Aluminium SailBoats VS Fiberglass SailBoats

[barryglewis]

Aluminium has many good points - Risky Business was built in 1985 to a design originally for fibreglass (Adams 13), by 2 brothers in Tasmania. They built 2, one later went up on the rocks, I believe in Storm Bay, and was lost.
Lightweight aluminium is stronger than same weight glass, but not bullet proof!

The original design was to be a light displacement high performance shoal draft cruising yacht for the designer to use.
Risky and her sister were built in a fabrication yard by the brothers, to race. A few years after launch, the original long shallow keel was cut off and replaced with a drop ballast keel. She went on to have a successful racing career including 19 years based in Cairns.
Converting her for cruising has been an ongoing process during which we've made a number of cruises to Pacific Islands, and a circumnavigation. Ros and I are not boat builders, but moving the heads, rebuilding the galley and forward cabin, making a chain locker, fitting a windlass etc etc have all been within our capabilities. Aluminium can be worked (up to a point) with woodworking tools.
I would certainly be happy for my next yacht to be Aluminium!

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by barryglewis

Lightweight aluminium is stronger than same weight glass

A bit of a weakness in this whole discussion is that 'glass' is not one simple thing. At one end of a spectrum you have choppergun total **** and at the other end you have autoclaved pre-preg thin ply carbon fiber.

The best carbon fiber construction is 'stronger' than aluminum.

I would note that 'stronger' is also actually a pretty vague/non-technical term, but you can design the highest-end composites structures to have pretty much all important technical properties better than aluminum . . .except cost, aluminum wins on economics. There is a reason that carbon has been replacing aluminum in aircraft and replaced aluminum in race boats decades ago.

Given we are having a bit of a theoretical discussion - a total Ti boat is pretty nice, good strength to weight and no corrosion issues - need skilled fabrication and cost is ofc an issue. I am aware of two all Ti boats.

back in the day, there were also several boats made from some sort of copper-based material - I can't quite remember what it was - silicon bronze perhaps, not sure. The theory was they would be both corrosion resistant and would never need bottom paint (self antifouling). I don't know whatever happened to them.

I have also run across a couple all stainless steel boats - some interesting pros and cons with that.

Bottom line is that really . . . . you can build an excellent boat out of all the common materials with excellent design and excellent boat building, and you can build **** boats out of all the common materials with **** design and **** boat building.

[Cajunexpat]

I owned an old 60’ Chris Craft aluminum Roamer. In salt water, the issues with electrolysis are very expensive to maintain. The hull was faired with compound from Derecter Shipyard, very well built, expensive boat in it’s day. It was a royal pain in the you know what keeping up with the paint. Aluminum flexes, shrinks and contracts, most paints and fairing materials don’t. I own a fiberglass cat now, the only metal I have to worry about are the outdrives. Also in the winter especially, or in damp wet weather the hulls sweat... like crazy

[Factor]

That Aluminum is rubbish,

but Aluminium - now that is good.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

...
back in the day, there were also several boats made from some sort of copper-based material - I can't quite remember what it was - silicon bronze perhaps, not sure. The theory was they would be both corrosion resistant and would never need bottom paint (self antifouling). I don't know whatever happened to them...

I think you are talking about Copper Nickel. There were some/one trawler(s) in the Gulf of Mexico made with CuNi and a couple of sailboats. One sailboat was/is for sale in Central American a year or so ago.

One of the issues with CuNi is cost since both Copper and Nickel are so danged expense.

Later,
Dan

[Redreuben]

Originally Posted by Leighpilot

Actually ferro isn’t a bad idea if done properly. Buy a well made second hand boat , they’re dirt cheap. Get the cruising done and then sell it on, still dirt cheap.

You do realise this is in the Multihull section ?

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by dannc

I think you are talking about Copper Nickel.

One of the issues with CuNi is cost since both Copper and Nickel are so danged expense.

Thanks, yes, that is exactly what I was thinking of.

This is all a bit vague in my memory, but I seem to remember a second issue is the potential development of green patina. It is definitely a hmmm 'unusual esthetic.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Breaking Waves

Thanks, yes, that is exactly what I was thinking of.

This is all a bit vague in my memory, but I seem to remember a second issue is the potential development of green patina. It is definitely a hmmm 'unusual esthetic.

Welcome.

For the patina, just buy Brasso in bulk.

Another issue as I remember it was weight. Cu-Ni is heavy and one would have to use stainless steal for the longitudinals, frames, and bulkheads further driving up cost and weight.

Ti or Monal would be a great hull material if one had the money. The perfect material for an "expedition" boat.

Both lotteries are around $300 million, I guess I should go play, because if I win, we can have a Ti or Monal boat.

Later,
Dan

[Steamer]

Originally Posted by Sailingwithgil

Hey Dan
the boat speed at 10kt very good for the 18 ton boat weight.
Frank

Just keep in mind that #1 hull on the video is built as light as possible following Buyers request + her rig is in carbon.

"Northern" options will add couple of tons to her weight. Prepare also for some extra $$$.

10 knots? Dont You need to know what the wind speed/direction was?

[poiu]

Originally Posted by Sailingwithgil

Hey I was search for a Sailboat on-line and I come around on this brand Garcia made in Cherbourg Franch that makes all Aluminum sailboats.
Is it cheaper to maintained all Aluminum Sailboat our a Fiberglass Hull Sailboat. Over 50' range ?

It's a nice boat. In displacement is in between the same length condo cats and performance cats. A compromise that will be OK for many people and it obviously is as they are sold out until Mid 2025.


As for cost to maintain, there should be little difference. An unpainted hull will need nothing doing to it for a very long time, just as with fibreglass, unless you like it shiny, then fibreglass needs polishing. Not very expensive. A painted alu boat like this will need an expensive paint job though. Say $50-60,000 every 10-12 years.