fiberglass splinters

[Bertramp]

I helped a friend out the other day by playing captain (boat jockey) on a 21 Cape Horn, as my friend was teaching the elderly gentleman that owned the boat how to fish on it. (3 kings / 1 tuna) .... the next day, my friend said, "I'll never fish on that thing again" ... he had fiberglass splinters. We finally figured out that the glass splinters were from the drop in storage hatches. I would guess that the sun has ultimately broken down the not well finished hatches and storage compartment tops. Is that a reasonable guesstimate on what happened here ? Does this occur ?

[Buju]

Or... that those Cape Horns (and Palm Beach, and Key Largo, etc) are the epitome of P.O.S. cookie cutter boats, with very little quality control and a general lacking of anything even remotely having to do with quality...

But yeah, I have an old as the hills fiberglass white moonlighter push pole. I stopped using it about 5 years ago because I was getting "micro-splinters" of strands of glass in my palms after using it. But I'm talking about constant 24/7 exposure to the elements over 20 years...

Cape Horn boats have been around for what, 5 or 7 years?

[IRGuy]

When I bought "Phoenix" I had to remove two very old FM radio antennas.. both were so old and deteriorated that I got splinters in my hands from them. Not nice! Be very careful!

[Face]

My money is with IRGUY, check the antennas. People grab them all the time without realizing it.

[In Memory Walter K]

If it is the hatch edges, paint the raw edges with a coating of the West Marine system fiberglass 1:1.

[CaptPatrick]

When I bought "Phoenix" I had to remove two very old FM radio antennas.. both were so old and deteriorated that I got splinters in my hands from them. Not nice! Be very careful!

Just as a word of advise: When installing a new fiberglass antenna, paint it first. Direct uv light will eventually destroy most resins and leave the fiberglass dry and loose on the surface. Awlgrip prime and topcoat is the prefered method, but even 4 or 5 coats from a rattle can is better than leaving the glass exposed. An excellent rattle can product is HAMMERITE Rust Cap Smooth Finish.