Do you think Hondo. Sanger and others Manufactures?

[jimthetoolman]

Do you think Hondo,Sanger and other boat companies thought there boats would last this long? Lets face it they are getting old or did they just build them really tuff? 25-30 years of wear and stress you have to give them some credit.

[adjones419]

Do you think Hondo,Sanger and other boat companies thought there boats would last this long?
I personally don't think so, but I have no idea.

[DUNDUN]

Do you think Hondo,Sanger and other boat companies thought there boats would last this long? Lets face it they are getting old or did they just build them really tuff? 25-30 years of wear and stress you have to give them some credit.
Absolutely right!
Our 1970 Hallett has had the piss ran out of it and the original gelcoat is still intact and doesn't even have one stress crack!
My Grandpa's 71 Sanger 17'10 is as strong as ever as well!

[slower but cooler]

Well many on here know a lot more about this than I do but my father started building boats in the 50's when Jack Davidson was starting Sanger boats. My father described him as being "completely obsessed" with building boats faster and better than the other guy. He said if Jack found out a guy was building a part stronger he would re-work the whole thing if he had to, to out do the other guy. This was in the 50's and early 60's but I know that he was definitely building boats for the long haul. But again, others on here know a lot more about it than I do.

[Running_on_Empty]

Well Thats Kind Of A Vague Question Really. I Think A Lot Of It Has To Do With The Oringal Owners. A Lot Of Boats Out There Aren't In That Great Of Shape. I Drove Out West To Buy My Boat Because All The Boats I Looked At Out Here In Northwest Indiana Were Covered In Leaves And Rotting In Moisture, And It Was Taking Its Toll On Them. If A Guy In The Right Climate Kept The Boat Covered Weather It Be A Car Port Or A Properly Fit Tarp, Then It Seems Like They Had Much More Luck Preserving Them, But I Guess Thats True About Any Boat. I Do Agree That The Actual Hulls Do Take A Pretty Good Beating For What They Are. There Were So Many Manufacture's Out There That I'm Sure Some Are Built To Take More Abuse Than Others.

[Racey]

It's all in how you take care of em ;)

[sangervdrive]

My old man and I discussed this many times. When I started to get into boats it had been twenty years or so since he had a v drive of his own. When we started searching for a Sanger he couldn't beleive how popular they still were and how many old boats are still around.
Personally when I ride in my boat I can't believe how rigid the hull is as a whole, my last boat was a Baja 16ss and there was TONS of flexing that you feel when hitting crossing wakes in that boat. The sanger on the other hand feels like its bullet-proof.
I really enjoyed looking up in the bow of mine and examining how they layed up the stringers and bulkheads, very stout - and awesome.

[V-DRIVE VIDEO]

Julian Pettengill (Biesemeyer Boats) has stated many times that he never dreamed his boats would last anywhere near this long.

[adjones419]

Julian Pettengill (Biesemeyer Boats) has stated many times that he never dreamed his boats would last anywhere near this long.
That's kind of what I have heard from boat builders too.

[Church Mouse]

I've had my 1971 Hondo since 1979, thats a 36 year old vessel, it's almost flawless, a few scratches in the paint but other than that pretty stresscrack free, and I run this thing thru some pretty nasty shit on Bass Lake, see ya

[Rattle Can Lou]

Hey Mousie, I didn't see ya lookin to hard for the nasty white Wickens in Needles. I saw ya sittin on the beach all cowered over...I thought ya might a been afraid of a stress crack...hahahahahahhhahahah pussy. I love ya, Lou

[Church Mouse]

I'll spank you too next Sept. see ya at the Bass Lake boat show in June, I love you to Rattlecan, Chris

[BILLY.B]

Church Mouse and RCL are both a bunch of light weights. OPPs...wrong word. Your both running scared. The Hallett O/B will kick both your A$$'s.:idea:

[ol guy]

Only been boating for about 35+ years and here would be my input. Most builders back in the day built boats to take all the abuse a race, horse power and what the water could dish out. Today it would be cost of build and price. then you add in the frisbee boats that are built light to go fast, then sell that boat to a wanna be racer who goes to the water and does not comprehend the flex of a light boat. Look at the boats you mentioned then add howard, cambell, shiada,eliminator,nordic,southwind, and the list goes on and on. There is a big difference between an assembily line, chop shot boat and a one at a time hand laid, custom built one at a time boat built to what you want. Now with the boat craze, it's here's the catologue pick one and go to the bank. MARK 78 Eliminator cruiser owner and that would one of eight that iv'e owned

[jimthetoolman]

What manufacturer would you call a chop shop type?

[CircleJerk]

Thanks to all those once involved with the tooling and glassing, we are enjoying the heck out of the dinosaurs you created! Seven years of Nostalgia circle racing 5 weekends each Summer and 12 miles each race. That's 12X5X7 =420 miles of beating and banging on our 35+ year old craft!! Oh ya, forgot all the cruising and testing add another 200+ miles.

[bubbletop409]

I bought a bare Howard 21 DC back in early 77. Did the rigging installation that spring, and used it damn near every weekend during boating season for the next 25 years. Rebuilt the drive train once, and replaced the interior subfloors and seat frames after 20+ years, hull was still structurally sound, and in great shape, considering all the miles the bottom had covered. Only sold it to move up to a larger boat. Last time I saw it out in the delta, it was still running fine, and lookin good.
Just recently purchased a 79 Cole TR-2 project boat and am very pleased as well as amazed at the very good overall condition it is in. The floors were a little dull looking, and I was thinking it may need to be reflowed to bring back the original gloss, but a few hours on my knees with a buffer and progressively finer polish gave better results than I could have hoped for.
I believe many of the builder of the higher end boat builders took an exceptional amount of pride in their products, and were obsessed with the detail and quality of their boats, as well as allways trying to be a step ahead of the other guy. Good friendly rivalries promote the quest for perfection.
And as someone stated previously, many more of these fine craft would still be available had some owners taken better care of them and protected them from the elements a little better.

[ol guy]

The term was CHOP SHOT lay-up, If you don't know what that is, sorry.

[palhal]

The best polyester resin ever was made in the 60s and early 70s. It was very clear looking. There was an oil and gas problem in 1974 and they started subtituting the ingrediants in the resin which turned it a green tint look and then later it had a purple tint look and from then on it was never the same. The wax that was added in the flow coat would not work very good and had to search for a certain brand of resin for the last flow coat.-----PALHAL

[Poverty Case]

I just wish my old bones lasted like these great hulls did.