A bit off topic... This sight has helped so much on a restoration, that I thought I'd toss this out.
I just bought a used airboat. Glass hull. The hulls have UHMW called poly bolted to the bottom, about 700 bolts. Its to protect from rocks, gravel, sand, etc... IE the bottom, mostly while running dry ground, but also shallow water issues etc...
Weight is an issue. Current boat has 1/4 inch on it. Due to power issues vs running dry ground I have been told to stick with 1/4 ..... but the most wear is on the back end under the motor and stern. Last 4 feet or so....
Anyway I was thinking, 3/8 inch is much better but heavier. What about 1/4 in the front 3/4 say, and then a good bevel cut and go 3/8 for the back 1/4 of the boat. Plus it would be easy to replace the area that wears the most in the future. With a bevel cut, there would be little chance, with the use of 4200, that anything would ever get snagged etc... IE its done all the time.
The real question comes, will that 1/8 inch thicker poly on the last 4 feet make it act like a hook, and create suction etc... and plow the nose? Attitude plus weight and motor power all all important to being able to run dry ground or not.
IMHO, the opposite happens as the poly wears, its thinner in the rear...
I like my idea, just want educated, experienced input as to the negatives... If the front piece has a 45 bevel on it facing the stern, and the back piece tucked up under it with 4200 as a "glue" between the two(the tons of bolts will do the holding power...) the only thing is that 1/8 inch extra coming as a bevel.
Thanks, Jeff
I just bought a used airboat. Glass hull. The hulls have UHMW called poly bolted to the bottom, about 700 bolts. Its to protect from rocks, gravel, sand, etc... IE the bottom, mostly while running dry ground, but also shallow water issues etc...
Weight is an issue. Current boat has 1/4 inch on it. Due to power issues vs running dry ground I have been told to stick with 1/4 ..... but the most wear is on the back end under the motor and stern. Last 4 feet or so....
Anyway I was thinking, 3/8 inch is much better but heavier. What about 1/4 in the front 3/4 say, and then a good bevel cut and go 3/8 for the back 1/4 of the boat. Plus it would be easy to replace the area that wears the most in the future. With a bevel cut, there would be little chance, with the use of 4200, that anything would ever get snagged etc... IE its done all the time.
The real question comes, will that 1/8 inch thicker poly on the last 4 feet make it act like a hook, and create suction etc... and plow the nose? Attitude plus weight and motor power all all important to being able to run dry ground or not.
IMHO, the opposite happens as the poly wears, its thinner in the rear...
I like my idea, just want educated, experienced input as to the negatives... If the front piece has a 45 bevel on it facing the stern, and the back piece tucked up under it with 4200 as a "glue" between the two(the tons of bolts will do the holding power...) the only thing is that 1/8 inch extra coming as a bevel.
Thanks, Jeff
