allmandboats
New member
Many time we hear of prices so low for some Panga and other small commercial fishing boats that we thought it was about time to put in our 2 cents worth. The fact is fiberglass cloth and gel coat have expiration dates. When these raw materials sit on the suppliers shelf the gel coat UV protection characteristics break down. With fiberglass cloth moisture is absorbed. When UV protection break down the gel cot will look great when the hull is new, but within a few short months in the sun it will begin to discolor, fade and oxidize. When cloth absorbs moisture it becomes stiff and resin does not infuse properly. Both of these issues will make a hull that is a few months old look 25 years old. No amount of buffing or sanding will fix the deterioration. If you polish it up it will fade soon after.
The point is that when fiberglass materials expire on the shelf they are sold to third world countries who make boats with the expired material unknown to anyone then sold at ridiculous prices we hear about.
The point is that when fiberglass materials expire on the shelf they are sold to third world countries who make boats with the expired material unknown to anyone then sold at ridiculous prices we hear about.