Does old fiberglass get weak?

[sqdqo]

Should a person be concerned about the age of an older fiberglass (1977) boat even though it looks clean? Does old fiberglass get weak? The boat has only been in freshwater.

 

[JB]

Re: Does old fiberglass get weak?

Gelcoat will fade and chalk from UV, but I don't think the fiberglass weakens with age.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Does old fiberglass get weak?

It's the wood (transom and stringers) in the boat that you need to be concerend about and should be looked at, the fiberglass will be fine.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Does old fiberglass get weak?

Sometimes it can become brittle especially where the seams have been glued/repaired. Problem is you sometimes dont know how well the former owner did any patch repair. My brother in law had an older bass boat come apart in the bottom and only had several minutes before it sank and he had to swim for shore. A good inspection of the boat first can more than likely show any problem area. Dont be afraid of the older boats, just inspect all of the seams for any possible weakness.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Does old fiberglass get weak?

There really aren't any seams in fiberglass boats of this size, but there could be some repairs that need attention, just look it over.

The wood is the most common problem.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Does old fiberglass get weak?

imho, the wood is not the problem, the negligence of the previous owner, and lack of proper maintainance is the problem. causing the wood to be the problem.