Does Grady White make a Marlin that uses zero wood in the hull, floors, cabin, stringers, pulpit.........?
WOOD-LESS MARLIN
- Thread starter Another Distraction
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Parthery
GreatGrady Captain
all use wood in the transom. at a certain length, the stringers are composite for weight reasons (i asked). i know for sure that the 330 is composite stringers. there are other parts that are composites (like hardtop). you can ask GW directly and they will give you accurate info on whichever model you are interested in. good luck, ron
The Marlin is wood free as of the 2013 model year. Such was true for all boats 27 feet and up. For the 2014 model year, all boats 25 feet and up are wood free.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Fishtales
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Not so sure of that moklodge, can you provide the documentation? Could be wrong but why...
- is the weight is still listed as 8221 w/o motors for the 2015 Marlin as it was with no rot wood stringer system.
- would they change the stringer material w/o and upgrade to the boat and without changing the wood in the transom and balsa coring above the waterline abeam.
The only models that I'm aware of with the composite stringers is the 33 and 36 models and they came out of the shoot that way. I was told this was for weight concerns. I was also told that the transom, deck pieces and coring are all still wood. I guess they could swap out the stringers, but you would hope they did some testing....
- is the weight is still listed as 8221 w/o motors for the 2015 Marlin as it was with no rot wood stringer system.
- would they change the stringer material w/o and upgrade to the boat and without changing the wood in the transom and balsa coring above the waterline abeam.
The only models that I'm aware of with the composite stringers is the 33 and 36 models and they came out of the shoot that way. I was told this was for weight concerns. I was also told that the transom, deck pieces and coring are all still wood. I guess they could swap out the stringers, but you would hope they did some testing....
Fishtales
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Your comments are not logical or rational.
Wood has been used in boat building for years. Many of the best manufacturers in the world use it even today.
Don't be fooled that non-wood composites are better. Some may be, some absorb water and have other issues that are worse than wood. It really comes down to the build process and how the manufacturer stands behind the product. If there is a solid commitment, you have a much better shot at a quality built boat. Crappy ones cost either their owners (won't be future ones) or the manufacturer (will go out of business if warrantee costs get excessive).
As you state, the methods to repair wood with glass are known and proven. Not so with some other materials.
You have to look at the age of the boat and how it was treated. How old were the boats you were on? Most of the issues with wood cored boats are actually caused by people incorrectly mounting/bedding add on items. The 33 has composite stringers. Do you know that they are actually better than wood? Do you know what happens to the material when submerged in water for long periods and subjected to freeze/thaw cycles? Do you know that the hull sides, deck components that you complain about and the transom is still wood cored? The boat is still largely a wood cored boat. The 33 is no better or worse than any other Grady. If you don't like wood coring, maybe you should be looking at a all-composite boat like Onslow Bay (very nice BTW but only CCs).
Wood has been used in boat building for years. Many of the best manufacturers in the world use it even today.
Don't be fooled that non-wood composites are better. Some may be, some absorb water and have other issues that are worse than wood. It really comes down to the build process and how the manufacturer stands behind the product. If there is a solid commitment, you have a much better shot at a quality built boat. Crappy ones cost either their owners (won't be future ones) or the manufacturer (will go out of business if warrantee costs get excessive).
As you state, the methods to repair wood with glass are known and proven. Not so with some other materials.
You have to look at the age of the boat and how it was treated. How old were the boats you were on? Most of the issues with wood cored boats are actually caused by people incorrectly mounting/bedding add on items. The 33 has composite stringers. Do you know that they are actually better than wood? Do you know what happens to the material when submerged in water for long periods and subjected to freeze/thaw cycles? Do you know that the hull sides, deck components that you complain about and the transom is still wood cored? The boat is still largely a wood cored boat. The 33 is no better or worse than any other Grady. If you don't like wood coring, maybe you should be looking at a all-composite boat like Onslow Bay (very nice BTW but only CCs).
Wood is old school and no one wants a wood cored boat. End grain balsa core.....no thanks!
In my area we have outer limits race boats which are epoxy and Carbon fiber hulls. They vacuum bag then cook the hull in a giant autoclave. Zero voids in that hull, first class ! I'd have to see if the 33' Grady Hulls/topsides are 100% vacuumed bagged. That would be nice if they were! I almost have to think Grady does Vacuum bag....someone on this site must work at Grady White !?
Engineer materials like Divinycell and Last o Foam are way better than wood. Don't kid yourself. The material is tested and comes with a spec sheet that will tell you coefficient of thermal expansion.
In my area we have outer limits race boats which are epoxy and Carbon fiber hulls. They vacuum bag then cook the hull in a giant autoclave. Zero voids in that hull, first class ! I'd have to see if the 33' Grady Hulls/topsides are 100% vacuumed bagged. That would be nice if they were! I almost have to think Grady does Vacuum bag....someone on this site must work at Grady White !?
Engineer materials like Divinycell and Last o Foam are way better than wood. Don't kid yourself. The material is tested and comes with a spec sheet that will tell you coefficient of thermal expansion.
Another Distraction said:
When customers are willing to pay a mill or more for high tech hull construction on recreational vessels and I don't mean yachts, then Grady will use those methods. I wouldn't hold my breath though
On a plant tour in Dec 2012, we were told about the changes and they showed us the materials, including the new transom board. The new construction took 10 years of testing to assure it would be as strong as the wood coring. The 271 Canyon was the first completely wood free model and then the bigger boats followed. The next year brought wood free down to 25 feet.
Biggest obstacle all these years was the brittle nature and shattering tendency of transom foams and composites. Any boat yard that services hulls can tell you about the shattered transoms seen in modern boats when only the motors strike a rock, let alone if the hull does. The material Grady is using does not shatter and shows the benefit to waiting so long before changing over. Grady White enjoys zero hull failures with the time tested wood designs and would not switch until the obvious foam weaknesses had been remedied.
Years of market pressure was cited in the meeting as the most important reason for the change but was not rushed for the reasons mentioned above.
Biggest obstacle all these years was the brittle nature and shattering tendency of transom foams and composites. Any boat yard that services hulls can tell you about the shattered transoms seen in modern boats when only the motors strike a rock, let alone if the hull does. The material Grady is using does not shatter and shows the benefit to waiting so long before changing over. Grady White enjoys zero hull failures with the time tested wood designs and would not switch until the obvious foam weaknesses had been remedied.
Years of market pressure was cited in the meeting as the most important reason for the change but was not rushed for the reasons mentioned above.
Nice, so they are changing with the times!
I assume a new 33' tournament must be $600k +....that should be enough $ for some new technology.
I assume a new 33' tournament must be $600k +....that should be enough $ for some new technology.
Fishtales said:
me too. this is what happens when you don't buy a new boat every two years :mrgreen:
by the time i'm ready for a new one, the composites should be well tested in the real world. ron
Speaking of Marlin...
It hasn't been updated (major) since 2004. Is this a sign it is fading out or is it overdue?
The Freedom series seems to be the big sellers these days.
It hasn't been updated (major) since 2004. Is this a sign it is fading out or is it overdue?
The Freedom series seems to be the big sellers these days.
Fishtales
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Sweet!
I suppose it the Marlin is dropped or not updated, the Pursuit 315 will take over the 30' outboard battlewagon slot.
Would be a shame however.
I suppose it the Marlin is dropped or not updated, the Pursuit 315 will take over the 30' outboard battlewagon slot.
Would be a shame however.