Commodore Joe Redcloud wrote:
On 10 Dec 2005 07:02:22 -0800, "Capt. Rob" wrote:

Go check out the windshield in your Tribeca, Rob! It is heavily
depended upon
for supporting the roof in a rollover. See how it's fastened?


Actually, the B9 frame can support twice it's weight in a rollover due
to circular members incorporated into the chassis. The for and aft
windows are designed to pop out.

Nonsense. Car marketing departments always claim their cars have "roll cage
construction". It's essentially puffery. When I bought a brand new Pontiac
Firebird 400 H.O. convertible in 1969, the salesman told me that the frame
around the windshield was an effective rollbar! A meaningful roll cage would
not fit in the space allowed between the skin and the headliner. All they are
saying, is that the roof is supported by ribs - just like every other car with a
hardtop. Supporting twice it's weight is really nothing in the context of a
rollover, where the force exerted will likely be many, many times that.

The idea that your car's windshield is "designed" to pop out is laughable in the
age of airbags. It's like yelling "Sit" at a dog who is already sitting, to make
it look like it was your idea. If your windshield is prone to popping out in
accidents, it is a serious design flaw. It was not intentional! In the 60's and
70's, Saab and a handful of others designed windshields that would pop out if
your head struck them hard enough. Saab also designed engine mounts so that in a
front end collision, the engine would go up over you, and kill your kids in the
back seat instead. Nobody does pop-out windshields any longer, as shoulder belts
and airbags completely eliminate the need. Meanwhile, windshields are
universally part of the design of cars for integral rollover protection. Not
just some cars. ALL cars legal for sale in the US.

Your Beneteau makes use of a lot of modern adhesives for structural integrity.
So do more and more boats and cars. Welding and bolting are passe, and no longer
cost effective in many applications where the right adhesive is far superior and
cheaper to use than mechanical fasteners. If you could brag that your new boat
had "All modern adhesive construction with no mechanical fasteners", now, THAT
would be noteworthy.

If you ever have the windshield in your Tribeca replaced, you will be told that
you cannot drive the car for an hour or more. If you ask why, they will say it
is purely due to the fact that if you were to pull out of the parking lot and
get into an accident resulting in a rollover, you would not be properly
protected, and the installer does not want to be responsible. Other than that
factor, you could drive away immediately with no ill effect on the windshield or
its installation.

Your windshield is a vital structural element of your Tribeca, and it is glued
in place, with essentially the same system used on the old C&C's and Expresses.

My 1986 C&C has the original glued in windows and they have never leaked. I've
had two knockdowns onto the starboard side.


Commodore Joe Redcloud

CJR:

You are exactly correct about the rollover protection. According to
this:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...standards.html

Capt. Rob's Tribeca does not have adequate roll over protection and
would not meet the new standard of 2.5 times car weight. The Tribeca is
not a Volvo and it's pretty ugly too.

Bret