragedy.

But this is another topic in itself and I wonder if the second time around will be a success

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

:focus: ?? Thanks again for the reference info WOG:

[h=2]How Fiberglass Boats Are Made:[/h]
http://www.mhprofessional.com/downlo...49935_ch_1.pdf

 

[tpenfield]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

We all need to remember that, for the most part, all of the boats that are being restored here on the forum, are 10+ years old and have more than likely been severely abused. We occasionally see boats that are 50+ years old that have been Well taken care of (Mine for one) that all the wood components are still in Great Shape. While the manufacturing methods do play a role I believe the much more significant issue on determining the longevity of a boat is the proper care and maintenance of it by the owner. Nothing lasts forever, but with proper care, we can extend the life of it. That goes for us Humans Too!!!!

Like Mickey Mantle said...

"If I'd know I was gunna live this long, I'd taken better care of myself!"

My 2 cents, of "knowledge versus maintenance", since I have some front line experience about the realities boat construction and structural maintenance in the past few years . . .

We have seen a few cases where a boat was pretty much toast after 10-12 years. Frisco's Sea Ray restore and there was another thread of a Checkmate restore not too long ago. . . those come to mind. Those boats probably lived a hard life, in their first life.

However, there are many other situations where a boat was not severely abused and treated more 'normally', and still after about 15-20 years, there were structural issues . . . my 2 boats come to mind in that regard. I would not consider my boats to have been abused, and there are plenty of other boats just like them that were normally maintained and still end up with structural issues.

This is where the 'knowledge' part comes in . . . if a boat owner is aware from the get-go of the limitations of a fiberglass-over-wood structure, then they are more apt to do the preventative things from 'Day 1'. Most boaters may not (and probably do not) have that depth of knowledge and awareness, and do what they consider a decent job of maintaining and caring for their boats, but from a structural perspective it is not enough. If more boat owners knew that they needed to keep the boat bone dry on the inside throughout its life, then they probably would.

So, I think that it is very true, if a fiberglass/wood structure boat is very well maintained over its life with keen awareness of its limitations, then the boat will last for 50+ years. More commonly, that is not the case, but many of those boats would be far from considered abused.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

More commonly, that is not the case, but many of those boats would be far from considered abused.

I would say the most common killer of boats is passive neglect.

Not abused, but also not cared for as well a they should be.

 

[beardeddone]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

I would say the most common killer of boats is passive neglect.

Not abused, but also not cared for as well a they should be.

And not necessarily the boat consumers or users fault by any means, without the knowledge of a forum as this one or others is most fiberglass boat owners have no idea there is wood that can and will rot under their feet on the deck, I know I didn't and was surprised to find that there was wood used and to me a design flaw in manufacturing this type of boat cost wise or otherwise ...

I for one would have never known this if this forum hadn't been available when I was searching for a fix if there was one for my rotten transom at that time. And how many used boats are sold with a user manual or if that info is in the manual if it is available.

Maybe a sticker in the boat itself should be posted something like Warning: do not get the inside of this boat wet as the wood can and will rot inside the structure of this boat from water...

The point is until a boat owner finds rotten wood in there boat no one even knows of it or this type of forum...By that time it is to late..I see lot of the time when repairs are made it comes down to poor drainage in the hull itself to me another design flaw..

 

[KennethfromGA]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

As a question are we being hyper sensitive about this? In tech, gadgets are said to have a planned obsolescence would not the same be doubly true for a "low margin low volume" industry like boat manufacturing? 20 years is a long time especially in a marine environment. Think about it a new boat that lasts twenty years will be in your home longer than your kids, cats, or dogs. In all likelihood it will out last two of your cars and what's left of your career and when you do decide to sell it the next guy will get a "good lake ready boat with maybe a little bit of a soft spot in the deck". What incentive does a manufacturer have to do better than that. Keep in mind I'm not saying it's right and yes the O.E.M.'s should do a better job with manufacturing and yes the owner's should keep their boats completely dry on the inside but neither is likely to happen. Boats are bought to be used and fiberglass boats are bought in large part because they are seen as invulnerable to rot. Properly maintained a wooden boat will last for centuries improperly maintained it will be scrapped inside of five years. Glassing the wood only changes this a little. Just my .02.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

Boats of all builds are subject to the "applicators". Sure you can have some extreme "Giggers" in the final finish line. But thats only the final finished product.

Very rarely do you see Management out there in the 'glass' department of the build. You would be hard pressed to see the production manager inspecting every screw that needs a countersink ... or a camphor sink. .. Proper bedding for every screw hole or drill hole ... or through hull.. Depends on the Applicator mostly and not the guy sittin' around on his morning donuts.

There are boats Built .. then there are Boats made ..

Depends on the guys on the line making the thing..

YD.

 

[Moose truck]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

OK, I am trying to get this, all those years as a youngster, I abused my Glastron by swimming, fishing and waterskiing off of it. Compounding that by getting into it soaking wet, getting caught out on the lake in the rain, and I fully intend to do that w/ the Larson, in addition to taking the kids tubing also. It's virtually impossible in the Northern US to fully dry a boat out outdoors. FWI Moose

 

[jigngrub]

Re: How Fiberglass Boats Are Made

OK, I am trying to get this, all those years as a youngster, I abused my Glastron by swimming, fishing and waterskiing off of it. Compounding that by getting into it soaking wet, getting caught out on the lake in the rain, and I fully intend to do that w/ the Larson, in addition to taking the kids tubing also. It's virtually impossible in the Northern US to fully dry a boat out outdoors. FWI Moose

Not a problem!

... your boat will just die an early death!

Seriously though, the swimming and water sports aren't that big of a deal. The soaking rain, snow, and ice is... especially if the bilge plug is left in the boat.