Building a Speedboat | National Geographic

today recreational boating is more

today recreational boating is more popular than ever and we’re headed to a

popular than ever and we’re headed to a

popular than ever and we’re headed to a factory where they’re keeping up with

factory where they’re keeping up with

factory where they’re keeping up with the demand

the demand

the demand the company is searay inven or tennessee

the company is searay inven or tennessee

the company is searay inven or tennessee they’re one of the largest boat

they’re one of the largest boat

they’re one of the largest boat manufacturers in the world turning out a

manufacturers in the world turning out a

manufacturers in the world turning out a whopping 10,000 boats every year today

whopping 10,000 boats every year today

whopping 10,000 boats every year today we’re going to see how the company

we’re going to see how the company

we’re going to see how the company manufactures one of the two most popular

manufactures one of the two most popular

manufactures one of the two most popular sport modes the Sun down at just over 26

sport modes the Sun down at just over 26

sport modes the Sun down at just over 26 feet it carries up to 12 people can

feet it carries up to 12 people can

feet it carries up to 12 people can reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour

reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour

reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour and is outfitted with everything from a

and is outfitted with everything from a

and is outfitted with everything from a stereo system to a wet bar

Marshall welcome to Ceres Teleco Lake

Marshall welcome to Ceres Teleco Lake facility the factories about 230,000

facility the factories about 230,000

facility the factories about 230,000 square feet we employ about 630 people

square feet we employ about 630 people

square feet we employ about 630 people this is utterly fantastic building any

this is utterly fantastic building any

this is utterly fantastic building any boat begins with constructing its

boat begins with constructing its

boat begins with constructing its exterior or the hull and in the case of

exterior or the hull and in the case of

exterior or the hull and in the case of most fiberglass boats such as the Sun

most fiberglass boats such as the Sun

most fiberglass boats such as the Sun Deck that means using a high-quality

Deck that means using a high-quality

Deck that means using a high-quality mould like this

mould like this

mould like this workers fill the mold with a liquid gel

workers fill the mold with a liquid gel

workers fill the mold with a liquid gel that hardens into the shape of the hull

that hardens into the shape of the hull

that hardens into the shape of the hull then they add additional materials such

then they add additional materials such

then they add additional materials such as fiberglass and foam beams for

as fiberglass and foam beams for

as fiberglass and foam beams for reinforcement finally after the boat

reinforcement finally after the boat

reinforcement finally after the boat sets for a few hours they lift the

sets for a few hours they lift the

sets for a few hours they lift the finished haul out of the mold in other

finished haul out of the mold in other

finished haul out of the mold in other words they build the hull from the

words they build the hull from the

words they build the hull from the outside in

outside in

outside in but before they fill the mold with gel

but before they fill the mold with gel

but before they fill the mold with gel workers first grease the mold surface

workers first grease the mold surface

workers first grease the mold surface with a special wax so the hardened Hall

with a special wax so the hardened Hall

with a special wax so the hardened Hall will pop out easily then they use air

will pop out easily then they use air

will pop out easily then they use air hoses to remove any bubbles and dirt

hoses to remove any bubbles and dirt

hoses to remove any bubbles and dirt particles from the wax otherwise these

particles from the wax otherwise these

particles from the wax otherwise these impurities would Mar the smooth and

impurities would Mar the smooth and

impurities would Mar the smooth and shiny surface of the hull

then a forklift pushes the mold into the

then a forklift pushes the mold into the gel booth where to 750 pound robots away

gel booth where to 750 pound robots away

gel booth where to 750 pound robots away it’s their job to cover the molds with

it’s their job to cover the molds with

it’s their job to cover the molds with an exterior gel coating which will

an exterior gel coating which will

an exterior gel coating which will harden and become the holes outer shell

harden and become the holes outer shell

harden and become the holes outer shell so the mold is moved in and what’s gonna

so the mold is moved in and what’s gonna

so the mold is moved in and what’s gonna happen here the robotic arm did you see

happen here the robotic arm did you see

happen here the robotic arm did you see we’re going to start spraying detail

we’re going to start spraying detail

we’re going to start spraying detail coat on the robotic sprayers glide back

coat on the robotic sprayers glide back

coat on the robotic sprayers glide back and forth for 20 minutes

and forth for 20 minutes

and forth for 20 minutes covering the mold with a layer of

covering the mold with a layer of

covering the mold with a layer of quick-setting polyester resin this makes

quick-setting polyester resin this makes

quick-setting polyester resin this makes the whole durable and virtually

the whole durable and virtually

the whole durable and virtually impenetrable to the water the gel coat

impenetrable to the water the gel coat

impenetrable to the water the gel coat also contains a pigment which gives the

also contains a pigment which gives the

also contains a pigment which gives the hall its color the bottom part of this

hall its color the bottom part of this

hall its color the bottom part of this hall will be white in just how thick are

hall will be white in just how thick are

hall will be white in just how thick are those layers of gel coat when finished

those layers of gel coat when finished

those layers of gel coat when finished that’s one of C rays trade secrets why

that’s one of C rays trade secrets why

that’s one of C rays trade secrets why do we need robots doing this what’s the

do we need robots doing this what’s the

do we need robots doing this what’s the advantage they give us you’re more

advantage they give us you’re more

advantage they give us you’re more consistent on the right pattern better

consistent on the right pattern better

consistent on the right pattern better quality no once the bottom dries workers

quality no once the bottom dries workers

quality no once the bottom dries workers remove the plastic that covers the top

remove the plastic that covers the top

remove the plastic that covers the top of the green mold later don’t paint this

of the green mold later don’t paint this

of the green mold later don’t paint this green section blue all right so this

green section blue all right so this

green section blue all right so this will make the bottom part of the whole

will make the bottom part of the whole

will make the bottom part of the whole of the boat yes where does the the deck

of the boat yes where does the the deck

of the boat yes where does the the deck come from but thank you sprayed on our

come from but thank you sprayed on our

come from but thank you sprayed on our other set of robots focus on us here and

other set of robots focus on us here and

other set of robots focus on us here and he goes through the same process this is

he goes through the same process this is

he goes through the same process this is what the deck looks like after the

what the deck looks like after the

what the deck looks like after the robots sprayed it with this same gel

robots sprayed it with this same gel

robots sprayed it with this same gel coat as the hall but something doesn’t

coat as the hall but something doesn’t

coat as the hall but something doesn’t look quite right does it that’s because

look quite right does it that’s because

look quite right does it that’s because the mold it’s sitting in is upside down

the mold it’s sitting in is upside down

the mold it’s sitting in is upside down later the deck will be popped out of the

later the deck will be popped out of the

later the deck will be popped out of the mold and flipped 180 degrees before

mold and flipped 180 degrees before

mold and flipped 180 degrees before being lowered into the Hall