Balsa or no Balsa?

NassauGW

NassauGW

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May 3, 2023
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Location
Nassau, The Bahamas
Model
Express 330
Hi all, can someone please confirm if the Grady White 330 Express hull sides below the waterline are solid fiberglass? Or cored with balsa?

I searched the site and see conflicting information.
 
If no one here knows DEFINITEVELY, your best bet is to call Grady direct. Might as well get the answer direct from the horse's mouth (will save you time, too).
 
I will do that Monday and will come back to the thread but wanted to know if anyone knew in the meantime.
 
Below the waterline is solid fiberglass. if you open some panels you can see where the cored sides begin well above the waterline.
 
The larger boats 30' and up are cored above the waterline as I recall. I'd shoot GW Cust Service with the details of the boat as noted above. They will tell you for sure.
 
Definitely solid below the water line and a tad above it.
 
Its my understanding that solely the hull bottom is solid. Hull side sides vertical up from the chime up are cored. Again, this is only my understanding.
 
Feedingfish said:
Its my understanding that solely the hull bottom is solid. Hull side sides vertical up from the chime up are cored. Again, this is only my understanding.
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You are correct, just spoke with them. The flat wall surface chine and up is balsa cored, so below the waterline up to the chine is all balsa (and anything above as well).
 
NassauGW said:
You are correct, just spoke with them. The flat wall surface chine and up is balsa cored, so below the waterline up to the chine is all balsa (and anything above as well).
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It's the way you worded it that is confusing. The chine is below the waterline. You can't go "up" to the chine from the waterline.
 
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I went out and tapped my 330 express. It is solid to slightly above the waterline maybe all the way up to the scupper through hulls which are several inches above the water line. My waterline appears to be about 3 inches below where the tapping sounds become more hollow.
 
It's above the waterline. I specifically asked this question on two factory tours. I doubt they changed it. Balsa coring turns to mush when wet. I doubt any boat builder uses it below the waterline in the last 10 years.
 
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