The Hull
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! Material !! Advantages !! Disadvantages | ! Material !! Advantages !! Disadvantages | ||
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| '''Solid Fibreglass''' | | '''Solid Fibreglass''' | ||
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Low maintenance. | Low maintenance. | ||
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| + | Reasonably cheap to maintain -- small repairs can often be done DIY and the materials are available world-wide. | ||
|valign="top"| Heavier than composite | |valign="top"| Heavier than composite | ||
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Prone to osmosis. | Prone to osmosis. | ||
| - | Expensive to maintain and repair when repairs are required. | + | Expensive to maintain and repair when extensive repairs are required. |
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| + | Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. | ||
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Relatively weak compared to steel and solid fibreglass. | Relatively weak compared to steel and solid fibreglass. | ||
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| + | Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. | ||
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Expensive to maintain if maintenance is required. | Expensive to maintain if maintenance is required. | ||
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| + | Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. | ||
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| + | | '''Steel''' | ||
| + | |valign="top"| Stronger than any other hull material. | ||
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| + | Cheap to build and maintain. Repairs are available almost anywhere in the world. | ||
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| + | Not prone to osmosis. | ||
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| + | |valign="top"| Tendency to rust, both inside and outside of the hull. | ||
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| + | Heavy. | ||
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| + | High maintenance -- need for regular paint maintenance. | ||
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| '''Aluminium''' | | '''Aluminium''' | ||
| - | |valign="top"| | + | |valign="top"| Extremely low maintenance -- no need for painting above the waterline. |
| - | Not prone to rust (but destructive corrosion can still occur if left | + | Not prone to rust (but destructive corrosion can still occur if left unattended). |
Not prone to osmosis. | Not prone to osmosis. | ||
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|valign="top"| Relatively weak compared to steel (but stronger than wood and most GRP). | |valign="top"| Relatively weak compared to steel (but stronger than wood and most GRP). | ||
| - | Expensive to build and maintain. | + | Expensive to build and maintain. Difficult to repair in remote locations, and specialised repair equipment is required. |
Many antifouls are not compatible with aluminium. | Many antifouls are not compatible with aluminium. | ||
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| + | Difficult to insulate both from noise and temperature. | ||
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Revision as of 02:02, 7 November 2014
Types of Hull
You're probably going to find more argument on line about hulls of boats than almost every other topic -- with the possible exception of Multihull vs Monohull. The types of hull to choose from include:
- Fibreglass (GRP) either solid GRP or composite (balsa or foam core)
- Steel
- Wood
- Carbon Fibre
- Aluminium
- Ferro Cement
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There are even boats sailing the ocean that have had hulls made from recycled drink bottles, and Thor Heyerdahl famously sailed across the South Pacific in a raft made from balsa wood.
Do a lot of research, a lot of reading, and post a bunch of questions to forums before deciding on the hull of your boat. It's probably the single most important decision you will make.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hull Materials
| Material | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Solid Fibreglass | Stronger than composite fibreglass although not as strong as steel.
Resists corrosion. Low maintenance. Reasonably cheap to maintain -- small repairs can often be done DIY and the materials are available world-wide. | Heavier than composite
Prone to osmosis. Expensive to maintain and repair when extensive repairs are required. Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. |
| Fibreglass -- Balsa Core | Stronger than Foam core.
Reasonably low maintenance. Light weight, although not as light as foam core. | Heavier than foam core.
Prone to osmosis. Osmosis, when it weeps into the core, can destroy the hull. Relatively weak compared to steel and solid fibreglass. Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. |
| Fibreglass -- Foam Core | Reasonably low maintenance.
Light weight. | Prone to osmosis.
Relatively weak compared to steel and solid fibreglass. Probably the weakest hull material, most prone to hull breaches especially if used below the waterline. Expensive to maintain if maintenance is required. Poor workmanship, especially relating to fasteners, can cause serious problems if left unattended. |
| Steel | Stronger than any other hull material.
Cheap to build and maintain. Repairs are available almost anywhere in the world. Not prone to osmosis. | Tendency to rust, both inside and outside of the hull.
Heavy. High maintenance -- need for regular paint maintenance. |
| Wood | Lower weight than steel.
Can be cheap to maintain if maintenance is kept up regularly. Does not rust. Not prone to osmosis. | High maintenance.
Relatively weak compared to steel. Perhaps weaker than solid fibreglass depending on the thickness. Build cost is relatively high. Most commonly found in older boats built before newer materials such as fibreglass became cheaper. |
| Ferro Cement | Cheap to build and maintain.
Not prone to osmosis. | High maintenance.
Relatively weak compared to steel. Can be prone to rust. Heaviest build material, ferro cement boats often do not sail well. |
| Aluminium | Extremely low maintenance -- no need for painting above the waterline.
Not prone to rust (but destructive corrosion can still occur if left unattended). Not prone to osmosis. Does not require painting or any other barrier coats. | Relatively weak compared to steel (but stronger than wood and most GRP).
Expensive to build and maintain. Difficult to repair in remote locations, and specialised repair equipment is required. Many antifouls are not compatible with aluminium. Difficult to insulate both from noise and temperature. |
Hull Maintenance (Antifoul)
Introduction
Description, etc.
Preparation
Describe
Application
Describe
Antifoul Products
Maintenance between Antifouling Applications (Haulouts)
Describe
Hull Paints (for Steel/Wood/Ferro Cement)
Forum Discussions
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
External Links
General
- Choose the right hull material for your skills on yachtwork.com
Steel Hulls
- A primer for Steel Boat Inspection By Capt. Neil K. Haynes
- Cold Hard Steel on passagemaker.com
Balsa Cored Hulls
Even a cursory google search will bring up many articles from respected marine surveyors. Most of the issues relate to water entry into the hull, especially when balsa core is used on the bottom of the hull (not the sides).
- Cored Hull Bottoms: The Final Word by David Pascoe
- More on Cores by David Pascoe
- Balsa Core = Compost by Port Credit Marine Surveys
Foam Cored Hulls
Many of the same issues relating to balsa cored hulls also occur in foam cored hulls but some new materials that have been developed in recent years bring some hope for increased hull reliability.
- ATC Core-Cell by David Pascoe
References & Publications
Publications, Guides, etc.
Personal Notes
Personal experiences?
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Names: Delatbabel |
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