"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:P2wij.1805$wx.451@pd7urf1no...

Actually the 3/16 does logs fine.

Sure better than 0.090 or 0.100.

Went fishing once in a tin can on a lake in the middle of Wisconsin,
Tomahawk I think. Found a large bay, and said this water does not look
right and slowed down. I was right, found out later why too. In the
winter if it freezes they dump stumps and logs into it for bass and it
would be like a mine field if you hit that with much more than adrift
speed.

If it freezes? This the tomahawk lake near rhinelander? No "if"
involved. And I figure the logs are left over from the logging era, but
maybe they dump them in also.

Needless to say, I took the tin in and had a gas. Lost count on how
many small mouth bass I nailed that day. But you could hear the
aluminium flex when you tapped one.

A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:wrwij.1919$wx.1785@pd7urf1no...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:R6vij.61672$EA5.53484@pd7urf2no...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:wHdij.60275$EA5.19428@pd7urf2no...

wrote in message
...

First, rivets are used on aircraft for the following reasons, not all
of value on a boat:

- low weight per attached foot of seam than welding
- cheap and manufacturing ease of use
- thermal expansion and flex
- can be drilled out for access/repair/inspection
- welding is more expensive per attached foot than rivets


Are other opinions welcome, yes.

I think aluminum welds are fine as long as they are reinforced or the
sheets are relatively thick. Thin sheet (seam) welding of aluminum is
prone to cracking when subjected to even a little flex as compared to
other metals. Maybe someone with knowledge of metallurgy can explain
the crystalline structure, etc. My opinion is based on experience in
industry.

BTW, I think flex is much more important in airplane wings than you
give it credit for. Next time you fly, note the location of a wing
tip as the airplane begins it's take-off run and watch it as you
become airborne. While flying in turbulence, watch the tip of the wing
again. There's quite a bit of wobbling around going on out there.
Welded aluminum panels wouldn't last long, nor would the wings if they
were designed to be stiff rather than being allowed to flex.

Eisboch

But my point being, do you want that much flex on a 17-19' boat?

I would think not. But on an aircraft, this is good. The wings are in
effect shock absorbers for up/down drafts and air density changes. But
I don't think this level of flex is needed nor desirable on a small
boat.


The wings of an aircraft are *not* designed to be shock absorbers. They
may be, by default of their ability to bend without breaking, but that's
not the design purpose. The design purpose is to allow them to bend and
flex (which they are going to do, welded or riveted) without breaking
off. Rivets allow the bending and flexing without exceeding the yield of
the aluminum. Welding would make them so stiff that they would snap near
the welds.

But, that's not the issue. It's the fact that even a small, thin
skinned aluminum boat *will* want to flex. If it can't (because the
seams are welded) it's likely that one or more of the relatively weak
welds will break whereas a riveted construction allows the bending or
flex without damage.

Even large, welded steel ships have expansion joints built into the hull
structure to allow for flexing, otherwise it would crack in half in
rough seas.

Eisboch

While I don't profess to be an aircraft engineer, I done believe the
sales hype about boats are better because we build then like aircraft.
The needs of the two are different. Even the rivets are different.

You mean like Edmund Fitzgerald? Me, I don't plan on being in anything
remotely as hazardous as Lake Superior and have no intention of amidships
being over a 35' wave. Michigan, no problem. Koocanusa, Lake of the
Woods, Rainy River, nice. But I just have a thing about Superior...used
to live by that lake and I would sooner hit the Pacific.

But how much does a 17-20' boat need to flex? If we look at fibreglass
in this size, not much hull flex at all.


For some boats, the rigors of trailering on awful roads might be worse
than the pounding they get in the water.

Good point. The amount of support on some trailers looks kind of pretty
small in the square foots department. At least in the water it is
distributed over a much larger area. And Canadian roads... 'nuf said.

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...

"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:P2wij.1805$wx.451@pd7urf1no...

Actually the 3/16 does logs fine.

Sure better than 0.090 or 0.100.

Went fishing once in a tin can on a lake in the middle of Wisconsin,
Tomahawk I think. Found a large bay, and said this water does not look
right and slowed down. I was right, found out later why too. In the
winter if it freezes they dump stumps and logs into it for bass and it
would be like a mine field if you hit that with much more than adrift
speed.

If it freezes? This the tomahawk lake near rhinelander? No "if"
involved. And I figure the logs are left over from the logging era, but
maybe they dump them in also.

Yep, that would be the one. North mostly west side of the lake, under the
tracks leading into a river feed. Nice Muskie up there too, mine got away
but close enough to see the critter. Caught a 23" walleye of all things in
the river too. Once under the tracks, going upstream stick to the right as
in the center to the left shore, quite a few dead heads just inches under
water. But sneak your boat in there and the smallies be a in there.
Especially near the small island to the west and shore to the south.

While they were not like the 5 pounders I really like, usually 10-15", the
quantity was awesome when I was there.

Pike were good in a pool off the river not 1 mile up the river.

A local resort owner told me it was deliberate to foster a breading ground.
Lots of stumps, even in the open waters you would snag one once and awhile.
Being an artificial lake, not a bad place to fish. I hit that lake 3 times,
always in September.

There is another railway crossing to the east. Hit that area good. Mostly
small walleye.

On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:10:32 GMT, "Canuck57"
wrote:

A local resort owner told me it was deliberate to foster a breading ground.

Wouldn't that make soggy bread?

"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:YLxij.61953$EA5.4653@pd7urf2no...

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...

"Canuck57" wrote in message
news:P2wij.1805$wx.451@pd7urf1no...

Actually the 3/16 does logs fine.

Sure better than 0.090 or 0.100.

Went fishing once in a tin can on a lake in the middle of Wisconsin,
Tomahawk I think. Found a large bay, and said this water does not
look right and slowed down. I was right, found out later why too.
In the winter if it freezes they dump stumps and logs into it for
bass and it would be like a mine field if you hit that with much more
than adrift speed.

If it freezes? This the tomahawk lake near rhinelander? No "if"
involved. And I figure the logs are left over from the logging era,
but maybe they dump them in also.

Yep, that would be the one. North mostly west side of the lake, under
the tracks leading into a river feed. Nice Muskie up there too, mine
got away but close enough to see the critter. Caught a 23" walleye of
all things in the river too. Once under the tracks, going upstream
stick to the right as in the center to the left shore, quite a few dead
heads just inches under water. But sneak your boat in there and the
smallies be a in there. Especially near the small island to the west
and shore to the south.

While they were not like the 5 pounders I really like, usually 10-15",
the quantity was awesome when I was there.

Pike were good in a pool off the river not 1 mile up the river.

A local resort owner told me it was deliberate to foster a breading
ground. Lots of stumps, even in the open waters you would snag one once
and awhile. Being an artificial lake, not a bad place to fish. I hit
that lake 3 times, always in September.

Well, it is possible they put them in but I am really skeptical. That
whole area was logged off around 1900 and the logs floated to the
sawmills. Some percent of them sank and are still there. see

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/...OPTR=119&REC=9

or

http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/...ORT=descri%7Cf

There is another railway crossing to the east. Hit that area good.
Mostly small walleye.


good fishing in that country for sure.

Jim wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Finally going to make the plunge and buy an aluminum boat, but i
am confused. Our goal is to buy a boat that will last for many
years to come and also turn heads when on the water. The more i
talk to salesman the more BS i hear. What should i be looking
for as far as the quality of the welds, some look like art and
some look like my son who is 12 tried to weld for the first time.
Does the apperance of the weld matter? We are looking at a 200
Sea Runner Hewes Craft right now, any comments would help at this
point

Thanks

www.blacklabmarine.com

plate welded aluminum boats

high quality, great welds, definitely turn heads

I guess so. Those things are butt ugly. You can't help but notice.

C_Kidman69, Where are you located? There's a bunch of aluminium boat
dealers here in Boise including a couple of builders. Customweld being
one. My next door neighbour owns an aluminium boat that he purchased
here but was built in Portland,Or I believe.I'll post more after I talk
to him. I don't push any brand because we own a couple of sailboats. Jim

--

James wrote:

Jim wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Finally going to make the plunge and buy an aluminum boat, but i
am confused. Our goal is to buy a boat that will last for many
years to come and also turn heads when on the water. The more i
talk to salesman the more BS i hear. What should i be looking
for as far as the quality of the welds, some look like art and
some look like my son who is 12 tried to weld for the first
time. Does the apperance of the weld matter? We are looking at
a 200 Sea Runner Hewes Craft right now, any comments would help
at this point

Thanks

www.blacklabmarine.com

plate welded aluminum boats

high quality, great welds, definitely turn heads

I guess so. Those things are butt ugly. You can't help but notice.

C_Kidman69, Where are you located? There's a bunch of aluminium boat
dealers here in Boise including a couple of builders. Customweld being
one. My next door neighbour owns an aluminium boat that he purchased
here but was built in Portland,Or I believe.I'll post more after I
talk to him. I don't push any brand because we own a couple of
sailboats. Jim

My neighbour has a Thunderjet and his buddy has a Customweld. Jim

--