According to dan spurr, editor of practical sailor, and the author of a forthcoming book on the history of fiberglass sailboats, heart of glass, "it probably was a fellow named ray greene in toledo, ohio.. The fiberglass boat revolution actually began when polyester resin, which had been invented in 1935, was used to build the first known fibreglass boat, a dinghy built in the usa in 1942. the resin required reinforcement, and builders experimented with various materials (even palm fronds) before arriving at glass fibres.. Fibreglass boat builders became victims of their own success. as time passed, more and more second hand boats came on the market, driving down the demand for new boats. that is still true today. boat manufacturers have to keep coming up with new features to entice customers to spend the extra money for a new model..
This feature is not available right now. please try again later.. This background about the first uses of fibreglass on boats has been very timely and i thankyou all for it and agood question 'weheritage'. i'm holding courses in fibreglass repairs at our yacht club at the moment and this will add a bit of interest. in fact this info is perfect. warren.. Developed during world war two, fibreglass transformed yachting, an exclusive pastime of the rich, into boating, a favoured leisure pursuit of america's growing middle class. this volume examines the history and development of fibreglass vessels. show more.
