Question about commercial speed boats

[Vulkyn]

What do the leading names use for their fiberglass hulls in sizes less that 32 fgeet? Polyester or epoxy ?
Does any one know? What is the norm now days for fiberglass boats like sea ray, stingray, four winns etc....

[CDK]

They use polyester from a spray gun that also adds short glass fibers.
Glastron now produces some hulls with foam filled double walls, each less than half the thickness of a single walled hull.
The operative word in technology development is CHEAP.

[Vulkyn]

hmmm the yard in Egypt uses Hand-laid fiberglass strands. Polyster is applied by rollers, i wounder how that can be improved with out a huge investment in technology?

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

i wounder how that can be improved with out a huge investment in technology?

NOT





..........as long as the wages are as low as they are it will not make any sense for a builder to "improve" anything.

Regards
Richard

[gonzo]

There's nothing wrong with hand layed fiberglass. The key to success is a well trained crew and quality control.

[Vulkyn]

I have changed the printing business in the same way ...
You give peanuts u get monkeys its as simple as that. It was a challenge to turn my printing business around with the same problems and i know i can do the same with the right approach (and lots of training for myself.)

Unfortunately its my father's business and lets just say i got the bad end of the stick so i am moving on.


The Egyptian market is huge!! and there is lots of opportunities in this field, it just needs the right mind set, determination and persistence to do things properly.

So my struggle starts (again )

[tinhorn]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

hmmm the yard in Egypt uses Hand-laid fiberglass strands. Polyster is applied by rollers, i wounder how that can be improved with out a huge investment in technology?

Materials, perhaps. I used some pretty sophisticated materials without investing in even a resin gun. Plastic microspheres and ceramic fillers in VE resin, 3D fabrics and carbon/Kevlar weaves. (I built custom car bodies, not boats. Boats are next.)

Nothing wrong with hand-laid 'glass. Parts from a chopper gun are usually resin-rich from what I've observed. Some dude near me sells little hand-laid sailboats for several thousand dollars, and the insides are as beautiful as the outsides.

Hmm,

materials?

They do not even know the difference between poly and epoxy.......

And they have lost their ability to build seagoing fishing boats during the past 30 or so years.

Now we are telling them the advantage of one technology over the other? Hey, come on....

[tinhorn]

But Vulkyn is determined to change all that, at least within his sphere of influence. Better he mess around with a box of microspheres than piss away his nest egg in RTM tooling, no?

To "do it differently" is one of Joe Sugarman's success rules, and it's one that worked for me as I bootstrapped a few different businesses. I predict Vulkyn will modernize boatbuilding in Egypt, or will crash spectacularly in flames in his attempt. Either way, he'll have interesting stories to tell.

[Vulkyn]

Originally Posted by tinhorn

I predict Vulkyn will modernize boatbuilding in Egypt, or will crash spectacularly in flames in his attempt. Either way, he'll have interesting stories to tell.

I am glad even in failure i might provide some entertainment value
And yes i will modernize boat building in Egypt or die trying

[keysdisease]

Until just recently many of the name brand boat manufacturers you mention used the same methods you see in Egypt. In fact a "hand laid" fiberglass hull was a selling feature. The main reason many of them changed was because of new regulations making open mold boat building "old fashioned."

The methods you see in Egypt are perfectly appropriate and well proven ways to build a fiberglass boat.

The new methods still call for hand laid fiberglass but instead of rollers the current method is "vacuum bagging." A pretty simple improvement but it can come with a steep learning curve.

Most of the boats you mention use a core material for the hull sides above the waterline. PVC or balsa are typical cores. This is to save weight and add rigidity.

The finished product will look the same with either method. The vacuum bagged boat will be lighter. Depending on labor and resin costs "hand lay up" may very well be cheaper.

The methods you describe are how fiberglass boats have been being made for over 50 years, it is tried and true and does not call for a high degree of skilled labor.

Steve

[mydauphin]

The method of construction is not nearly has important as quality of design, materials, and labor. Go look at a race boat, they are all hand laid, with vacuum bagging. There is such a variety of materials. Suggestion go to the next IBEX show. They used to have them here in Miami every year, now they are in Tennessee.

[Vulkyn]

I understand i guess i was more concerned with having a proper step by step system and work flow to enhance the existing process.
There is a good 30-60% of improvement that can be done with the existing production method (more consistency, less deviation between each boat, more standardized process, more follow up, training on best practices etc..)

However the problem i will face is how willing the shipyard wants to go? The problem i always faced was management more than workers. I have a meeting with the yard next week to see how things will proceed.

P.S its my birthday today \o/ another year passed i am older but now wiser : D

[Vulkyn]

wow not a single happy birthday ..... man getting old is depressing

[mydauphin]

Originally Posted by Vulkyn

wow not a single happy birthday ..... man getting old is depressing

You never said how old you are....