Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

[essdee]

I have a 16' Glastron hull which I am pretty sure is more than a decade old. I am obviously not the first owner ; )<br /><br />The hull seems to be in good shape and I can't detect any significant cracks or weaknesses.<br /><br />For how long are such hulls safe assuming there has been no impact/collision/overload damage? I mean, does fibreglass become brittle over time?<br /><br />I've heard one horror story of someone's hull actually cracking/breaking up while at sea but was not able to source any other particulars.<br /><br />Are there any integrity tests that I can perform to gauge the seaworthiness of this hull?<br /><br />Thanks in advance!<br /><br />PS. I can post pictures of the hull if required.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

For how long are such hulls safe assuming there has been no impact/collision/overload damage? I mean, does fibreglass become brittle over time?

The design Life is Indeffinte.........<br /><br />No,... Fiberglass Doesn't tend to get Brittle.......<br /><br />I'm Not saying what you Heard is Untrue,.......<br /><br />But,...<br />It IS a Rareity,+ I would think there had been some Other form of Damage to that Hull to cause it to Break Up..........<br /><br />Ell,........<br />My personal Fleet is 1974,+ Older.......

 

[Buttanic]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

This may not be true in all cases but I believe older fiberglass boats(25+ yrs old)were over built because there wasn't much history at the time to go by to as to the life and strength of fiberglass boats.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Originally posted by Buttanic:<br /> This may not be true in all cases but I believe older fiberglass boats(25+ yrs old)were over built because there wasn't much history at the time to go by to as to the life and strength of fiberglass boats.

No Doubt.............<br /><br />Boats from the 50s,+ 60s Are Much Heavier than the boats from the 80s or 90s........

 

[JasonB]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

My two 1976 Glastrons are still in great shape. no major fiberglass issues whatsoever. As said above, these older boats were generally overbuilt.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

My hull was layed up in 1970, it is still flexible and strong. Your fiberglass hull will outlive you, it is everything else in the boat such as wood structure, drivetrain, interior that degrades and needs attention.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

I read about this; the oldest fiberglass hull was built in 1950 and is owned by the United States Navy. It is sitting outside in the elements, unprotected, somewhere on the east coast. Every year someone goes out and cuts a small piece out of the fiberglass and takes it to a lab for analysis. To date, no deterioration at all.

 

[essdee]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

If only other things in life were as enduring. It's also interesting to note that similar to car bodies, the thickness of fibreglass hulls has been "optimised" over time. At one point my dad owned an original 1969 Mercedes complete with chrome, tail-fins and white walls. The sheet on that monster was so thick that you could not dent it with a fist. Have driven many other cars since then and not one has matched the feeling of safety which you got from that old Merc.<br /><br />Thank you to all for the reassurance and trivia : )

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

The old hulls that are still around were well built, but there were plenty of junk boats built then too. They're in land fills or on the bottom now.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

and not one has matched the feeling of safety which you got from that old Merc.

Ironically, it's just a feeling, not reality. Cars need crumple zones. They slow the impacts and absorb energy. A solid car transmits the energy to the occupants.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Fiberglass like just about any other material is susceptable to fatigue and older, larger hulls tend to get a little flexy. I don't know if it's really important on smaller boats, and really doubt it's much of a safety issue but I imagine a boat that's done it's fair share of pounding isn't going to be as stiff & fast as a freshly forged hull.

 

[essdee]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Good observation SwampNut! I completely agree with the crumple zones reality. Still, it felt good to drive that monster : )<br /><br />Thanks Paul and Ondarvr for the input. You're both absolutely right. I'm sure there were plently of lemons around at that time which is why I can derive some reassurance from the fact that Glastron built my hull. And yes, old hulls should theoretically not have the structural rigidity of new fibreglass. I think Paul hits it on the head by factoring in the size of the hull. Smaller LOA should be less susceptible to breaking apart as opposed to longer hulls where there is more chance for loads to be incorrectly distributed.<br /><br />I would like to add that weather and storing conditions would play a large role in this too. My hull for example has spent all its life in the Middle East climate with summer temperatures hitting 50C. Baking under that unforgiving sun for most of the year can't be good for the hull material.

 

[scotttu]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Fiberglass will deteriorate, if left unprotected and in the sun.<br /><br />I've seen fiberglass row boats sit out by my big boat, cracking and peeling - but that's SUN damage..my neighbor is going to pull his out and sand and paint it this summer for that reason.....<br />I suppose it's also how it's built - a lot of those old row boats seem to be made out of the blow type glass not actual fiberglass cloth.<br /><br />Otherwise if painted - I agree forever is a long time!

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Like anything, it depends on a myriad of factors. I would much rather have a 40-year old hull that has been well taken care of than a 10 year old hull that has been abused. Manufacturing techniques play a part, too. There are some late model boats that were built on the cheap and have been known to break up with moderate use. The type of gelcoat, UV inhibitors, kind of layup techniques used, kind of glass used, etc. all play a part. Far to many factors to make a generalization in regards to age or hours of use before a failure can be expected... If it's a good brand with a solid track record, it will probably outlive you...<br /><br />Also, as was pointed out above, many failures of older glass boats originated with the deterioration of the underlying structure - stringers, frames, transom, etc. The wood is often left unsealed and untreated in these older boats, so it can get soft with time. If a boat is run with a punky transom, you can lose the motor, or even sink the boat.<br /><br />Bottom line, check your boat periodically. Look for soft spots in the floor, or maybe extra weight on the trailer which might indicate it's soaking up water in the old foam. Know your boat...<br />- Scott

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

Still, it felt good to drive that monster : )

I had a late 60's Mercedes 220D, and yeah, it felt great and solid. Closing the door sounded more like a bank vault than a car.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

i would stay away from all fiberglass boats mass produced before say, 1958

 

[Duug]

Re: Safe Working Life of a Fiberglass Hull?

I have a 1969 16' Bonito that came with a 65hp Johnson. I repowered with a 115 Evinrude in '85 and recently replaced that with a Yamaha 90. The hull is still in great shape.