Is this normal hull thickness?

[David_Jersey]

Just been down to see a mates boat which is ashore in the local boat park and as always had a wander around looking at other boats being nosey. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Saw a large power boat, about 35/37 Foot long, looked like a Princess from the early 1990's (May have had Riviera written on it - and was open top with no flybridge).

She had large hole in her bow just below the waterline at forefoot, obviously impact damage, so of course I had good look /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Not sure if she was at sea when the damage was done as the forepeak / cabin looked surprisingly ok, maybe someone backed into her when ashore??

What surprised me was that the hull thickness was about 2mm............. (MAYBE 3mm)

I knew that these things were built light to keep down the weight and save costs and with the use of computer etc it is not like the "good old days" where the builders often added a bit more "just to make sure". But 2 mm surprised me somewhat, especially as half of this was gelcoat.

I am not saying that if she hit something at 30 knots that a thicker hull would have made much difference........... but my question is, is this a normal layup for this type of boat?

On the plus side I would guess that it would make spotting osmosis easy, as you could just poke your finger through the hull /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Not my sort of boat anyway (can't afford the fuel / engines / outdrives) but just curious..................

 

[oldgit]

Is this a Princess Riviera you spotted ?.Layup seems a bit on the light side to me,when you take into consideration that most UK boats are bit on the heavy side compared to imported stuff in this price range.The hull on my old P33 is around 5/6 mm at least,with 10mm on the bottom.For really scary stuff look HERE

 

[Talbot]

Scary stuff indeed. Makes you wonder what would happen if you took them to court over "fit for purpose"

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I've noted this myself when I've seen holes bored for bowthrusters but its not only the hull that gives the strength but also the grid of stringers behind the grp and adjacent bulkheads. Also the V shape of the hull at this point is more robust than the flatter sections aft
Actually, if the boat you saw was a Princess Riviera, then it was probably designed during the belt and braces era before CADCAM

 

[David_Jersey]

Looks the same - but I am not 100% on my white plastic blobs. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Was the P33 the model from the 1970's early 1980's? or the later 1980, models?. 1/2 cm would be what I had assumed to be "Normal" for this sort of boat (albeit still a little bit light for my tastes), maybe once they got a computer they managed to design the weight away for the later models?. I am not saying their is anything wrong with a boat with a 2mm hull.......................... apart from that I would not buy one!

I will be back down again next weekend to see my mate, hopefully they will not have fixed it and I will snap a couple of photos with the Digital camera and post them up.

BTW I did have a 2nd and 3rd and 4th look at the hole, as I found it difficult to believe at first and thought I was missing something.

 

[oldgit]

Boat began in late seventies and last hull was built around 1980.Will still see boats advertised claiming to 1982 but suspect hulls were lying around for year or two before being finished?