Some of Baja's construction techniques amaze me
#21
Gold Member
Gold Member
The hull / deck joining method (wood screws & rivets) you shared is actually quite common. My 1989 Checkmate was in fact joined exactly the same way. For may folks who either don't boat in rough water or who never really push their boats, the technique actually seems to work quite well. (I did pull the rubber out of my rub rail and thru-bolt / Nylock nut every 12" though.) The problem one runs into in rough water with this construction method is that once things start moving, the movement just gets bigger and bigger. Before you know it, your deck is flapping in the breeze like a cheap flip-flop.
A number of years ago up here, some clown with zero boating experience decided he was going to take a POS Barretta (junk / chopper gun boat) and make it go a hundred miles an hour with a small block and Alpha drive - so he added Nitrous. The first time he pulled the trigger, the thing went out of control (I know, I was shocked too) and struck a pier. The deck - apparently held on with Trident Sugarless Gum, a few wood screws and maybe some Duct Tape - sheared off the hull and landed on the other side of the pier. The guy's major injuries were on the back side of his head - from when the deck went by.
So why don't all boat builders simply glass the hull and deck together like high end manufacturers? Simple - cost. When you build out a complete hull and deck separately and then joint them at the very last step (like Baja and many others), it's far less expensive to install everything because everything is out in the open and easy to get to. When you glass the halves together first - which is really the only way to do it - you have to bring everything into the cabin and install it in fairly confined quarters. This ain't cheap and it's certainly not fun, but unitized construction as it's called, makes a huge difference in how much structural integrity the final boat will have. Think of it this way; a full egg shell has a ton more structural integrity than two egg shell halves screwed together.
Tom
A number of years ago up here, some clown with zero boating experience decided he was going to take a POS Barretta (junk / chopper gun boat) and make it go a hundred miles an hour with a small block and Alpha drive - so he added Nitrous. The first time he pulled the trigger, the thing went out of control (I know, I was shocked too) and struck a pier. The deck - apparently held on with Trident Sugarless Gum, a few wood screws and maybe some Duct Tape - sheared off the hull and landed on the other side of the pier. The guy's major injuries were on the back side of his head - from when the deck went by.
So why don't all boat builders simply glass the hull and deck together like high end manufacturers? Simple - cost. When you build out a complete hull and deck separately and then joint them at the very last step (like Baja and many others), it's far less expensive to install everything because everything is out in the open and easy to get to. When you glass the halves together first - which is really the only way to do it - you have to bring everything into the cabin and install it in fairly confined quarters. This ain't cheap and it's certainly not fun, but unitized construction as it's called, makes a huge difference in how much structural integrity the final boat will have. Think of it this way; a full egg shell has a ton more structural integrity than two egg shell halves screwed together.
Tom
#22
Registered
By how poor they are
This is how my hull and deck are joined. Just toss it on there and sink some wood screws in it? Seriously?
[img]http://traviscrossett.com/hulldeckjoint.jpg[/img
Wirelooms? Nah, duct tape is just fine!
These were holding the cabin "bulkhead" in place. I put that in quotes because i'm not sure it qualifies as one not being affixed to the hull.
Lord knows what was happening when they bent.
This is how my hull and deck are joined. Just toss it on there and sink some wood screws in it? Seriously?
[img]http://traviscrossett.com/hulldeckjoint.jpg[/img
Wirelooms? Nah, duct tape is just fine!
These were holding the cabin "bulkhead" in place. I put that in quotes because i'm not sure it qualifies as one not being affixed to the hull.
Lord knows what was happening when they bent.
Duct tape, questionable-maybe, to hold the wiring in place until the panel is put on securing it. Where is it going to go after that?
A bent screw?
Sell your boat now! Before it is to late
#23
Good luck selling it now that he just bashed the $hit out of it on this forum.
#24
#26
Registered
By the way. I have a very good idea of what the white stuff is or at least what is is supposed to be. May be funny if he was to remove all of those nasty bent stainless steel screws and try to take the deck off.
Been to several boat manufacturers. All well known top names. Even owned a boat or two. And been around the block huh- maybe twice.
Been to several boat manufacturers. All well known top names. Even owned a boat or two. And been around the block huh- maybe twice.
#29
So true.. IMO any production based boat has these same problems.. Any boat made out of wood as the main structure is and will have rot issues sometime during it's life.. Thats just a FACT!!! I've replaced transoms, stringers and bulkheads in Baja, Checkmate, Fourwinns, Searay, Glastron, etc.. To many to remember them all, actually there is a thread on this site from about 10yrs ago where a guy had a completely rotten 38 TG cig from bow to stern!!
Bottom line if there is wood eventually there will be rot!!! All we can do is just keep restoring them and try to use better construction techniques..
Bottom line if there is wood eventually there will be rot!!! All we can do is just keep restoring them and try to use better construction techniques..
#30
Registered
mine was laid up with elmers glue and tissue paper and pre rotten wood. I had handfuls of screws rolling around on the floor I never could find where they came from.