The Ties That Bind
When building to the highest standards, it's important to start with the best materials. But you also need the expertise and work ethic that ensures the final product is never compromised for the sake of expediency or cost cutting. In the world of fiberglass boat construction, this means going above and beyond generally accepted industry practices. At Mirage, we take advantage of the latest developments in materials and manufacturing methods, but we also know that there are some processes that still require skilled human craftsmanship and an extra helping of elbow grease.
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Here's just one specific example of how we do things differently: Modern adhesives can provide a strong chemical bond between fiberglass parts. For this reason, many builders rely on these adhesive products to fuse pre-formed stringer grids and deck sections to their hulls. Some leave it at that, but the better builders up the ante by physically attaching components with additional bonds of cloth and resin. At Mirage, we always invest the extra effort needed to physically bond stringers, hull/deck joints and other components. And based on our many years of experience, we've learned a few tricks that make these joints even stronger.
Typically, when a builder joins a bulkhead or stringer to a deck, they lay a horizontal seam of cloth along the junction. Because most fiberglass cloths orient individual fibers at 90 degree crossing patterns, only half the strands will actually tie the two components together. In addition, the strength of those strands is compromised as they make an L-shaped bend at the joining point. At Mirage, we go one step further, cutting bonding fabrics into patterns that run across joined surfaces at 45 degree angle, and employing cloths that integrate multi-directional weaves. This allows all strands in the fabric to orient diagonally rather than with a sharp 90-degree bend. It also doubles the number of individual strands crossing the joint, creating a stronger bond.
Similar attention to detail goes into all aspects of assembly. Hull, deck, bulkheads and longitudinal reinforcements are fully bonded into a single structure. The inner liner is both glued and bonded into the hull and bonded all the way around at the top and bottom of the liner. The ring cap, which forms the gunwale, is bonded to the hull structure, screwed on 3" centers, and thru-bolted on 12" centers. All major structural components are cored, except for a hull section extending 6 inches to either side of the keel, This area receives additional reinforcing layers of biaxial cloth. There is only one thru-hull fixture underwater for the live well pickup, and it goes through solid glass. The transom where outdrives or outboards are mounted is also solid glass, and almost 2 inches thick.
An additional structural element that we add to our fishing boats is a series of vertical posts set at intervals along the gunwales. These posts are bonded to the inner liner, and tie the deck to the ring cap. These posts serve to increase overall strength and rigidity, and provide a secure mounting point for hardware.
By industry standards, many would consider our boats to be “overbuilt.” We have a different philosophy. We create each custom-crafted fishing vessel with the expectation that it will provide not just years but decades of service. Boats that rolled out of our shop 20 years ago are still out on the water, catching fish and in many cases running as smooth and looking as good as the day they were launched.
Typically, when a builder joins a bulkhead or stringer to a deck, they lay a horizontal seam of cloth along the junction. Because most fiberglass cloths orient individual fibers at 90 degree crossing patterns, only half the strands will actually tie the two components together. In addition, the strength of those strands is compromised as they make an L-shaped bend at the joining point. At Mirage, we go one step further, cutting bonding fabrics into patterns that run across joined surfaces at 45 degree angle, and employing cloths that integrate multi-directional weaves. This allows all strands in the fabric to orient diagonally rather than with a sharp 90-degree bend. It also doubles the number of individual strands crossing the joint, creating a stronger bond.
Similar attention to detail goes into all aspects of assembly. Hull, deck, bulkheads and longitudinal reinforcements are fully bonded into a single structure. The inner liner is both glued and bonded into the hull and bonded all the way around at the top and bottom of the liner. The ring cap, which forms the gunwale, is bonded to the hull structure, screwed on 3" centers, and thru-bolted on 12" centers. All major structural components are cored, except for a hull section extending 6 inches to either side of the keel, This area receives additional reinforcing layers of biaxial cloth. There is only one thru-hull fixture underwater for the live well pickup, and it goes through solid glass. The transom where outdrives or outboards are mounted is also solid glass, and almost 2 inches thick.
An additional structural element that we add to our fishing boats is a series of vertical posts set at intervals along the gunwales. These posts are bonded to the inner liner, and tie the deck to the ring cap. These posts serve to increase overall strength and rigidity, and provide a secure mounting point for hardware.
By industry standards, many would consider our boats to be “overbuilt.” We have a different philosophy. We create each custom-crafted fishing vessel with the expectation that it will provide not just years but decades of service. Boats that rolled out of our shop 20 years ago are still out on the water, catching fish and in many cases running as smooth and looking as good as the day they were launched.