Deck & Hull Loosening On 382s???
 

Whats the story on the 382s that are having the decks & hulls loosening & having to be reworked to make them solid again?
Is it just certain years or something to watch on all 382s?

Search and you will be rewarded


http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...k-bonding.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...-rub-rail.html

Have a look at the above threads, I had one of the first boats with this issue. After we fixed 5 here on the wast coast it became really not a big repair. If you are careful removing the plex at the joint no paint is required. After the repair we have yet to have a repair fail. Formula builds great boats, they are a humble, caring company. I now have a 400SS with D-6 Volvos, another great boat ! When the early 382's were built I don't think they really knew how much plex was needed in the joint for long life. I'm sure in the last 5 years everybody has adjusted the joint bond procedure.

So after reading over the previous threads...
The newer the boat the better chance you have of not having the problem.
I'm shocked that Formula didn't take care of these boats!
As long as they've been in business & knowing customer service & quality image is VERY important to boat buyers.
I'm looking at Formula differently after reading thru all the info!

I'm in the market for a boat right now, late 90s early 2k is what my budget allows. But I haven't pulled the trigger on anything because the prices are higher than they have been in years, and more so, I'm afraid of problems like these

Not a big deal to fix, but certainly a daunting task for a guy like me. We still have our Formula and repairs are good!!! :) :D

If you tackle this fix on your own, don't skimp on the prep and attention to detail. I (uncharacteristically) rushed the job 5 years ago, and am now doing it right. Clean out all the old crap, make sure you get Plexus into the entire depth of the joint, and use spacers if the joint is too tight and squeezes out all the Plexus. Oh - And let it fully cure before screwing everything back together. Lesson learned...

I fixed my 353, same issue as a 382, cost $100.

A shot of my repair job from yesterday. I used wedges to hold the seam way open so I could get the Plexus all the way up in there. I also squeezed the tip of the mixing nozzle from round to a flat oval shape to get it as far in as I could. If the seam wanted to close down completely, I used short lengths of .070" coat hanger wire to hold it open while the Plexus cured. Recommended minimum gap is .032".

Formula gave me great pricing on the Plexus, and loaned me the special gun for just a deposit.

I have about 60% of a 490 ml cartridge of Plexus MA2045 if anyone can use it. Shelf life is 10 months...

Still blows my mind that Formula does not take care iof this, might be easy fix sure... but this part of the boat should never ever ever fail, my Cig is glassed together... why do production builders skimp out?? this is like re attaching the roof to your car.... just should not happen. I have a buddy dealing with this right now, the job sucks a little and absolutely should be done by the builder...