Comments About Steel Sailboats?

[videorov]

Im looking at a 57Ft design. Wonder if anyone has ever owned a
steel sailboat design before. This one has been all redone.
Just wonder how they seem to hold up and what to look for in problems
they might have?

[s/v Jedi]

I sailed a steel boat for 17 years and was happy every day of it. But the home slip was on fresh water!

Rust is the problem, maintenance is the cure.

cheers,
Nick.

[Ex-Calif]

Hi Viderov,

There a a number of threads relating to Steel boats on the forum. We always welcome new discussions but you might try a search for steel boats in the forum.

You can click on the Custom Search link in my signature to launch a google tool that only searches on CF.

I recently posted a review of a steel boat that I sailed and there are a number of steel boat owners on the forum.

Good luck in your research.

[Microship]

Hello from Nomadness, an Amazon 44 steel pilothouse cutter.

[videorov]

Nice boat Microship you have on your site. Im looking at this 57footer steel.

[Pelagic]

I love steel boats because of their toughness and malleability if I ever hit anything solid.

This is very important to me and the primary reason I chose steel, because I sail in remote places, poorly charted and with no rescue support.

If were just cruising in well supported areas like PNW around Vancouver, cold water temp and light winds would disfavor choosing steel.

A steel boat fails from the inside so you have to pay close attention to construction techniques especially if home built.

Checking that they have used continuous welds in any places where bilge water might collect.Does the underwater shell have that hungry horse look? .....are signs to walk away.

Your photo looks a bit like a John Pugh (sp?) design, which were mostly home built in Australia, so ignore the cosmetics on the outside and focus on structural conditions in the bilges

[videorov]

He said it looked good. There was a little rust in bilge from a leak they
had in the motor but fixed it. The whole boat has been Awlgrip
painted decks too. Lots of new wiring electroncs sails. He did say
they had put a foam in the inside walls. I trying to find out whos brand
of closed cell foam did they use. It seals the inside wall but it needs to be done right from what Ive been reading about using foam.
The inside wall on a steel boat is where you need to keep an eye on
how it is holding up.I guess the idea is it suppose to seal the metal up
from the air and dampness. I wonder if that can be really done.
I can see with all the equipment and wood insatlled it could be hard
to check plus with the foam covering. Hmmmm
What is the proper way to have a steel boat sealed inside????????????

[Microship]

Make sure it's not foamed into the bilge, but just to waterline. Foamed bilge is dangerous, as it holds water against the steel... I ran away from a Roberts 53 that had been done that way by a home-builder (despite the broker constantly telling me how wonderful it was). One probe by a metal-boat surveyor and the look on his face told all...

The Metal Boat Society is an excellent resource, and lots of folks here have experience with steel. I agree with Pelagic about toughness; I've already had two incidents (or maybe 3) that would have left me with significant damage had I chosen glass.

Thanks for the kind words on my little ship...

Steve

[barnakiel]

Rust is the challenge. But I have seen immaculate steel boats. Mostly built in the Netherlands and maintained well from the day they left the boatyard.

Some of them are real tubs (I mean pigs) but it does not apply to good boatyard builds.

If the boat is well built/maintained and you love her - go for it.

b.

[MacG]

I am living in Holland and the best steel boats are built just there. The boat on the picture is a hard chine, something you seldom find (in Holland) in that particular length.
But it is easy to build so one might be tempted.
There are many advanced products - epoxy paints - that keep rust away, like those products of Ameron which are used at the maintainance of drilling platforms.
Design is very important. I would circumvent any home-build design unless it comes from a well known designer.

[videorov]

I haven't heard of them? Anyone know about Cox manufacturing?????

[SabreKai]

hMMM. Steel boats rust. Maintance is an ongoing thing with steel.

But then again, Fiberglas boats get ozmosis, and crazing, cracks n delamination, wet pulpy deck cores, hard spots that lead to cracks n crazing.

Wood boats get the rots. They take an almost religious fanaticism to keep in good shape. Varnishing is a zen thing. Take pleasure from it or go nuts.

Cement boats crack, and chip.

Aluminum boats corrode too.

All things being said n done, and having owned and worked on Fiberglas, steel and wood boats, I'll take my steel boat over them all. As a matter of fact I own two steel boats. They have their idiosyncracies but I'll trust my life to them.


Sabre
99 days n a wake up

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by videorov

I haven't heard of them? Anyone know about Cox manufacturing?????

Cox Manufacturing Co - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ;-)

[s/v Jedi]

I think Cox Manufacturing is/was a German builder. The Cox from the model planes was probably a German immigrant but who knows, maybe family ;-)

cheers,
Nick.

[RayfromFrance]

Dear Sir, You Say :

You can click on the Custom Search link in my signature to launch a google tool that only searches on CF.

Can you explain more to a new member please....
and is it possible to be notified when one get an answer to a question ?

Best Regards, Raymond Liljeros, Swede living in sunny France !