Parker to go composite only??

[aknoxclark]

i read somewhere recently that parker is phasing out the use of wood in their hulls in favor of various composites. i hope they are not bowing to market pressure to join the no wood, no rot bandwagon....unless they are truly convinced. great, traditional boat builders still use some wood - parker, grady, contender, albury and others - for a good reason. composites might be the latest and greatest but i still believe like mr. parker states that wood if properly used and cared for remains the strongest structure for stringers, transoms, etc.

i liken it to off road 4 wheel drive trucks/suvs.....true off roaders/construction/forestry folks prefer traditional front and rear axles, gear not electronic or computerized transfer case systems, traditional front and rear locking differentials, etc. the suvs/trucks with independent front/rear suspensions, fancy wheel slippage recovery systems, air lift suspensions, etc lack the simplicity, ruggedness and associated durability of more traditional and long proven 4 wheel drive systems. a new land cruiser may be more comfortable to drive thanks to heated seats, surround sound, etc but i would much rather have an older 100, 80 or 60 series well cared for land cruiser if i had to spend multiple days in harsh conditions..

 

[CDG]

A good comparison is also to alpine skis. There is no question that wood core, full sidewall skis are vastly superior to composite core, cap construction. It boils down to cost. The wood core, sidewall skis cost more to build and for the majority of consumers who don't notice or care about the performance it doesn't make any difference, but if you want performance and longevity, the difference is huge.

 

[warthog5]

i hope they are not bowing to market pressure to join the no wood, no rot bandwagon....

First you must understand the mentality of the buying public. Horror stories of rotted transoms can NOT be denied in boats. Rotted decks can also Not be denied.

Follow the $$$$$$$$ What they are doing is a change....I happen to like composites and have used them extensively....But I've used a LOT of wood too.

Repeate after me...... "It's ALL in the Details." It doesn't matter what you use. If you skip the details....Stuff fails.

BUT! It usually happens when a consumer that knows nothing ABOUT the details and says I'm using 5200 cause it's the BEST!....Watch out! These people "Usually" Don't have a freaking Clue.

 

[Megabyte]

It usually happens when a consumer that knows nothing ABOUT the details and says I'm using 5200 cause it's the BEST!....Watch out! These people "Usually" Don't have a freaking Clue.

True.

As for 5200, I've used it for items I never... ever... want to remove, like bronze through-hulls in solid fiberglass.
I've even used it to fill old screw holes.
Beyond that, no.

Use the proper material for the job at hand.
Hell... I'm still learning. That's why I'm here.

 

[Mike S]

Jones Bros. has gone all composite. They are one of the few boats I would put in the same class as a Parker.

...a new land cruiser may be more comfortable to drive thanks to heated seats, surround sound, etc but i would much rather have an older 100, 80 or 60 series well cared for land cruiser if i had to spend multiple days in harsh conditions..

Kinda like my Landcruiser?

Or a Willys CJ2A ...?

 

[justflukinaround]

Composites break down too.
Especially if using polyester resin which is what most of the mass produced boats are built with.

It's why hulls blister now more than ever.Those blisters turn basically cancerous and will in time eat up a hull.

Just because a boat is 100% fiberglass doesn't mean it won't also break down in time with exposure to moisture.

The new wave of moving to all fiberglass is just a sales ploy playing into people fears.

Some of the most expensive long lived boats out there are made with plenty of wood.
The difference is epoxy is used to protect the wood.

The bigger question would be, what type of resin was used in the composite portion of the building and how well encased are the wood components being used.

 

[aknoxclark]

love the 80 series. i drive a '98 100 series with 212k miles and it pulls my 21se from new orleans to apalachicola and all points in between several times a year. she doesn't like to pull the parker - 6 mpg vs. 16 mpg - but she does it. both parker and land cruiser are rock solid and built to take a rough environment.