Noble Boat <2yo Cracked and Sinking

[Chimo]

Saw the same as you ML and a great deal of clever use of english implying quality control all the way thru production including "QC"on hardhats.

Its very well done from the point of marketing as the average punter fills in the gaps in their head that its a real quality product and I want one................. blah blah etc etc

Sad but all too common in todays marketplace.

Meanwhile on a separate but associated subject, one wonders if Trailcraft will survive and fare better after its purchase and move to china?

Cheers
Chimo

[Stuart]

It never senses to amaze me that businesses still believe that they must move operations to China or fold.
It seems to be the mantra of most these days, yet as soon as you move production to China, you essentially loose all QC.
Many others and I know the quality of most products from China is not of a high standard. While some are good, most are not.
When problems such as this arise, the cost of a warranty claim can be huge.
You maybe more profitable building hulls in China, but if such a large problem should arise as in this case it could be the death nail for that business.
I’m sure no one who has read this post would knowingly buy a noble boat. It would seem the profit to be made by shipping hulls from China is completely gone. The other alternative for the owner of the business is to go to ground, which it looks as though he has.
There is also no guaranty that you will receive a well-built boat here either. I would hedge my bets in Australia and Australian built though.
It seems that more and more businesses put margin and quantity over quality these days.

[PeterGar]

Hi Brendon

Thanks for the guidance and valid points re quality of build (that if think is excellent on on mine) and the engineering components.

I will be having a look around over the next week or so and get back to everyone. ( I am out or town for a few days).

PeterGar

[TREVELLY]

Some advice please.

To get the work done on the boat and access through the top of the duckboard the boys will need to make a hole suffient to get in there to put in plates and weld - I do not know exact size but reckon it they cut a rectangular hole they will go for something about 300mm by 400mm where if it were round they would need at least 300mm to be able to do a respectable job.

Options to fill the hole after are:-

1. To fill flush with welded in aluminium plate and grind smooth and just have the existing 150mm round inspection port remaining - so open/shut and it looks the same.

2. To have a larger plate that sits over the 300 x 400 hole and is screwed through the top and sica in place and have in this a 150mm port - benefit is inspection is simple with 150mm port yet if i need to do more serious work say on pump I can lift the large panel and get easy access through 300mm x 400mm hole.

3. To fit a 300mm diameter plastic inspection port - if they exist - i can't find any bigger than 200mm dia - so does anyone know of any bigger and if they are any good anyway?

4. If someone has another better idea?? Turning the boat into aluminium scrap is not an option

And I do not want something that leaks as this duckboard spends nearly all it's time under water when I am offshore.

[TREVELLY]

To Jason Lee,

I see you have received the registered post I had a friend mail to you.

Do want you to be aware of this thread so you can respond.

[Fed]

I'd have to restore it back to original so I wouldn't be reminded of how badly I was treated by Noble boats.

[Redhunter]

Some advice please.

To get the work done on the boat and access through the top of the duckboard the boys will need to make a hole suffient to get in there to put in plates and weld - I do not know exact size but reckon it they cut a rectangular hole they will go for something about 300mm by 400mm where if it were round they would need at least 300mm to be able to do a respectable job.

Options to fill the hole after are:-

1. To fill flush with welded in aluminium plate and grind smooth and just have the existing 150mm round inspection port remaining - so open/shut and it looks the same.

2. To have a larger plate that sits over the 300 x 400 hole and is screwed through the top and sica in place and have in this a 150mm port - benefit is inspection is simple with 150mm port yet if i need to do more serious work say on pump I can lift the large panel and get easy access through 300mm x 400mm hole.

3. To fit a 300mm diameter plastic inspection port - if they exist - i can't find any bigger than 200mm dia - so does anyone know of any bigger and if they are any good anyway?

4. If someone has another better idea?? Turning the boat into aluminium scrap is not an option

And I do not want something that leaks as this duckboard spends nearly all it's time under water when I am offshore.

Hi trevelly give frank watson of vindiator boats a ring on 54821659 he, fits a big round plastic inspection port on his vindicators boats,thay look tough
i could not tell you the size,but i no thay are big.
hope this helps

steve

[WalrusLike]

I wouldn't be happy unless I could inspect it if I ever want to....

I would go the oversize plate with inspection port in middle. I am not even remotely skilled in construction so my preference is just my preference.

Presumably a big mob of Sika could ensure no leaks but I can't figure what sort of plate fixing would work without being a pest with protruding nuts on the bolts. Maybe nuts welded on to underside of hull part so you can screw down into them with big Phillips dome head bolts. But how you weld up and under to the transom.... Is that even possible? Also they are dissimilar metals.... It's all beyond me but I thought my thinking out loud might trigger someone to give a good solution.

Good luck with it... You deserve some good luck to come your way.

[astro66]

#1 ...i would either not worry about the plastic port as they usually leak any way and just make a ally plate that covers the hole sika to seal... fix off with 8# ss/self tapers....

# 2...same as #1 but cut a normal plastic port into the plate

#1 its harder to have a look but sealed better

[johncar]

I guess it depends on what your welder feels that he needs to gain adequate access. It is always going to be damn awkward to weld through any one hole, even a large one.
Have you considered installing two additional decent sized screw out hatches either side assuming you only have a centre one now. You could view through one hole and get your arm and torch through another one, just need decent quality screwouts to go back oin the holes so no leaks later.

Another alternative if you just want one larger hole would be to cut out the large rectangle, retain the cutout. fabricate a half overlapping frame to be installed under the duckboard. Say out of some 50 x 6mm ally bar or whatever you have space for, so like a picture frame welded at the corners and sanded back flat. That can be glued in place under the duck board and possibly supported by some SS CSK 3/16" x 1/2" metal thread screws drilled and countersunk through the top and tapped into the outer support frame underneath. Once that is in place then the cutout can have a gasket applied to it and drill and countersink fixing holes about every 50 - 70mm or so, place it on the frame and then drill and tap all the holes, screwing it off with again 3/16" x 1/2 SS CSK metal thread screws. The whole thing ends back flush, should seal well if done correctly, should look fine and you can always get back in there when needed to do any service work. I also use a but of bi-metal or marine grease on the screws when putting them back in.

I actually have this type of hatch on the fisher so I know it works well, it was originally sikaflexed in but because I have had to get in there a couple of times, I have since put a soft rubber gasket under the edges of the lid and it is like yours mostly under water while at sea with no leaks so far. See the photo below, the only difference being my frame was able to be welded in but you may need a few screws on the outer frame if you didn't want to rely on the Sika alone. Your existing screwout could remain in the hatch for quick inspections.

[Stuart]

If you could get hold or an ompa loompa for a day maybe he could do the welding inside the transom? Dont forget and leave the little block in there.

[cormorant]

This is what is used on commercial boats on decks at a price. Watertight not just deck ones

http://www.baiermarine.com/37171/635...-Aluminum.html

http://www.freemanmarine.com/Hatches2400Oval.htm

Boats sink transom down due to weight of motor so I am surprised there is not a heap of foam blocks in there. Weld in some tabs to hold a wire cage / rack above the bilge pumps and then put in foam?

Rubber seals can be a issue unless they are a UV protected viton . Fuel, ethanol, oil , acid , alkaline wash chemicals and UV break them dowm and without notice you have a leak. I have previously had the screwed on plate on a boat and it was moored. Over several years the threads became more corroded and the stainless and alloy was not isolated so pitting and not a good solution and no emegency access to final bilge pumps. We had pumps in compartments further forward accessable from the deckhatches to clear them. Perhaps if the plate was a 15mm uv protected polly and aring of polly( topped with alloy if you want) under the deck to hold captive stainless nuts so no different metals ever touch.

Even a escape bar for the oompa lompa. Hell sounds like a little person ( holy crap I'm being politically correct) with welding skills could have a full time job repairing Noble boats.

Wonder what a insurance company would say with a non engineered failed seal or hatch at the waterline if it sunk? Guess if a boat builder does it is it covered by them?

[Stuart]

Thats exactly what I did to mine. I have 1 cubic meter or maybe a fly shit less in the outer pod section of the transom. I know a factory where there are heaps of oompa lompa's.

[cormorant]

Is it at the North pole?

[Boat Hog]

Thats exactly what I did to mine. I have 1 cubic meter or maybe a fly shit less in the outer pod section of the transom. I know a factory where there are heaps of oompa lompa's.

This one Stuart? http://www.precisionrods.com/

Explains why a certain someone has heaps of spare time for Ausfish!

Cheers,