Osprey Vipermax Hull

Baggen · 22 April 2012, 19:19

We got a couple of problems with or lovely Osprey Vipermax. Its and old BMC project for a blind man, and we are the third owner. The one before us did push the boat quite hard so we have the mission on turning it to what it once was. Tubes are now grey and black.

Does anyone recognize this boat or have any history on it? We are eager to learn the history of this boat.

We are almost certain that our boat is the one in the Sport discovery console option. osprey inflatable, boat, bateau, osprey, ospreyribs, inflatables

1. We have a crack in one of the "steps" on the hull (bought it like that

). The one furthers down on the left side 30 cm from the transom.

We opened up the "step" like an upside down V to let it dry and found out that the wood in the "step" is quite damp. Is the wood in the "step" connected to the hull, or it wood inte the "step" only?

Whats the smartest way to repair it? Our idea is fiberglass and then gelcoatfiller.

2. Does anyone have any pictures of the hull being made?

3. Also, we have small cracks in the edge of the transom in the gelcoat next to the floor. is this something to be worried about? Its an Yamaha HPDI vmax 150 Hp on the back, so its not to heavy I guess?

4. We are having some problems with the oil injection from the big tank to the small reservoir in the engine. It warns when it is out of oil, but it doesn't fill up. We have to do this with lever on the reservoir. Do we have to reset the engine or something? We have checked all the connections.

Thanks

nugent · 22 April 2012, 19:59

Pictures not working sir

Sent from my iPad using Rib.net

Baggen · 22 April 2012, 21:20

Seems to be a poblem with my computer... pics will come

Chris · 22 April 2012, 21:20

some slight cracks in the gelcoat around the transom boxes is not unusual. Osprey did not use flexible additives in their gelcoat around that area and due to the various stresses its not uncommon to see small hairline cracks along the joins.

Erin · 22 April 2012, 22:05

A bit like this you mean?

Baggen · 22 April 2012, 22:08

Yepp, but bigger.

Thats not a big concern though, just something Dahl ribs pointed out when they did some work on it and I thought could be asked here for others experiences. Our big problem is the hull and that crack in the "step"

Zippy · 23 April 2012, 12:22

Be Interesting to see some pics of the hull crack. Hopefully it's not too bad. Ospreys seem to be built pretty solid so fingers crossed for you!

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 12:46

I'll try to take a pic tonight.

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 18:54

We also drilled a hole in the transom through the "step" to let it dry more and to see if it was filled with water. Its more than quite damp.

Downhilldai · 23 April 2012, 19:16

Looks like it's suffered a trailer 'incident'

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 19:30

Like a small jump on the trailer? But the "step" is so thick? Note that we made it look like this to let it dry. How should we repair it?

Erin · 23 April 2012, 20:59

I will pre-empt my answer by saying I don't have much knowlegde about laying up a hull, but I would think any wood used in the chines (step) would be laminated over with fibreglass before the stiffeners and bulkheads are put in place. Most of the time, the wood in these locations isn't so much structural, as there just to keep the shape of the fibreglass until it cures. It obviously will be adding some strength but I don't think that is its primary purpose. The reason I think this is because you quite often get foam cored hulls and foam cored stringers where the foam has no real strength to it. It is just a former. However, you really don't want a wet transom

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 21:23

Thanks for that answer Erin! How do you guys think that we should repair this damage? Some kins of filler?

Chris · 23 April 2012, 21:32

Hi Baggen,

I will help you out...

Mike Whitham from Whitham glassfibre near Liverpool has built all the hulls for Osprey Vipermax's and will have built your hull.

I have emailed him these pictures for his advice. No one else knows these hulls better than Mike (IMO one of the best features of an Osprey is that you know one man has built every single one of them)

I will catch up with Mike tomorrow to find out what he suggests...

Is there any chance you could get the hull back over to the UK?

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 22:22

Thanks a lot for that Chris, really appreciate it! Maybe, we are looking for a second rib in the 5-6 meter size to have as our second boat instead of the Chris Craft. Our plan is to but the boat in England, so maybe that would be possible when we do that. Probably not. We have some contact with the reseller in Sweden, Grand Rib and Mr. Petrov. They have done some work on the engine and pontoons. We tried to fill the damage with glass fiber and gelcoatfiller. Which clearly didn't work. Thats why we now opened it up more and try to make it dry in there with a fan.

Would it help with the serialnumber? Maybe thats a way to get some history on the boat as well?

Thanks for all the help from you guys!

Erin · 23 April 2012, 22:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Whitham glassfibre near Liverpool has built all the hulls for Osprey Vipermax's

I thought that was just under licence from Brugge Marine in Belgium. Do they not build Vipermax's in Belgium too?

Bigmuz7 · 23 April 2012, 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Is there any chance you could get the hull back over to the UK?

Yes

if he uses this website www.shiply.com as I have just found out..

and I'll be posting more details about my experience shortly

with much regards to the fellow on here who alerted me to the site

Downhilldai · 23 April 2012, 22:28

Brugge Marine own the brand and Mike Whitham does all the GRP moulding work. The huls are then shipped over to Europe.

Baggen · 23 April 2012, 22:31

Yepp, it says UK-OVM and in the end of the number 1-02 so I guess its made in England.

Erin · 23 April 2012, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Brugge Marine own the brand and Mike Whitham does all the GRP moulding work. The huls are then shipped over to Europe.

Ah, I see. Didn't realise that. How does one man satisfy the whole of Europe with Osprey hulls and still have time to do his other grp work?

As for repairing the damage, I would have thought the normal way would be to grind it back with a tapered edge and patch it with reducing sizes of mat with epoxy resin.