El and Bill
New member
Best to keep this thread on topic, so I'll PM my post instead of putting on thread.
Build quality
- Thread starter nimrod
- Start date
Spun Copper,
Sorry to hear of your issues. I have never bought a new boat which didn't have some issues.
The gel coat "over spray" would be a repair issue, not an issue at molding.
Generally "stress fractures" are not serious issues--but are areas of overly thick gel coat--in areas where it is applied in the mold. Gel coat is the first layer applied in the mold. Usually the base coat (white for most C Dorys) is sprayed first, then the opaque coat is sprayed-be it red, black, green etc. This is over the entire boat, including the white coat. The area which is colored (blue) is masked off in the first spray coat.
All gel coat should be Cook Composites--which C Dory has used for a long time--gel coat is soft. If it was improperly cured (lack of catalyst, contamination or temperature issues, it probably would not have fully cured. This has happened in many manufacture lines--and usually is caught at the factory.
I have never measured my C Dory sides--it may be that many of them are 3/8" higher than the port side--or it could be the way the "lid" (cabin top) was put on. There are mistakes made in lofting on many boats--for example all Cal 46 had 6" slacker bilge at the garboard on the port side than stb. Thus they all have a slight list to port. The original hand built boat, that the mold was taken off was not properly lofted. The company just left it. I have never checked a C Dory for symetry--but it is very possible that they are off a few fractions of an inch.
I am not making "excuses" for any manufacture--I had my own share of issues. I guess the question is what is the quality of the current boat.
There have been financial problems in all of the boating industry in the last 6 years. Many have gone out of business--C Dory did not--even though there were serious issues. When the ownership changes, often the buyer of assets does not take on the liability of the previous builder. I bought a company boat building company for $8,000 in the late 1970's. This included molds, stock, a molded hull and deck and many parts to finish at least one 38 foot boat. The finished boats were selling for $138,000. If I had bought the liability, I would have been out of business the next day.
Sorry to hear of your issues. I have never bought a new boat which didn't have some issues.
The gel coat "over spray" would be a repair issue, not an issue at molding.
Generally "stress fractures" are not serious issues--but are areas of overly thick gel coat--in areas where it is applied in the mold. Gel coat is the first layer applied in the mold. Usually the base coat (white for most C Dorys) is sprayed first, then the opaque coat is sprayed-be it red, black, green etc. This is over the entire boat, including the white coat. The area which is colored (blue) is masked off in the first spray coat.
All gel coat should be Cook Composites--which C Dory has used for a long time--gel coat is soft. If it was improperly cured (lack of catalyst, contamination or temperature issues, it probably would not have fully cured. This has happened in many manufacture lines--and usually is caught at the factory.
I have never measured my C Dory sides--it may be that many of them are 3/8" higher than the port side--or it could be the way the "lid" (cabin top) was put on. There are mistakes made in lofting on many boats--for example all Cal 46 had 6" slacker bilge at the garboard on the port side than stb. Thus they all have a slight list to port. The original hand built boat, that the mold was taken off was not properly lofted. The company just left it. I have never checked a C Dory for symetry--but it is very possible that they are off a few fractions of an inch.
I am not making "excuses" for any manufacture--I had my own share of issues. I guess the question is what is the quality of the current boat.
There have been financial problems in all of the boating industry in the last 6 years. Many have gone out of business--C Dory did not--even though there were serious issues. When the ownership changes, often the buyer of assets does not take on the liability of the previous builder. I bought a company boat building company for $8,000 in the late 1970's. This included molds, stock, a molded hull and deck and many parts to finish at least one 38 foot boat. The finished boats were selling for $138,000. If I had bought the liability, I would have been out of business the next day.
thataway":27d4ibc6 said:
I found one "funny" lack of symmetry. I have a friend with a 22, and we got together one of the first times he took it out. As we were completing various tasks, he tossed me the vinyl adhesive registration numbers to apply to the bow. I did a bunch of measuring/taping/etc. and got them applied, and was happy (relieved!) that they ended up looking pretty good.
So, when I was getting ready to put the numbers on my 22, I went back and looked at a photo I had taken of his boat, just to see where I had placed the numbers, since it had worked out. "That's funny," I thought, "I don't remember the top of the state letters being so close to that colored gelcoat 'swoop' on the bow..." Oh well, anyway, on with the job on my boat.
So, before adhering them I measured, taped, marked, stood back and squinted.... and realized that the colored "swoop" on the starboard side was lower on the boat than the one on the port side. The light bulb went on. So *that's* why the state letters had looked so close to the colored swoop on my buddy's 22! I had set things all up on the port side and then just duplicated how far "up" they were from the strake line onto the starboard side. I went back and looked at photos of his boat, and yep, both of our 22's starboard-side colored sheer stripes come down lower than the port ones (at the bow where there is the "cutout" you can put the registration into). And our boats were built 5 years apart (his is 5 years newer).
Obviously this is not a big issue, but I just thought it was a little bit funny when I discovered it, and reading the prior post reminded me of it.
I wonder if they are all the same way? Ha, this will give me something new to look at in the albums
Sunbeam
Pat Anderson
New member
I love kimchi!
Wefings":10f90dwb said: