Factory Tour / Maritime Construction Process – “Built Like a Maritime”

The Facility & Our Team

Our large, modern manufacturing  facility is located in Augusta Maine. While the setting is quiet and peaceful outside, inside our motivated crew of experienced boat builders  generate a steady flow of energy and activity designing, building and carefully inspecting each and every Maritime.

Not only is Maritime constantly investing in the most modern tools and equipment available to make great built boats even better, we continually support and promote our employees technical education. A large portion of our manufacturing team are “Certified Composite Technicians”,  having  met the rigorous requirements of the American Composites Manufacturing Association’s training program; nationally recognized as the “Gold Standard” for composites training.

Merging modern manufacturing techniques  with our legendary hard working, skilled and experienced crew of Maine boat builders  is what allows us to produce strong, high quality, great performing  Maritime boats ….Boats You Can Depend On!

The Construction Process

Step One –

Mold Preparation:  Construction of every Maritime hull, deck and component begins with the  inspection and maintenance of the mold. Molds are stored in a temperature controlled environment and undergo scheduled maintenance to ensure they are in excellent condition prior to their use.  Our uniquely designed molds provide the final fiberglass part’s shape and provides the smooth, high gloss quality finish associated with each Maritime boat.

Step Two –

Gel Coat Application:  All hulls, decks and components are manufactured using Ferro Supershield Gel Coat, a premium polyester NPG gel coat that provides excellent color retention, a high gloss and superior resistance to fading.  An experienced gel coat technician, trained in industry “best practices”, applies a smooth, even layer of gel coat on the mold, which establishes the color of the Maritime hull. After the gel coat is applied a durable vinylester resin laminate is applied to protect it during subsequent construction processes.

Step Three –

Vacuum Infusion:

Continuing our commitment to build strong, safe, quality boats Maritime has invested in the tools, skills and technology which allows us to build stronger, lighter and more durable boats using modern vacuum infusion techniques. The vacuum infusion process draws resin into a mold containing strategically positioned layers of dry laminate material. There are many significant advantages associated with vacuum infusion, it eliminates hand lay-up inconsistencies , prevents air voids and produces parts that have a higher glass to resin ratio which results in a stronger, yet lighter weight composite laminate. Vacuum infusion greatly reduces the amount of emissions produced compared to traditional hand lay-up methods making it better for the environment and creating a safer, healthier workplace for our team.

The Vacuum Infusion Process

A. Material Loading: As many as seven different layers of fiberglass reinforcement material are strategically placed inside the mold. Each type of reinforcement has its own strength characteristics and uniquely contributes to the strong, stiff high performance structural laminate eventually created when resin is drawn into the mold.

B. Transom Construction: Our incredibly strong transom is produced by positioning a full width section of high density PXC-385 reinforced structural foam panel across the transom area. This closed cell panel will not rot, does not absorb water and has significant strength properties which are additionally enhanced by adding three layers of heavy duty glass reinforcement on either side.

C. Resin Feed & Vacuum System: Special flow materials and plastic tubing are positioned in various locations of the mold which allows resin to flow in a controlled manner to all sections. Vacuum lines are carefully positioned around the mold and are connected to a “vacuum pot” which provides the negative pressure that draws the resin out of the buckets and into the reinforcement material.

D. Bagging: Once all the materials are loaded and the resin feed and vacuum lines are installed, a nylon bag is placed over the entire hull mold. The bag is sealed around the perimeter of the mold and around all the resin feed and vacuum tubes.

E. Vacuum Test: Once the mold is bagged and sealed, a vacuum is created which sucks all the air out of the mold and compresses the fiberglass materials tightly against the hull. The nylon bag is inspected for leaks and the pressure monitored for a period of time to ensure it is holding steady and ready for infusion.

F. Resin Preparation: A carefully measured amount of high quality vinylester blend resin is prepared in buckets from which the feed lines will pull the resin into the various sections of the mold. Using a high grade vinylester blend resin provides a strong, durable laminate that is superior to polyester resin products.

G. Resin Infusion: Resin is drawn from buckets into the laminate in a carefully designed sequence to ensure all dry laminate materials are completely filled. Inspectors carefully monitor the flow of resin and open additional feed lines when appropriate.

H. Inspection & Cure: Inspectors visually verify that the resin has flowed throughout the hull and completely flowed into all of the fiberglass reinforcement materials. After the resin has cured the nylon bag is removed along with the feed and vacuum systems and the hull is prepared for grid installation.

Step  Four –

Fiberglass Grid System Installation :  Our strong, stiff, solid fiberglass grids form the structural backbone of every Maritime hull.  Molded specifically to fit each model, the grids are attached to the hull with Plexus Plexus “Fiberglass Fusion” Adhesives have revolutionized the way boats are designed and built. When applied to fiberglass and other composites, they dissolve a thin layer of each mating surface and actually fuse two composite surfaces into one, creating a chemically cross-linked bond so strong that the composites will delaminate before the bond fails., the industry leading methacrylate adhesive that fuses the fiberglass parts together to produce an incredibly strong and secure bond that is actually stronger than the fiberglass laminate itself. Other boat manufacturers recognize the benefits of 100% solid fiberglass grid systems but claim it is too expensive to use: At Maritime we think the ultimate strength and safety of our hull is too important not to use the very best.   Maritime’s Grid System… No wood, no foam core, no excuses.

Step Five  -

Foam Flotation Installation: Every Maritime hull is foam-filled for safety, meeting or exceeding U.S. Coast Guard and ABYC standards.  Before the foam is injected into the hull and grid system, the mixture and cure process is verified through our Quality Assurance system.  Then, molds are installed over the fiberglass grid sections and each section is filled until pressurized to achieve a minimum 2lb density.  Once the foam has properly cured, the molds are removed so that each cavity can be visually inspected for 100% fill. Every Maritime under 20’ in length has undergone a formal level flotation test with a U.S. Coast Guard approved facility.  Our record to date is flawless, which is impressive when you realize that more than 50% of boats fail this rigorous testing.

Step  Six –

Fuel System Installation: Maritime uses Moeller polyethylene fuel tanks, which are widely known as the highest quality in the market as well as the best product for addressing today’s ethanol related fuel problems. Each tank is firmly held in place with a custom anchoring and saddle system and the fuel tank compartments are carefully designed to accommodate inherent expansion and contraction. Access to connection points allow for easy inspection and maintenance. Corrosion resistant 316 stainless steel hose clamps are used throughout the fuel system and all critical fill points are double banded for extra safety and security. Before any Maritime leaves the factory the fuel system is carefully inspected and pressure tested to ensure proper installation.

Step  Seven —

Cockpit Floor Installation: Each Maritime features a strong, lightweight, high density composite cored vacuum infused cockpit floor. Each floor has a consistent strength to weight ratio, provides excellent screw holding power and delivers a crisp aggressive non-skid pattern for superior traction. The cockpit floor is bonded to the grid system using Plexus adhesive and sealed with fiberglass laminate around the perimeter to prevent water penetration into the foam filled cavities below.

Step Eight —

Deck System: The Maritime deck system is fabricated with the same attention to detail and same high quality materials as the hull. Using modern vacuum infusion technology allows us to build our decks stronger and lighter than traditional methods. Strong aluminum pop rivets are used to secure a heavy duty commercial-grade rub rail around the outside of the deck which also secures the deck to the hull. The unique overhang of the deck onto the rolled edge portion of the hull allows all hardware components to be thru-bolted and accessed years after the boat is built. The deck’s overhang also functions as a spray rail, contributing significantly to Maritime’s well-earned reputation for dryness in rough sea conditions.

Step Nine —

Component Installation:  Vacuum infused center consoles, seating assemblies, leaning posts and other significant items are secured with a combination of marine adhesive, Plexus and 316 stainless steel fasteners.  Well designed and strategically positioned components allow the fasteners to bite into the fiberglass layers of the floor laminate as well as anchoring into the solid fiberglass grid system; this creates an extraordinary amount of screw holding power and permanent attachment.

Step Ten –

Final Assembly:

Electrical & Wiring –Installed by technicians with years of experience, high quality Blue Seas Systems electrical switches and assemblies are used to provide a safe and reliable electrical system.

Our design team chose Blue Sea Systems because they use tin-plated pure CDA 11000 electrical-grade copper where appropriate, rather than the lower cost brass alloys used by some manufacturers. Tin-plating protects the copper from corrosion that can produce poor conductivity at connection points.

Hardware  – Maritime uses oversized 316 stainless steel  for all its cleats, chocks, bits, rails and deck mounted hardware. The 316 stainless steel provides longer lasting corrosion resistance than the 18-8 or 304 stainless steel that most builders use and is thru-bolted (not screwed in) for added strength and reliability.  Oversized hardware not only distributes stress better than smaller hardware but it  allows for quick and easy tie-up in all sea conditions.    Don’t forget, with Maritime you can customize your hardware choices and determine where it is located to meet your personal boating, fishing or commercial needs.

Our heavy duty aluminum T-Tops, Tow Posts and other commercial hardware is custom built and fit to each Maritime model and secured with a proven combination of stainless steel fasteners and adhesives.

Canvas & Cushions – Maritime’s canvas and cushion items are custom built in Maine utilizing  the very best materials available.    All canvas items are made with strong wear resistant Sunbrella fabric (NOTE – Insert link “Sunbrella is the leading marine grade fabric recognized for its extraordinary water resistance, fade resistance and ability to withstand the harsh salt water environment.  The woven material allows the fabric to breath so it won’t trap heat or moisture inside cushions and bolsters.”) known for its superior stain, water and fade resistant qualities.  With a variety of Sunbrella color and pattern options available, we can customize your canvas needs to personalize your Maritime.

Whether you choose to cover your cushions with Sunbrella canvas or our standard tough mildew resistant pleated vinyl fabric, all Maritime cushion inserts are made with Eva-Dri polyurethane foam.  Eva-Dri foam has an ‘exploded’ open cell construction which allows liquids to flow right through, dry quickly and allows humidity to rapidly evaporate.  Eva-Dri prevents your cushions from acting like a moisture trapping sponge, a common characteristic of some boat cushions.

Windows & Windshields —  Center console models under 20’ in length are equipped with a lightly tinted, high strength, durable “Plexiglas” windscreen that is positioned  within the outline of a heavy duty stainless steel grab rail.

The 20’ and 23’ Defiant center console models feature a lightly tinted 3/8” thick heavy duty acrylic windshield mounted to the 42” center console.  The entire windshield is cast in one piece and fully molded and cooled to provide uniform strength and durability throughout the entire part, eliminating weak spots commonly found in those that are only “spot” heated.  A vibration absorbing  well-nut attachment system is used on all center console models to prevent cracking and provide a secure dependable connection.

High quality, commercial grade window systems are installed in all Center Cabin and Pilot House models.  Similar to those used by the Coast Guard, these systems have strong aluminum frames that are bolted and bonded to the solid fiberglass perimeter of the window opening and feature thick laminated “safety” glass that delivers dependable waterproof performance in the very worst weather.

Step Eleven –

Engine Rigging and Installation –

Maritime is affiliated with a variety of outboard manufactures and has a team of trained professionals that carefully pre- rigs or fully installs each customer’s desired outboard package.    We install  high quality OEM system matched components so all the engine wiring harnesses, binnacles, gauges and key switches are 100% compatible with the chosen outboard  brand.   Maritimes are designed and built with generous access to rigging tunnels and critical components, so you and your dealer can easily perform routine inspection and maintenance.

Step Twelve —

Final Inspection – Inspections are routinely performed throughout the construction process, but after a final cleaning every Maritime is reviewed and inspected from bow to stern to ensure that we have met our tough standards and exceeded those of our customers.

NOTE:  To support Maritime’s  continual emphasis on design and performance improvement, we  reserve the right to change construction materials and or manufacturing  processes at any time, without prior notification.