Boat crash on Devil's Lake

[kjackson]

It's not Beaver but should be a warning to those who don't pay attention:

http://www.wday.com/news/3814337-update-victim-identified-fatal-boating-accident-devils-lake

[J-Doc]

Always hate to see these types of stories. That Lund took a hard hit. Does show that today's tin boats are not your Daddy's old Jon boat. They have significantly improved. Fiberglass is more rigid and probably would have splintered and separated like splitting wood. Although I'm only speculating and know very little about boat making. I do know glass is much more rigid than aluminum by nature and that resin cures super hard and can be a bit brittle in comparison. Takes a whole lot to damage a glass boat though.

Either way this sucks. Hate to see anyone get killed while boating. I matter what type boat. And before someone makes a comment about ski boats, please don't. Let's be bigger than that.

[Old plug]

J-DOC The new boats are FAR worse than the old jon were. I have a 19 ft Targa in the shop right now with a failed keel. It is Nothing u unusual for a Targa to crack its keel. Some withing a few years. Anybody who disagrees with that go on the internet and research it.They give you the impression it is big water boat but certainly is not. When I took mine in. The repair place told me the keel was not even welded on that well. Further the bulkheads they use in a Targa will break loose and hammer the bottom in any kind of chop. What they are going to do is take oit the floor. Weld the repair the break and what else from the inside put a new keel on the boat welded the full length of the boat. The new keel will not be a flimsy thing either like is on there now. Going to cost a easy $1000 + at least.

Just think what Bass Pro will turn the boats of these companies tthey just took over into.

[J-Doc]

Sorry to hear that Old Plug. That's sad that you're having issues.

My keel is seam welded tip to tip on both sides. Welds look like someone spread a row of dimes so they look good to me. That and the keel uses an extrusion member that allows the aluminum sheets to slide into and then welded into place.

[Old plug]

That iswhat this will look like when its done

[Champ188]

J-DOC The new boats are FAR worse than the old jon were. I have a 19 ft Targa in the shop right now with a failed keel. It is Nothing u unusual for a Targa to crack its keel. Some withing a few years. Anybody who disagrees with that go on the internet and research it.They give you the impression it is big water boat but certainly is not. When I took mine in. The repair place told me the keel was not even welded on that well. Further the bulkheads they use in a Targa will break loose and hammer the bottom in any kind of chop. What they are going to do is take oit the floor. Weld the repair the break and what else from the inside put a new keel on the boat welded the full length of the boat. The new keel will not be a flimsy thing either like is on there now. Going to cost a easy $1000 + at least.

Just think what Bass Pro will turn the boats of these companies tthey just took over into.

Hate to hear this, Plug. BPS has ripped off more boat owners than the law should allow. And I share your opinion about JM taking over Ranger and others ... probably just a matter of time until they are nothing more than Tracker/Nitro is now. Since I tend to keep a boat 10-12 years, glad I bought my Ranger new a couple of years ago before Johnny gets ahold of them.