Life Span of Plastic Classic

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Windcall
Bottom Paint Application Technician
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 6:19 pm
Boat Name: Windcall
Boat Type: Alberg 30 1969 Hull 397

Life Span of Plastic Classic

Post by Windcall »

In restoring this Alberg 30 classic Plastic I often ponder and had asked myself before I bought this boat and even while restoring her, the question will this boat last till I am dead and will it still float and carry my body burning to Valhalla!

Wind call is now 52 years old, and in better shape than my 54 year old body! My son asked me the other day while home from College break! Dad you love this boat..but do you think it will last long enough to pass it down to me?

I wonder this too.. and will wonder this when in about 3 years or less I will if i stay healthy enough to finish the last part of circumnavigation that my father an I didn't get to finish. When I was young!

Looking at it as i restore her I see really nothing preventing allot more years,

This is more of an important question that the meaning of Life!

Windcall
Attachments
Alberg.jpg
svMira
Master Varnisher
Posts: 104
Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:16 pm
Boat Name: Mira
Boat Type: Pearson Wanderer 30
Contact:

Re: Life Span of Plastic Classic

Post by svMira »

I just turned 50. I'm a year older than my boat. I've owned enough plastic things long enough that I've seen many things just disintegrate. I had perfectly good winter boots with years of life left in them just fall apart in my hands because the plastic 'died'. Part of me is quietly afraid that at some point the hulls of our boats will just turn into dust. I kind of can't believe that this 49 year old concoction of chemicals is just robustly hanging around. Especially while a number of cars I've owned have just rusted away and fallen apart during that time.

Pushing on, in deliberate denial. <grin>
Marvin - s/v Mira - 1971 Pearson Wanderer #174
svmira.ca
CharlieJ
Wood Whisperer
Posts: 649
Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:42 pm
Location: South coast of Texas, Matagorda Bay

Re: Life Span of Plastic Classic

Post by CharlieJ »

My Rhodes Meridian 25 was built in Holland in 1961. I fully expect my family to pass her on to someone else when I'm gone. Absolutely zero reason she won't go another 30-40 years, given good care.

Picture taken while anchored Pipe Creek, Exumas, Bahamas
Attachments
anchored Pipe Creek.jpg
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