Putty Boats

[A30_John]

I stumbled on this site today:

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Fiberglass_Boats.htm

I'm curious to know how widespread the use of putty-based composites is, and whether they have been used on any larger sailboats. Has anyone on the list worked on or surveyed a boat made with these composites?

[Tim]

You might find that sort of junk in all kinds of junky boats--the price leaders, and high volume builders. It's well known that Sea Ray, Bayliner, Carver, Hunter, and myriad other builders cut significant corners in their construction.

It's no surprise that these builders may be relying upon a sort of sandwich construction in which the lightweight outer hull and lightweight interior liner/deck liner are bonded together with a layer of that sort of putty material, ostensibly in place to provide a strong bond between the two outer so-called structural layers. I suppose if this practice were actually done properly, the hull might end up with satisfactory stiffness, particularly for the boats' intended service. (Usually light duty, inshore activity). I opine that the boats in that article highlight once again the poor secondary bonding qualities of polyester materials; the putty and laminates are surely polyester based, and the putty bonding material just doesn't stick well to the layers it's supposedly trying to adhere together into a sort of monocoque structure.

The small powercruiser and express boat market is based heavily upon competitive price. To keep prices low, the builders look for way to remove materials from the boats. Less material means less cost, and less difficulty to build (read: less labor). This translates to a lower bottom line for the consumer. People buying these boats are concerned mostly about price, and about what color the cushions are. Really, this market is all about waterborne RVs. Lots of room, many convenience features, and wet bars spaced no more than an arm's length apart. The buyers of these boats aren't looking for brickhouses. They get what they pay for, and arguably what they deserve.

This by no means condones the builders' practices, but that's why they do it. There are reasons why good boats cost more money. I'm not a big Pascoe fan, but he brings up good points about the state of production boatbuilding today. Mostly, the boats in question are from a sector of the industry that people reading this forum would have little interest in--and for good reason.

[A30_John]

They certainly seem to have perfected the art of building boats to fine tolerances. But, given how cold the water can get in some areas, it sure seems dicey.