Posting links is fine. We're here to help.
First and foremost rule when it comes to buying a Stream.
Never take the seller's word that the boat is "solid" without proof of a rebuild.
The vast majority of these boats were being pumped out of the factory as fast as they could build them. Quality wasn't a #1 priority.
Which meant that some sections of the glass layup was "dry" (meaning not enough resin used to seal the glass), and others too "wet" (too much resin. Resin itself is very brittle, which leads to cracking).
The core is NOT the floor. Quite a few times these boats have had the floor and transom replaced, but not the core itself. Core was usually 1/2" thick balsa. And due to the speedy nature these boats were built, the balsa wasn't sealed up properly. Balsa is one of the lightest woods on Earth....extremely porous. Good for soaking up resin, but also notorious for soaking up water and rotting. Look through my
Viper Rebirth thread here to see what that looks like. Think of a typical ice-cream sandwich. The cookie is fiberglass....the ice-cream is the balsa. Balsa basically turns to soil when it rots completely.
The seller may tell you they did a "tap-test", or "hammer-test" on the hull to check the condition of the core. This is in no way an accurate method. Physical inspection of the core itself is the only way to verify its condition.
"Garage-kept", "hasn't been in the water in X years", etc. means nothing. Poorly sealed balsa can rot just from prolonged exposure to humidity. Seriously. That's why a lot of guys have switched over to using composite materials in their rebuilds. Doesn't rot. But balsa core when properly wetted out and sealed is just as strong, and a lot cheaper than composite stuff like Nida-Core, Nomex, Corelite, etc.
I'm at work now so I have to sign off, but please post more questions if you have any. Others may chime in with their own experiences as well.
Posting links is fine. We're here to help.
First and foremost rule when it comes to buying a Stream. [b]Never take the seller's word that the boat is "solid" without proof of a rebuild.
[/b]The vast majority of these boats were being pumped out of the factory as fast as they could build them. Quality wasn't a #1 priority.
Which meant that some sections of the glass layup was "dry" (meaning not enough resin used to seal the glass), and others too "wet" (too much resin. Resin itself is very brittle, which leads to cracking).
[b]The core is NOT the floor.[/b] Quite a few times these boats have had the floor and transom replaced, but not the core itself. Core was usually 1/2" thick balsa. And due to the speedy nature these boats were built, the balsa wasn't sealed up properly. Balsa is one of the lightest woods on Earth....extremely porous. Good for soaking up resin, but also notorious for soaking up water and rotting. Look through my [url=https://www.hydrostreamforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2773]Viper Rebirth thread[/url] here to see what that looks like. Think of a typical ice-cream sandwich. The cookie is fiberglass....the ice-cream is the balsa. Balsa basically turns to soil when it rots completely.
The seller may tell you they did a "tap-test", or "hammer-test" on the hull to check the condition of the core. This is in no way an accurate method. Physical inspection of the core itself is the only way to verify its condition.
"Garage-kept", "hasn't been in the water in X years", etc. means nothing. Poorly sealed balsa can rot just from prolonged exposure to humidity. Seriously. That's why a lot of guys have switched over to using composite materials in their rebuilds. Doesn't rot. But balsa core when properly wetted out and sealed is just as strong, and a lot cheaper than composite stuff like Nida-Core, Nomex, Corelite, etc.
I'm at work now so I have to sign off, but please post more questions if you have any. Others may chime in with their own experiences as well.