Interesting discussions on the M/C site. My experience over the years is that boat owners become very partial to their brand, much like cars, if you have a good experience with one you tend to return for another. I just happen to know the difference on how the various ski boats were built, yes M/C did have molded glass stringers years before A/S did, but the true test is in the long term test. M/C was comfortable with a molded stringer/floor "pan" that was "blind-bonded" to the hull then flotation foam adds the needed rigidity. I knew that blind joints leave many opportunities on the production floor for human error, some may be perfect, others not, since it's blind, inspections by a floor supervisor are impossible. I also don't believe in using flotation foam as a structural member knowing it will deteriorate. All A/S boats were designed to be structurally sound without flotation foam, then the foam is added to meet requirements and as an added benefit it also adds additional rigidity. Another difference was that A/S was using clear Fir boards, not pine or plywood as was common with the others which does deteriorate much sooner. The reason most ski boat owners get P-O'd with rotten stringers was that their motors were lag bolted to the stringers. moisture enters, and soon the lag blots are stripped & won't hold the engine down. Repair shops will now tell you that the stringers need to be replaced (as soon a 10 years from date built) A/S has always used a through bolted aluminium engine bed that uses no lag bolts to strip out. All that said no boat is perfect, including A/S, there is always room for improvement. This past month I have been doing some engineering for brand xxx ski boat, & in the process required drilling into the stringer....plywood stringers...2012 model! We know the facts, there is a forum, has been a reunion & will be more to come. My parting comment: If M/C were to close the doors tomorrow, how many executives would be around 10,15,20 years later to offer support for the boats they built??
