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Subject: Re: [world-cruising] Fiberglass or Steel
From: Bryan Genez (capella@XXX.XXX)
Date: Mon May 12 2003 - 08:34:45 EDT
JAXAshby@XXX.XXX wrote:
> _Generally speaking_, a
> steel sailboat is much less likely to be holed in a nasty encounter with the
> hard stuff around the edges of the water than a glass boat, because
> _generally speaking_ a steel boat is built stronger than a glass boat.
Sorry, but no.
Steel and fiberglass are not equal materials. Each has entirely different
properties. For example, steel has much greater resistance to abrasion than
does fiberglass...so when a steel boat grounds on a coral reef, it can often
be salvaged. When a fiberglass boat grounds in the same place, it gets
chewed up.
That has *nothing* to do with strength of construction.
Metal hull boats cost more to build than fiberglass, because more labor is
required. That's why almost every boat manufacturer builds in fiberglass;
it keeps their costs down. If money is less important, you can get a
custom-built metal boat from a reputable builder.
For the backyard builder, steel boats are much easier to build than are
fiberglass...which is why such a large percentage of steel boats are
home-built. The greatest risk anyone faces when buying a home-built steel
boat is that you're buying the construction standards of the builder. Was
the builder a "Junkyard Warrior" who believed everything should be free, and
made his decisions accordingly; or was he a skilled naval engineer with a
passion for building the perfect boat, costs be damned?
In order to keep them seaworthy, steel boats require *more* attention and
*more* maintenance than fiberglass. As Rick pointed out, steel boats rust
from the inside out. Corrosion begins at the weld points. Every weld
should be inspected routinely and protected. Note that *no* protection is
permanent. Unfortunately, most steel boats have ribs that are completely
inaccessible, as home-builders don't think of inspection requirements.
Apparently, there's still a myth going around that steel boats are easier to
repair than fiberglass. In some cases, that's true; in many, it is not.
Most boats can carry the repair materials for a fiberglass boat in a small
drawer. I haven't yet meet a metal-boat owner who keeps welding equipment
aboard. Today, most places in the world can be reached by delivery services
within a couple of days, if you need a part or equipment. Exactly how
remote does one have to get before it gets impossible to repair a fiberglass
boat?
But the bottom line (at least for me) is this. The oceans are not filled
with semi-submerged containers waiting for a boat to sink. Nor are they
filled with pirates waiting for sailors to kill. Almost every boat built is
strong enough to cross an ocean; the weak link is the crew. If your boat is
not capable of keeping the crew comfortable and safe, you will not have a
successful passage. When selecting a boat for passagemaking, the *first*
criteria should be if that boat has a history of successful passages. If it
does not - and I include in that category every home-built boat - you should
either eliminate it or very carefully examine it for your intended use.
-- Best,Bryan (KB3HMZ) "Capella" Valiant 40 #158 Annapolis, MD
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