[Public-list] fiberglass strength

[George Dinwiddie]

Glenn,

I wouldn't worry too much.  It won't all break down at once.  The 
tabbing to bulkheads is likely to work loose over time, but that's 
pretty easy to see and correct.  Polyester resin is relatively stable in 
UV, and the coloring in the gelcoat blocks the UV from going deeper. 
The hull is quite thick.

All in all, I think there are more likely things to worry about.

  - George

brooks.glenn at comcast.net wrote:
> I've been wondering alot about residual strength of resin in 38-40
> year old Albergs ...???  A lot of plastics break down over time with
> exposure to UV, similarly, all materials, included bonded/composites,
> etc all have a finite life span dictated by the number of times the
> material vibrates, bends and, stresses, etc...
> 
> So, how strong are the bonds in the layers which bind the bulkheads
> to the hull, and the layers in the hull, itself???  -> compared to
> when the boats were relatively new...
> 
> I am thinking about taking my A-30 to Hawaii next year, and going on
> to Indian ocean and Europe the year after.  I sort of cringe every
> time I crash through a lumpy sea and hear the glass take the crunchy
> little impact.  How long can can this glass go on without getting to
> brittle and breaking...
> 
> Anybody contemplated this at all???

-- 
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   When I remember bygone days                         George Dinwiddie
   I think how evening follows morn;            gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
   So many I loved were not yet dead,           http://www.Alberg30.org
   So many I love were not yet born.
                'The Middle' by Ogden Nash
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