Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Actually, some are.
The main construction difference between Tuffy and many other FRP boats is the uni-body lamination process Tuffy uses completely laminating the deck, floor, and splashwell to the hull, and a 13 layer hull laminate. The kevlar strengthens and keeps the boat keel from wearing through easily if no keel guard is applied. Tuffy also adds more laminate to the side walls than many, especially above the center line.
A capped Tuffy is just that, a 'cap' installed on the boat body primarily for cosmetic and free-board purposes, and that is why Tuffy can build open gunnel models the others will not, many use a one piece deck liner that is fastened to the boat primarily with mechanical fasteners and perhaps some fiberglass stitching, so there's 2 parts to the boat, the hull and the liner. Some use a hull, liner, and inner-liner.
Consoles are bolted in (Tuffy was the first in walleye/muskie boats to do that, no crazing in radius as there are none), the slashwell will support 600 pounds easily and is many times the thickness of most, plus one can walk around in that area and actually use it. That's why it is coated with a walkable surface. Tuffy's transom is from edge to edge top to bottom, what you see from the rear of the boat is all as thick as the motor mount and is one piece carbon fiber.
Tuffy use the same resins and gel coats as the big boys.
Champion had not built anything but bass boats for years after a couple years building Deep V models, and I believe Jacobs shut her down. Too bad, I loved that boat. |
