Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

[YAMA-TIM]

Anybody run their fiberglass boat through the winter? Can Cold temps make the fiberglass more prone to cracks or breaking?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

I don't think fiberglass is as big an issue as plastics, cold definately effects mechanical workings like cables and linkages, cover latches hinges stuff like that seems to shrink up and get stiff.
I had my boat out last weekend for an early start fishing trip, engine didn't even want to start like ususall, needed a little more coaxing at 35 degrees outside.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

Anybody run their fiberglass boat through the winter? Can Cold temps make the fiberglass more prone to cracks or breaking?

The short answer is yes. Just talk to anyone that tried running his Corvette in the winter!

(we're talking about sub freezing temperatures, right?)

 

[Alumarine]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

There's a lot of large commercial fishing boats that are made of fibreglass.

 

[YAMA-TIM]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

I live in North Carolina so it typically doesn't get extremely cold like it does up north. This will be my first winter owning a fiberglass boat and am hoping to be able to continue crappie fishing in the winter, I usually don't go out if its to much colder than freezing but sometimes i do. Just wondering if others had any issues with cold weather affecting fiberglass hulls or if I'm just worried about nothing.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

I live in North Carolina so it typically doesn't get extremely cold like it does up north. This will be my first winter owning a fiberglass boat and am hoping to be able to continue crappie fishing in the winter, I usually don't go out if its to much colder than freezing but sometimes i do. Just wondering if others had any issues with cold weather affecting fiberglass hulls or if I'm just worried about nothing.

You are just worried about nothing. You'll be just fine. Check your owner's manual. There will be no mention of it.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

I believe alot of snowmobile hoods are fiberglass............

 

[ufm82]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

EVERY semi hood is made of fiberglass- or at least the vast majority are. Body moldings, fairings, etc are all fiberglass. They drive everywhere is the cold (ever see Ice Road truckers?)
Fiberglass will not be an issue in any weather you can personally fish in.

UFM82

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

When the water temperature goes below 30 its hell on the gel coat.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

When the water temperature goes below 30 its hell on the gel coat.

Do ya get...hard water...spots?

 

[Haffiman]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

No problem even if freezing.
Used my 14' dinghy with a 9.9 Evinrude 4-stroke as ice breaker for several winters, no cracks, no problems.
However if you 'bang' it into the ice, the gelcoat may crack the same way as if you hit whatever hard object on a sunny day!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

Fiberglass is performance rated for -40 to 200 degrees F.

 

[Brentathon]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

I run a fiberglass duckboat through the winter (as many people throughout the U.S. do); I doubt the low temps would affect the structural properties of the hull much......but beware of ice; that stuff can eat-up gel coats.

 

[YAMA-TIM]

Re: Cold weather make fiberglass brittle?

Thanks for all the responses. Sounds like I was worried for no reason. Looking forward to a winter of fishing.