Ferro Cement Hulls ?

[JohnGaltJr.]

Can anyone tell me firsthand the sailing characteristics of the hartley 38 south seas design built out of ferrocement?

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by JohnGaltJr.

Can anyone tell me firsthand the sailing characteristics of the hartley 38 south seas design built out of ferrocement?

From what I've been told by owners of FC Hartley South Seas, they sail well. I think you may be interested in having a look at this site, it's a very interesting website, giving the story, log and pictures of Peter Freeman's record breaking world circumnavigation in a 'Hartley 32' home-built ferro-cement sailboat. The Full Story

[JohnGaltJr.]

Thanks for the link, appreciated.

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Yachts66

So I'm thinking of building a ferro barge to mount a house on! Nothing fancy, just basic 20 x 40 barge hull somewhere between 4' and 6' deep. Moor it out in the bay and build a nice little nippa hut on it. Put a tin roof on to catch rain water and store the water in a ferro tank on or just below the deck for use to wash etc. Can haul out drinking water from town. Solar panels and a wind generator for power with maybe a back up honda generator to charge of the batteries if needed.

That's the idea. What do you folks who know so much more than I do about Ferro think of it?

Thanks,

Thomas

G'day Thomas,

Have a look at this FC Bardge...It may be to big for what you need but it's worth having a look at

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by nsabardin

Thanks to this thread and all the links within it, I came to the conclusion that a ferro hull yacht was the right one for me. It is durable, easy and cheaper to maintain, stable, quiet, and above all, affordable.
So I set off to find a good deal, the right compromise between my wants and needs. And I found it! I am now the proud owner of a 43' ferro ketch! (details and pix to follow).

Congratulations. I too look forward to hearing more about your boat and seeing some pictures of her so do please keep us informed

[AussieGeoff]

Originally Posted by nsabardin

Thanks to this thread and all the links within it, I came to the conclusion that a ferro hull yacht was the right one for me. It is durable, easy and cheaper to maintain, stable, quiet, and above all, affordable.
So I set off to find a good deal, the right compromise between my wants and needs. And I found it! I am now the proud owner of a 43' ferro ketch! (details and pix to follow).

Outstanding. As they used to say in the old RN, 'Wish you joy of her.'

Look forward to seeing some pics and hearing all about it. Welcome to the Concrete Navy.


AussieGeoff

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by AussieGeoff

Outstanding. As they used to say in the old RN, 'Wish you joy of her.'

Look forward to seeing some pics and hearing all about it. Welcome to the Concrete Navy.


AussieGeoff

Geoff mate, those who know nothing about FC are confused enough about FC boats so let's not reinforce their confusion ...It's NOT the "Concrete Navy" it's the "Ferro Cement Navy"

Bill
Australia

[AussieGeoff]

Originally Posted by BillAU

Geoff mate, those who know nothing about FC are confused enough about FC boats so let's not reinforce their confusion ...It's NOT the "Concrete Navy" it's the "Ferro Cement Navy"

Bill
Australia

Aye aye Admiral.

AussieGeoff

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by BillAU

Geoff mate, those who know nothing about FC are confused enough about FC boats so let's not reinforce their confusion ...It's NOT the "Concrete Navy" it's the "Ferro Cement Navy"

Bill
Australia

Actually this raises a very interesting point; why isn't this medium called "ferro concrete"?

Isn't cement just the powder component of the 'mud'?

[AussieGeoff]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Actually this raises a very interesting point; why isn't this medium called "ferro concrete"?

Isn't cement just the powder component of the 'mud'?

Interesting point.

The dictionary says concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, broken stone or gravel and water. Right. The 'mud' or 'plaster' or whatever you call it of a ferro hull doesn't have the gravel or broken stone (well, I hope not, be a real b.... to fair) in it, so it's therefore technically not concrete.

Cement however seems to be both the name of the binding agent (which is calcined lime and clay ground to a fine powder) and the mixture of cement, sand and water used to make boat hulls amongst other things.

I recall my father calling the stuff mixed with gravel 'concrete' and the stuff mixed without gravel 'cement' so that seems to be consistent.

Based on that I think the 'cement' part of ferro cement is probably correct. The 'ferro' part simply means 'of or pertaining to iron' which is an obvious reference to the steel armature.

Seems to be a coined term, so 'steel reinforced concrete' is the (I think) correct term for the heavy construction material with gravel or broken stone mixed in that has a framework of steel reinforcing bars within.

Based on that, a ferro cement hull should theoretically be called a 'steel reinforced cement' hull if you are that much of a purist. It's a bit of a mouthful, so I think ferrocement as a term works better, doubtless why it was coined. When did that term first appear in the language I wonder?

AussieGeoff

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by AussieGeoff

Outstanding. As they used to say in the old RN, 'Wish you joy of her.'

Look forward to seeing some pics and hearing all about it. Welcome to the Concrete Navy.


AussieGeoff

Ya musta been an 'Upper Decker' mate.....
Us 'Lower Decker's' were much more verboise.....

[AussieGeoff]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ya musta been an 'Upper Decker' mate.....
Us 'Lower Decker's' were much more verboise.....

Never had the privilege of being either. But I read all of C.S. Forester, Alexander Kent, Dudley Pope, Patrick O'Brien and lately, G. S. Beard's works.

Perhaps in another life? Who can say? But it was a term used in Nelson's Navy, not sure if it survived to more modern times, at least not in that form.

I blame my Viking forebears actually, 2 of my GreatGrandfathers were Norwegian seamen who jumped ship in Melbourne and stayed in Oz.
With names like Kristoffersson and Thorsson I had no chance of not being a sailor, even if only as an amateur.

AussieGeoff

[clockwork orange]

Mortar is a common term for the cement mix without the aggregate used for plastering things, ferro cement sounds better than ferro mortar though imho.
Steve.

[AussieGeoff]

Originally Posted by clockwork orange

Mortar is a common term for the cement mix without the aggregate used for plastering things, ferro cement sounds better than ferro mortar though imho.

Good point Steve and yes, I think it sounds better too.

Not sure if it's local usage, but mortar seems to be the term for cement mixed specifically for brick structure construction, ie the stuff they use to hold the bricks in place, sometimes this has other stuff in it, say, if it's a damp course.

AussieGeoff

[BillAU]

Now hear this, now hear this...The corect term for a Ferro Cement hull or anything else built using the method, is...Wait for it!... Steel reinforced plaster (SRP)
Each to his/her own I say but...I'll buy my SRP (Ferro Cement) boat just as soon as I'm ready to make the move and I don't give a damm about resale value...I'll pass the yacht on to one of my kin when I pass over, till then my SRP boat will be my home.
BTW, anyone want to buy my nice plastic 22' sailboat...You can see her here

Bill
Australia