r/whatisit • u/Massive_Plan_5807 • 5h ago
New, what is it? Found on a beach in Newport,RI…. What is it
Hey yall, I was on one of the side beaches off of the Newport Cliff Walk the other day when I found this between the rocks. I’ve never seen anything like this, it feels not too heavy and what really puzzles me is the fibrous/crosshatch pattern. My guess is that it could be some kind of fiberglass? But I have no idea. Any ideas what this could be?
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u/creepy_gymnast 5h ago
A chunk of fiberglass
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u/Joe_Jobs_ 2h ago
Yup, the weave indicates it's resin bound fiberglass sheet.
Likely knocked loose from a hull collision, Like underwater rock or something.
At first glance I thought someone ran over a half eaten corncob.
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u/Intelligent-Art-5000 5h ago
It's fiberglass weave and resin used in making and repairing small boats. I've mostly seen it used in patches, but occasionally as part of base construction in canoes, punts, skiffs, etc.
Also, I'm from Rhode Island and that is the kind of thing that washes up pretty often.
Look up "fiberglass cloth" and you can see lots of photos of it.
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u/Nematodes-Attack 4h ago edited 2h ago
Maybe it’s from the Titan submersible
Edit: gee thanks for the award. I’m thankful that someone else understands my dark humor 😈
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u/random-user2025 5h ago
its a piece of a fiberglass boat hull- the reason the shape is like that is it was where there was a bad piece in the plywood when it was being manufactured - it was punched out and replaced with a section to complete the ply---
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u/philharmonicfartbox 5h ago
Fellow Rhode Islander that looks like asbestos. It’s as best of you to get rid of it.
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u/GenerallySalty 5h ago
With that criss-cross weave in pic 1 it's fiberglass and resin from a boat wall. Still not great to keep due to splintering fibers though, same as if it was asbestos.
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u/philharmonicfartbox 5h ago
Asbestos does look similar but I think you’re right. The age and exposure to the elements made it look older than it is. Given Newport is a very historic boating port city it could be very old piece of fiberglass from the. 50’s-70’s
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u/Quirky_Operation2885 5h ago
Part of a fiberglass boat hull. Looking at the shape, I have to think it was a poorly attached repair plug.
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u/MessageNeither4010 5h ago
Fiberglass from a busted surfboard
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u/Porschenut914 5h ago
too thick from even an old surfboard.
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u/deaglebingo 4h ago
bc it's from the hull of a boat that sunk and was busted up into pieces over time.
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u/TurismoFoe 4h ago
I was gonna say it looks like fiberglass and probably came off of somebody's surfboard or something? Or a boat and another comment mentioned I didn't even think of that it's probably actually what it is!
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u/Pretend-Design-7061 4h ago
Nugget of boat. Smoothed vby rough water and sand, similar to beach glass.
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