Negatives of full Fibreglass hulls/decks?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Lucky Luke 1

I wasn't worried Jim, seems it's only a high Latitude thing and not a low one. Must be a difference in cold..
Maybe not your cup of tea but this has me interested- Timber though. https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/port...36-/1280541144. Fairly new build.



On a more serious note it seems these older full fibreglass jobs have quite a few advantages over other hull types for cruising. Especially if your not a wielder or a carpenter and would rather have a drink than worry about rotting cores.

Luke, that boat looks quite tidy if the pix are current. Nothing wrong with timber if: it is built from appropriate woods, it has been meticulously maintained, fresh water has been kept out of the interior and the gods of the sea have been bribed regularly during her life.

As you say, not my cuppa, but if the style is what you want, she's worth a good look IMO... except that the price seems rather ambitious. Likely negotiable, though.

Good luck with your search, and give us a hoy if you wander south.

Jim

[Stewie12]

I had a solid hull and never had a problem with it in the cold. I hit a reef in Italy and it dried out fine. I would rather have a solid grp hull than anything else

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Please consider what you wand around you if you are trapped in ice. In addition to metal, the shape is important so how might pop up rather than get crushed. By north latitudes I don’t mean 40. Think arctic.

So if you're still holding onto this idea that fiberglass gets brittle from cold idea, you should really never fly on an airplane made in the last 25 years. It gets to -70F every day in the flight levels, planes should be falling out of the sky left and right!

I grew up in Alaska, was a deck watch officer on an icebreaker for 2 years, and then ran aircraft maintenance programs for aircraft with a large amount of structural fiberglass that got down to very cold temps in the flight levels every day. I've never heard of this alleged fiberglass brittleness concept or of a cruiser who would sail high latitudes in winter when temps are actually cold for that matter. If there was one, I would hope they wouldn't be getting their advice on the subject from random people on the internet. Curious what your experience in the area of being stuck in ice in a cruising boat and operating a fiberglass boat at low temperatures where it got brittle are?

[Lucky Luke 1]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Please consider what you wand around you if you are trapped in ice. In addition to metal, the shape is important so how might pop up rather than get crushed. By north latitudes I don’t mean 40. Think arctic.

I don't plan to be anywhere near icebergs, let alone trapped in ice. Some on the deck in the morning i can live with..for a little while..