Some people dont deserve a boat

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:20 pm

The hole in hull above the waterline...... looks to be thin glass for that boat. Hope insurance makes all well again too.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:39 pm

Whoops, I guess they were short on fiberglass that day. Call up Four Winns and demand they fix the hull they forgot to install. There's no glass there it's just gel-coat. It should be 1/4 to 1/2in thick weave you can thank the guy that hit you later. One good rough day in a few years and it might end up on the bottom of the lake. I'd have the whole boat ultrasonic tested for thickness (on Four Winns check).

I've seen pictures of that mistake on older boats that eventually caved in on those "boat fail" websites but never thought I'd add a Four Winns to that list.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:58 pm

Wow talk about over reacting.

Rick, Did you ever consider the fact that the "hole" is not actually all the way through the hull? Did you ever consider the fact that the white gel was over black gel coat? Did you ever consider that since this boat has a graphics package and therefore has multiple gel colors? Maybe there is lots of gel, but you have no idea what is under the black b/c the gouge didn't even make it to the glass. To me that is actually a pretty good thing.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:06 pm

RotaryRacer wrote:

Wow talk about over reacting.

Rick, Did you ever consider the fact that the "hole" is not actually all the way through the hull? Did you ever consider the fact that the white gel was over black gel coat? Did you ever consider that since this boat has a graphics package and therefore has multiple gel colors? Maybe there is lots of gel, but you have no idea what is under the black b/c the gouge didn't even make it to the glass. To me that is actually a pretty good thing.

That's a white gelcoat only boat. The rest is vinyl graphics. That's a hole in the gelcoat with nothing behind it, otherwise you'd see the amberish/white resin and glass fibers. Gelcoat alone is hard and brittle like candy. That hole wasn't probably caused by something poking it, it's just from behind hit by the edge of the other hull and chipped away.

Example:

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:14 pm

Hey ColeSL,

What is the black stuff under the white gel coat?

Ric,

HOLY S YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR BOAT DESTROYED, THAT GEL COAT IS ONLY 1MM THICK, IT MIGHT IMPLODE. OH, F YOU JUST SOLD THAT BOAT. THE POOR NEW OWNER MIGHT DIE!!!! WHAT ABOUT THE LIABILITY?!?!? YOU KNOWINGLY SOLD A BOAT WITH INFERIOR GEL COAT. DOOM DOOM

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:26 pm

Must be 5 o clock somewhere...

That black stuff in the hole is actually the dark hollows of inside the boat. There is no black material used in fiberglass construction. You spray a reverse mold with gelcoat then resin and fiberglass mat in multiple layers to build desired thickness and strength. Aside from gelcoat color (in his case white), there's no other layers of anything else inbetween, the resin and glass has to be directly applied to it. Gelcoat can only be up to .010" to .020" thick at a maximum. When they're spraying the mold with the big @$$ gun sometimes they miss spots, especially if it's a friday before a holiday weekend. Not unheard of, just most people never find out.

ColeSL · **Joined:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:23 am **Posts:** 48

There is definitly fibers underneath. Havent examined the hole 100% but I made sure it wasnt getting water in. Under the gelcoat there is definitly something black, felt like black fiberglass. I'll try to get a better picture next time I go in 3ft area of the river... As I said its no as big as it seems in the picture and very hard to see.

Ill try to negotiate wih insurance to get it done during winter storage, i dont feel like loosing the boat for a little while in the peak of the season.

ColeSL · **Joined:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:23 am **Posts:** 48

On a side note I'll definitly send FW an email regarding quality control.
I LOVE the boat but I hate the fact that every bolt possie is or was loose. Every hatch bolt, tower and many others were loose.

Walt · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:12 pm

ColeSL wrote:

I LOVE the boat but I hate the fact that every bolt possie is or was loose. Every hatch bolt, tower and many others were loose.

I go thru and check/tighten everyone I can reach when de-winterizing. I just assume it's part of owning a boat as my 18' Maxum was the same way at 15 yrs old. It really only takes about 30 min to get dang near all of them (hatch covers, hinges, seat mounts)... well worth the time IMO.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:41 pm

ColeSL wrote:

There is definitly fibers underneath. Havent examined the hole 100% but I made sure it wasnt getting water in. Under the gelcoat there is definitly something black, felt like black fiberglass. I'll try to get a better picture next time I go in 3ft area of the river... As I said its no as big as it seems in the picture and very hard to see.

Ill try to negotiate wih insurance to get it done during winter storage, i dont feel like loosing the boat for a little while in the peak of the season.

Is the red on your boat gel coat or vinyl graphics/decals?

What about the black where it wraps around to the back of the boat? Gel coat or vinyl?

What about the black boot stripe? Gel coat or vinyl?

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

If u have his insurance info then u file a claim on his policy and notify yours...he's at fault and u shouldn't have a deductable at all. If they balk your ins Co should pay in full and subrogate against his insurance Co.

Surely he will agree to that and give you his insurance carrier info. If not file with your uninsured boater section of policy and file a small claims case with justice of peace for your deductable...it would be advisable to take some pics of the corresponding damage to his tub. That will help insurance companies assess liability.....close up pics too.

Ric.....every boat will have some minor voids....and seperation of gelcoat from fiber. That's what blisters are like you had I think on the 180.....not even a warranty covered item. Especially when you are in areas where the boat surface flares like that one...sure mine is same way. Look how thick the gel is there in comparison the your gelcoat damage.plus, I am no boat builder but isn't the top portion formed seperately from the actual hull??? That is right above the rub rail and not part of the hull.

Remember...boats are made by man, not God:-)

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:20 am

Mark T wrote:

Tragic !!!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/05/25 ... yster-bay/

Sounds like the boat was similar to this one.

http://boats.oodle.com/view/2004-silver ... -diego-ca/

How in the world did you pack 27 on a boat this size ??????

We saw more than one overcrowded boat on the 4th as well. Even my kids commented that some of them were not safe. Maybe our parenting comments do " sink " in.

Very tragic, this happened just a bit to the west of me. I never take the boat out on the Fourth, just too many people that either don't know what they are doing or ignore rules that they do know. 27 people on a boat that size has to overloaded. The loss to the families has to be beyond comprehension. I have been thinking of getting a Revere coastal life raft, in addition to all the normal safety stuff.

Walt · **Posted:** Sat Jul 07, 2012 7:15 am

I agree, and don't quite understand boat plackard ratings. Mine is technically rated for 9 peeps, but I have no idea where they would sit! I can seat 7, and that's about it... even then, there is no getting anything out of the cooler, and how in the heck do you dig out the boards, or pull out 1-2 tubes and inflate with that many???? I wish common sense was more common for these "holiday boaters". I am like most I boat with....unless you want to witness something scary (or tragic in some cases), avoid the ramp on the holiday weekend!

LouC · **Posted:** Sat Jul 07, 2012 10:34 am

As far as FWs glasswork and lay up I got to see mine up close during my stringer and deck repair. Not bad, but the wood wasn't even glassed up all the way.

ColeSL · **Joined:** Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:23 am **Posts:** 48

RotaryRacer wrote:

ColeSL wrote:

There is definitly fibers underneath. Havent examined the hole 100% but I made sure it wasnt getting water in. Under the gelcoat there is definitly something black, felt like black fiberglass. I'll try to get a better picture next time I go in 3ft area of the river... As I said its no as big as it seems in the picture and very hard to see.

Ill try to negotiate wih insurance to get it done during winter storage, i dont feel like loosing the boat for a little while in the peak of the season.

Is the red on your boat gel coat or vinyl graphics/decals?

What about the black where it wraps around to the back of the boat? Gel coat or vinyl?

What about the black boot stripe? Gel coat or vinyl?

The black and red stripes are gelcoat.
Rear section o the boat is black gelcoat with a transition to black vinyl near the tree.

www.iFourWinns.com

Some people dont deserve a boat

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