"Mid Size Power Boats": A Guide for Discreminating Buyers - by David Pascoe

PHOTO LIBRARY

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Hull Design Defects

Part I 

 Photos by David H. Pascoe, Marine Surveyor

 

Here's a good example of poor design and construction detail.  
Utilizing a glass over plywood framing system, there are no fillets under the frames or stringers which are butted hard against the hull.  

 

This creates hardspots with the propensity for stress cracking. 
In addition, the length-to-height ratio of the tall stringers creates instability where the stringers are likely to buckle under impact loading. Additional framing between the stringers is needed to stabilize them. Also note that there are only two hull side stiffeners so that flexing of the sides is likely to cause hull/deck joint breakage. In the forward section, a dog leg in the stringer profile can be seen.  


 
 

Dog leg in stringer which was cut down to make the engine fit.  
The stringer proved to be so weak that the engine bounced every time the hull hit a wave, ultimately bending the shaft and wrecking the transmission. Also notice the hard spots created by the fuel tank mounting pads at top of photo that caused stress cracks in the hull.  


 
 

Here's what often happens when a large cut out is made in a structural bulkhead.  

In this case, the 3/4" plywood was fractured in three places.  


 
 

This is another good example of the structural integrity of a bulkhead being defeated by cutting it full of holes.
It is perforated like a postage stamp and is destined to fail.

  

 
 
 

Floor frames under main mast of large sail boat.  

Properly designed by the designer, the builder apparently saw nothing wrong with drilling the frames full of holes. 

Here you can follow the fracture along the perforated effect of the holes at right and left sides. Frame was so weakened that ply separation also occurred. A marine surveyor got sued because he either did not find or report this condition, which was far more extensive than this photo shows.  

 

 

Stringer system of a 48' Hatteras Hi Performance Convertible. 

Note that the width of the top hats are about the same as the width of the bottom panel spans. 

This is a good example of structural overkill, yet demonstrates the builder's concern with strength. Also note the webs between stringers under the engine mounts that provide extra stability. Despite the appearance, these top hats are actually quite thin. When slamming occurs, the thin sections will absorb much of the impact, hence the web sections to increase stability and insure that the engine beds do not move. 

 

 

The importance of stringer stability is revealed by this stabilizing strut, in addition to the mounting frame above it.  

Yacht: 56' Magnum, 2600 HP. With this kind of horsepower, the mounting system and shafts will not tolerate movement. 

 

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Related Photos: Hull Design Defects Part II

First posted 6/10/97 at David Pascoe's site www.yachtsurvey.com.

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About Author:
David H. Pascoe is a marine surveyor (retired) with 40 years' experience.

He is author and publisher of power boat books:

"Mid Size Power Boats"
"Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats" 2E
"Buyers' Guide to Outboard Boats"
"Marine Investigations"

Visit  yachtsurvey.com  for more than 160 online articles.

David Pascoe's biography

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