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An aluminum vessel has greater
inherent value that is real.
Upfront costs for a fiberglass boat will
almost always be cheaper than for a comparable aluminum craft. But
when the costs of routine maintenance--leaks, cracks, and problems
stemming from structural fatigue in fiberglass--are factored in,
aluminum becomes the clear choice.
Other Disadvantages of
Fiberglass
Absorbs water.
Poor quality repairs are often masked by a shiny high-gloss finish.
Hard to adapt the boat, at any time in the future, to receive equipment
that may not have existed at the time you ordered and configured your boat
... hard to make configuration changes at all.
Hard to find a place to bolt equipment.
The USCG, the world's navies,
workboat professionals, and motor yachts are some of those who choose
aluminum for their vessels. |
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Aluminum is a high strength-low weight material
Strength is important at sea, and aluminum delivers this strength. It
has roughly twice the tensile strength of fiberglass. Under
ideal conditions, flat dry laminated reinforced plastics provide wet tensile
strengths of the order of 20,000 to 40,000 psi, average 30,000. 5086 marine
aluminum, non-absorbent, has tensile strength of 47,000 psi. Aluminum has the strength of
steel with only one third its
weight. Aluminum's low weight requires less power to propel the
vessel, resulting in lower fuel consumption. Aluminum's light weight
also allows for faster speeds, greater
maneuverability, more horsepower, extra payload, and less draft.
Safety
and dent resistance
Aluminum has a high resilience upon impact and will not likely splinter,
puncture, or crack upon impact with an object but instead will dent.
And if the aluminum hull should need repair
throughout the life of the vessel, traditional cut-and-welding methods are
used that take advantage of the strength of the hull. This also means
less wait for you since repair time is dramatically decreased.
Fire-retardant
Aluminum's minimum temperature to melt is 1200 degrees. It does not
burn, blister, or rot. These are obvious benefits over fiberglass and
other plastic boats.
Resistant
to corrosion
Marine aluminum will not rust.
Customer
customization & uniformity of product
It is not expedient to mold a fiberglass hull into a customer's
specific wants or job requirements, but with aluminum, customization is
more viable.
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