Just read a comment at the Beneteau Owners site. The statement that production sailboats are build at a cost per pound. From what I understood is that the quality is measured by how much it cost to build per pound. The lighter the boat, the poorer the quality. Is this true? I own a Hunter and there have been some issues with the quality of the gelcoat. I find it thin and there have been numerous cracks that needed to be repaired. Could these gelcoat issues be caused by the amount or lack of fiberglass below the surface. I have heard that owners of other production boats complain that their boats actually flex and cause some structural cracking on decks. There are the annual visits to the shop in the spring to have gelcoat touchups. Most boat manufacters only offer a one year warranty on the gelcoat. Not very long in my books. Their hulls have a guaranty for 5 years, so why are decks not treaded the same. Comments
- Status
Boats crack
They have to be flexible to go through the torture they endure, so the magical question is how to provide that flexiblity without cracking. I think Hunter does an excellent job. I've found some pockets and non-stress cracks over the years, but after 8,000 miles it's to be expected. I've got a few dings after 57 years too.
They have to be flexible to go through the torture they endure, so the magical question is how to provide that flexiblity without cracking. I think Hunter does an excellent job. I've found some pockets and non-stress cracks over the years, but after 8,000 miles it's to be expected. I've got a few dings after 57 years too.
Too heavy can be a problem too
There are a couple of gel coat cracks on my boat. The surveyor sugested that gel coats will crack if sprayed on too thick, as is often the case with a new worker who wants to do a good job and thinks he's doing a favor.
There are a couple of gel coat cracks on my boat. The surveyor sugested that gel coats will crack if sprayed on too thick, as is often the case with a new worker who wants to do a good job and thinks he's doing a favor.
Cost vs Weight
This is nothing new. I made the comparison years ago between like-manufactured boats and found a very strong correlation. Another adjustment you can make is with ballast. The assumption that lighter boats are cheaply made isn't necessarily correct. Take cars, for example, A Porsche is light but not cheaply made. One could use the same analogy with boats such as J-Boats. The design and construction of a quality lighter boat actually costs a LOT more than making a heavier boat. Carbon fiber masts, for example, are not cheap. Tim's comment about the likelihood of gel coat cracking because it is too thick is correct and, in my opinion, probably more probable. Flexing: Even an aircraft carrier flexes! Flexure, under normal use and for which the boat design was intended, that causes STRUCTURAL cracking on the deck would be a concern. Cosmetic cracks, by definition, aren't structural and I find it hard to think of a situation where one could correlate cosmetic cracks strictly with only the amount of fiberglass below the surface.
This is nothing new. I made the comparison years ago between like-manufactured boats and found a very strong correlation. Another adjustment you can make is with ballast. The assumption that lighter boats are cheaply made isn't necessarily correct. Take cars, for example, A Porsche is light but not cheaply made. One could use the same analogy with boats such as J-Boats. The design and construction of a quality lighter boat actually costs a LOT more than making a heavier boat. Carbon fiber masts, for example, are not cheap. Tim's comment about the likelihood of gel coat cracking because it is too thick is correct and, in my opinion, probably more probable. Flexing: Even an aircraft carrier flexes! Flexure, under normal use and for which the boat design was intended, that causes STRUCTURAL cracking on the deck would be a concern. Cosmetic cracks, by definition, aren't structural and I find it hard to think of a situation where one could correlate cosmetic cracks strictly with only the amount of fiberglass below the surface.
- Status