Robie Hobie wrote:
srm, how do hulls 'absorb' water?
Fiberglass and resin are hygroscopic (will readily absorb water). If you leave the fiberglass exposed to moisture either in a high-humidity environment (water left in the hulls) or immersed in water (leave the boat on a mooring) for an extended period, the hulls will eventually absorb water. This not only causes the hulls to gain water weight, but it also causes them to lose strength - the strength of saturated composites is significantly lower than when dry.
Bottom line, keep your hulls as dry as possible if you want them to last.
sm