During my work term at Tiara Yachts, I worked in many capacities in all phases of the construction process.
Lamination
Some duties included working on a lamination team building hulls and decks, vacuum-bagging floors and hardtops, and repairing and prepping molds for small parts. I spent a week in each area and was included in all but the most difficult tasks. Employees treated me as a trainee, offering pointers and assistance but expecting me to learn the processes and be a productive member of the team. Actual tasks included sizing, cutting, and laying out fiberglass cloth and balsa coring. I also hand-laminated parts, using a brush and roller to smooth and remove air bubbles from wet resin and fiberglass fabric. I was trained to operate a fiberglass-chopping gun and apply resin to fabric and balsa coring. In the vacuum-bagging area I assisted in the construction of "bagged" floors, which are built by coating balsa with polyester resin on both sides and then covering the part with a plastic bag and applying a 13-15 atmosphere vacuum. In this department I also laminated and vacuum-bagged a hardtop using epoxy resin.
Assembly
Work done in the assembly phase of production included prepping the engine room and bilge areas, which consisted of fitting through-hull fixtures, running electrical harnesses, installing plumbing, and securing fuel, water, and waste tanks. I also participated in installing and connecting diesel and gasoline engines and generators. This job also encompassed running gear (propeller shafts, struts, and rudders) set-up. Aligning and mounting interior modules (head, dinette, galley, and master berth units) in the hull, installing deck hardware, (such as headliners, inspection plates, handrails, windshields, stereos, and helm stations) setting and attaching decks to hulls. Deck-set, as it is known, incorporates trimming the tops of the interior units, caulking the joint between the two parts, and putting screws through both deck and hull on three inch centers. Constructing and wiring AC/DC main breaker panels for electrical systems and performing final inspections of all the systems aboard (including running engines and gensets, as well as complete in-water testing of every component of the boat) were among my other jobs. Once again, employees here were eager to help me learn a new job, but they also expected me to complete the task efficiently and satisfactorily.
Working Conditions
Throughout my employment, working conditions were safe and clean. I was issued all necessary safety equipment and tools, including protective clothing during lamination, upon my arrival in a given department.
Important Lessons
Learning lamination skills were inherent with my time in that department and I was trained to read and interpret electrical schematics as well as construct the products they illustrated. Although the entire experience was very beneficial and interesting, a few points stand out. I saw the importance of sound design and engineering firsthand, and I was made aware of the possible benefits from on-going engineering of a product already in production. The significance of precision in both design and manufacturing was readily apparent to me during final assembly, when parts from several different departments and dozens of outside vendors came together. In addition, the incorporation of high-tech materials and processes in the lamination and vacuum-bagging departments was extremely interesting. The strength of the materials produced versus their weight is an amazing property.
Employer Information
My employer was Tiara Yachts, 725 East 40th Street, Holland Michigan, 49423. I reported to two supervisors during my work term: John Vande Bunte, Plant 1 Manager, and Mark Fialek, Plant 2 S1 Line Manager. Both can be reached by calling (616) 392-7163 and asking the operator to connect you. My pay was $9.50 per hour.