Greetings to All from Tucson, AZ

[Ocotillo]

My dream is to finally build a cruiser in aluminum. We've been chartering in the caribbean, the San Juans, and San Diego for the last 25 hrs. Anyone out there undertake a boat in aluminum? Next autumn I hope to have access to a building which would allow welding 24/7 and until then I'm learning to weld at the local community college. If anyone has the interest I can fairly intelligently (I think) discuss the boats I am interested in building and why. I am right at decision making time. There are 3 designs I'm considering.
Cordially, Sam

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you posting here. I've only known one sailor friend of mine who owned an aluminum hull. He was constantly in fear of stray current causing electrolysis. I've seen other aluminum hulls that look in pretty good shape. My favorite hull material is fiberglass because of ease of repair and low maintenance. It is also compatable with nearly any other building material you want to bolt to it or tab onto it.
Others on the forum will probably have different opinions since everyone has one.
Are your designs Roberts?
kind regards,

[Ocotillo]

Hello John,
I'm finally able to do some writing after a hectic holiday season. For some reason this was the year for reunions etc. Very nice but glad to be into the new year. To be blunt I really don't like most Bruce Roberts designs. Their freeboards are to high. He puts no spring in his sheer lines. Most of the boats look ass heavy to me. Breaking up a sheer line to add ceiling height in the aft sections is at the very least cliche now that we are well established in the twentieth century. I am all for a little nostalgia but it has to done well. A designer who does it right is Michael kasten Kasten Marine Design - Custom sailing and motor yacht design.. Mikes designs are almost without exception superb. It goes without saying that everything I say is only the opinion of one man, me. One of the boats I'd like to build is Shiraz. Mike has now sold the design for at least one other builder so the cost of the cnc cutting files is down around 5 grand. Add the cost of the building plans to that and you have virtually a custom boat design for around 10k. A bargain at twice the price considering what you're getting. If I had the resources to hire two welders for a year I believe one could finish out the superstructure and close her up in power away form, recover a little financially and start on the joinery and systems in year two. As we all know in matters of the heart especially building anything it is wise to multiply by at least 2 when discussing money or timeframe. Cordially, Sam