wrote in message
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On Jan 12, 6:38 am, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Calif Bill" wrote in message

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"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
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"Calif Bill" wrote in message
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Joe, your boat is not in the same league with the boats he is looking
at.

How so?

Thickness of aluminum. Bracing. General construction. I have owned
riveted boats. Valco. The rivets will loosen over time. The aluminum
will flex. The Northwest boats were designed to run white water rivers
with rocks. Jet drives required. But since then people found out how
good they were and wanted propeller drives for efficiency or what ever.
So the same construction methods for the boat are used in the propeller
boats. My boat is 3/16 thick bottom. Welded I-beam reinforcements inside
the bottom. Depending on the manufacturer some are using boxed
stringers.
All aluminum. Lund makes a great boat, they just do not have the
strength
of the Northwest boats. The NW boats also weigh more. My 21' Chevy
engine boat with the 67 gallon tank full scales about 3300#. I have
higher sides than a lot of the pure river sleds, so probably 300# more
or
less extra.

OK. This makes sense. Where does the OP live?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks
That is alot of info.and the links are a great source also.
But the question i am still after is what should the welds look like
and or what do you look for in welds on these boats? Hewes Craft boats
has what they call a Dime stack weld, is this better looking or better
for structure?

A good MIG or TIG aluminum weld should look like a stack of dimes. Go to
the Lincoln Electric website. They have vids and lots of info on welding.