Bluewater Boat

[Hud3]

Here's another point of reference. I bought a new Island Packet 380 and spent about 1/3 of the purchase price adding the things we needed for offshore sailing and long-term cruising.

[idpnd]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Yield strength: there is none, laminates are brittle

And that's a bit of a weakness when discussing strength..

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

Originally Posted by irathersail

I have a 34 Hunter and am planing to get down to the Keys and over to the Bahamas soon.Anyone have any pros or cons on this?

Please don't rattle that cage. You can search the forum for opinions on Hunters. In the end you will believe the folks who like Hunters and write off the ones who don't.

[sneuman]

... Nothing broke. And surprisingly, our average SOG for these passages was almost 20% higher than the cruiser/racer.

Kudos. This sums up much better than I could have and with more real world examples than I have the experience to provide. The fatigue factor, I believe, is key. A tired crew doesn't sail a boat all that well. That's why the heavy displacement boats vs. the lighter ones (and yes, multihulls, too), often "catch up" on longer passages.

[Brent Swain]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Steel
Ultimate tensile strength: 58,000 psi (400 MPa)
Yield strength: 36,000 psi (248 MPa)
Modulus of elasticity (stiffness): 29,000,000 psi (200 GPa)

5083-H321 Aluminum (as for plating)
Ultimate tensile strength: 44,000 psi (303 MPa)
Yield strength: 31,000 psi (214 MPa)
Modulus of elasticity: 10,400,000 psi (71.7 GPa)

Composites: (varies all over the map)
Ultimate tensile strength (knitted bidirectional laminates): 30,000 to 60,000 psi (206 to 414 MPa)
Yield strength: there is none, laminates are brittle
Modulus of elasticity: 1,900,000 to 3,000,000 psi (13 to 207 GPa)

GRP is stronger then rumour has it and aluminium , certainly that version in leisure Vessels is not as strong as the rumour. A lot of hype surrounds aluminium often based on experiences from commercial workboats. A very difference situation. ( the same is true of finely finished steel vessels.

I'm not running down aluminium or steel, but the hype runs away with itself sometimes. Ask ONVI to give you the STIX and AVS values for example.

Dave

Try a steel pickaxe on a fibreglass hull , then try a fibreglass pickaxe on a steel hull. Reality sets the record straight.

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

Try a steel pickaxe on a fibreglass hull , then try a fibreglass pickaxe on a steel hull. Reality sets the record straight.

You're right, but then again, a wire brush and paint are not in my tools of use on a glass boat..
Not to mention the nasties invaiding the hull from a "Hot" marina..

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Here's another point of reference. I bought a new Island Packet 380 and spent about 1/3 of the purchase price adding the things we needed for offshore sailing and long-term cruising.

That's about right..after I bought the boat, then turned it into a live aboard, replaced the plywood cabinetry with nice wood, upgraded electronics, added a couple of 2-speed winches, etc......I spent a little over 1/3 my original purcase price on getting everything just right (I paid $17,500), rounding up 1/3 is $6000....my final cost will be close to $24,000 for everything.

[Fernao]

Originally Posted by hoppy

I am trying to arrange my own Swedish bikini team to crew on my boat, but that will be Greece

how about a Greek bikini team. If you could get Elena Paparizou on the team... that would be great!!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Here's another point of reference. I bought a new Island Packet 380 and spent about 1/3 of the purchase price adding the things we needed for offshore sailing and long-term cruising.

1/3 the purchase price?

You got away cheap!

[Brent Swain]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

You're right, but then again, a wire brush and paint are not in my tools of use on a glass boat..
Not to mention the nasties invaiding the hull from a "Hot" marina..

For rare , occasional, fair weather use, fibreglass boats are less maintenance. For rough , full time use, which breaks things on fibreglass boats, steel boats are far less maintenance. That is why commercial boats use mostly metal .

[goboatingnow]

That is why commercial boats use mostly metal .

no its not, becuase most commercial boats are one offs, they are cheaper to build from steel and less production knowledge and no mold setup is required.

you might ask yourself what sort of material RNLI lifeboats are made off.

dave

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

For rare , occasional, fair weather use, fibreglass boats are less maintenance. For rough , full time use, which breaks things on fibreglass boats, steel boats are far less maintenance. That is why commercial boats use mostly metal .

Brent,

Could you please specify just which things on fibreglass boats are broken by full time use?

And around here (east coast of Australia including Tasmania) the vast majority of the fishing trawlers and long liners are neither glass nor steel... they are (gasp) timber! But maybe they don't qualify as commercial in your definition!

I've got nothing against steel or aluminium construction, but blanket condemnation of other construction materials is misleading, especially to newbies.

Jim

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

For rare , occasional, fair weather use, fibreglass boats are less maintenance. For rough , full time use, which breaks things on fibreglass boats, steel boats are far less maintenance. That is why commercial boats use mostly metal .

Whew! I'm gettin' out the foul weather gear for this one!

[capnorv]

The good boat is the one that's keeping me out of the water right now, whenever right now is. I would never be unfaithfull to my wife, or the mistress who is keeping me sheltered from the sea, however adequately. What was the original direction of this thread again?

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

You're right, but then again, a wire brush and paint are not in my tools of use on a glass boat..
Not to mention the nasties invaiding the hull from a "Hot" marina..

Having spent several days trying, (unsuccessfully), to remove a molded bracket from a 1960 FRP Hull, I can attest that fiberglass is not as crunchable as it sounds. I can also attest having examined hundreds of boats washed unto a highway several miles from the ocean, that it takes alot to crunch a well made fiberglass hull. Metal is better for most things, and if it wasn't for the added maintenance for corrosion, I would pick a metal boat. I still might for a serious passagemaker.