Commodore Joe Redcloud© wrote:
The reason early fiberglass boats were built on the heavy side was not
because builders didn't know how strong it was. That may have been a
factor for a few, as not all boat builders are on the cutting edge of
technologhy at all times.

The real issue was that builders needed to convince non-technical boat
buyers and traditionalists that fiberglass was as good or better than
wood. If the material looked too skimpy, it made nervous buyers think
"cheap and flimsy". Even today, wood boat fans derisively refer to
fiberglass boats as "clorox bottles.

It is mostly a preception and marketing issue, not an engineering
issue.


Commodore Joe Redcloud©

I get that irrational fear that the boat is not as strong as it should
be every time I am rummaging around in the cockpit locker and see
daylight through the hull. Maybe builders of modern boats should
include a layer of opaque resin?

Nick