Oopppss double post

How'd all this chit get started just from talk of something being screwed together? Must have been the post about the sisters.

And you watched it happen!

We all have one thing on the mind at all times.....well maybe 2..

24 superboats are not glass bonded... through bolts in the front where there is access... I don't know of any failures. And they get beat on.

My boat [ 1990 Mirage ] was bonded with methacrylate [ http://www.adhesive.com/type-methacrylate ], screwed every 6" with the rubrail and glassed inside at the seam with cloth . Boat is 24 yrs old, had taken a beating at numerous poker runs and still feels solid as a brick. It also has an inner liner as well. I've replaced the transom and stringers even though the transom wasn't saturated with water or mushy but had the engines out after hitting an underwater log tearing the leg so I've decided to make the boat last without any issue popping up later. Here'rs some pics how I did the transom. Holes were drilled larger where the existing ones are on the hull and filled with resin to avoid water seepage into the wood itself. I've also let the drain plug area void of wood.

The way I view it, the epoxies available today are often stronger than materials they are bonding. Once setup bolting it would make little difference in strength, plus it limits your rub rail choices. In my case the holes are all ready there, so I'll need to fill all of those in if I decide not to use bolts again.

I saw no signs of flex from this bolting method used and would probably be best to leave it alone. However the boat I'm working on has tons of cabin space that was never finished. So popping it apart would allow easy access inside, and the option to flip her over for a fresh bottom job. But it's gonna take some serious drinking to start prying apart a 22yr old boat...

My 77 pantera 24-7 is glassed together at the seam.

hey thats my wife you are talking about! lol

Fountain are bonded, bolted, the stinger is through bolted about every 6-8'' Going to bond portions of it before it goes back together I think


John jr