Taiwan Made Boats

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

And don't forget bullets. Plenty of bullets made right here in the USA.

PS Zee, it was you who started the argument by saying that there were no lead keeled boats being built in the USA. Smelting, which I believe is the act of reducing the raw ore to metallic lead, may be shut down in the USA, but there is surely a lot of lead being used in manufacturing in the USA. Lead acid batteries come to mind at once, radiation shielding construction, counter weights in various applications (beyond keels), ammunition, fishing weights, dive weights... on and on. It is useful stuff, but difficult to bring into the world in a safe manner. I dunno where it all is happening these days, but China comes to mind... their ideas about enviro protection are different than ours, it seems.

thought I had it covered...

[Kenomac]

Barbells?

[boatpoker]

Sorry for the drift but I do have a tendency to respond when attacked. While I made no reference to lead manufacturing before Z's wild accusations I decided to look into it ...... Only Lead smelting from ore was driven out of business in the USA (per EPA website) but "Secondary lead smelting" (recycler melting)) is alive in California and several other states. here are a few of examples.
Aqua Metals, Alameda, CA
Exide Corporation, Deerfield, GA
usbattery.com

In fact you can get the whole list of "Secondary lead smelters" (euphenism for recyclers) from the EPA website. Now the report linked is from 1992 but most of the these companies are still in business. A few seconds on Google turned up these three examples among many others in the US. You can read the EPA Rules for Secondary Lead Smelting here.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

I have no idea where Catalina get their lead keels but they are still building Catalina's with lead keels. Hunter gets their lead keels from Mars Metal in Burlington Ontario, I've done some consulting there.

You could always call and ask Catalina if your knickers are in such a knot

Does hunter use lead? I know Catalina does. Beneteau and jeanneau use cast iron. Thought hunter did too but not certain.

But properly engineered an external lead keel imho is best as will be repairable if hits rock, can get the most weight low, and absorbs energy. My boat has nearly 8 foot long attachment to molded sump/stub on hull with tons of bolts. So low aspect at not at risk like a thin deep keel.

My old boat was encapsulated lead. Also nice but thicker keel so likely slower


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Cheechako]

I think it's a common mis conception that lead, chrome or galvanizing is not done in the US. It all came under attack decades ago, the rules were changed. small shops quit and other places got the right equiptment and processes and continue... albeit at much higher prices.
Lead is commonly available and melting it doesn't take high temperatures. Not sure if that's "smelting" or "melting" . As mentioned, lead is used in batteries and it re-used all over the place. :>)

[Jd1]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

JD, don't wish for your D-38 (depleted U) too hard... you might get some, and it would be a PITA to use in a keel (despite it occasionally having been done). Quite reactive, oxidizes pretty readily, would be very hard to paint successfully. No where near as malleable as lead so no shock absorbtion. Much higher melting poiint than lead, and requires casting in an inert atmosphere, difficccult to machine, too. Awkward stuff, that! Oddly, not much more toxic than lead, so that wouldn't be such a worry. Then, of course, you would have to constantly be fielding jokes about glowing in the dark, which of course illustrate lack of knowledge by the jokester, but...

And finally, it isn't much different than Tungsten in density, and you can buy that over the counter (with a big check book).

Jim

Thank you for that education. I guess Tungsten is my new goal if I ever win sufficient funds in the lottery to worry about these things Still like the bragging rights of a depleted uranium keel .... maybe instead of steel encased in concrete I could do depleted Uranium encased in lead ????

[Training Wheels]

Great idea, There's a bunch of radioactive waste at San Onofre, what a terrific way to dispose of it!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

Great idea, There's a bunch of radioactive waste at San Onofre, what a terrific way to dispose of it!

And best of all, you’d never have to apply anti-foul ever again

[Training Wheels]

And, no need to install underwater lights!

[double u]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pen_Duick :
"...its own exotic material - depleted uranium ballasted keel."

[Jolly Roger]

I travelled the world looking for a fifty foot Hudson “Venice” model, which were built in Taiwan. I still think that is the best internal layout I’ve ever seen. Most of them I looked at had their wooden masts changed for aluminum, and otherwise in excellent shape after 35 years.
Surely, the obvious answer with any boat purchase, especially an older boat, is a thorough survey, and a detailed personal rummage? Then you can assess the risk and take it or leave it, wherever it was built.

[zeehag]

oh i sooo love snark infested waters...... bravoooo... h ah ah aha ha