On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 06:46:02 +1030, "R Whellum" wrote:

glass fibre absorbs water which reacts with some chemicals that can result
in blisters, timber swells with water absorbtion .. can rot... be attacked
by worms, steel rusts and aluminium can corrode quickly, ferro cement ...
porous..corrosion prone....
So what is best to use?
It would seem that no material - even steel or aluminium is pure and so can
have problems, so it all comes down to cost of ownership over time.....but
no method guarantees the hull will be in good condition when you want to
sell in 5 - 10 years time. So is the best solution to hire ?

That's either the defeatist solution, or the "can't be bothered"
solution.

Consider: Working boats made of metal have been afloat for decades.
Our steel "workboat" at the club (a repurposed fishing boat some 22
feet in length) dates from 1948. So does the engine, which has been
overhauled three times. It just got a good grinding and a new paint
job. Looks great. Might last another 10-20 years before dropping
$80,000 for something new and similar makes sense.

Moral? Every material requires maintenance, and not necessarily more
or less, but of the proper type (inspection and coatings in the case
of steel, for instance) and the proper schedule (not two years after
you notice the chipping or five years after you spill acid in the
bilge).

Consider: I am 43. There are quite a number of fibreglass boats
sailing the seas older than me, and looking good. There are some ten
year old Carribean charter boats that look like crap. Both probably
sail well, and the newer boats probably sail better. Fibreglass isn't
indestructible, but it can take a lot of punishment and it's
relatively easy to fix, with the exception of serious blistering or
core rot in the deck. Most F/G hull problems are preventable by the
owner or are able to be fixed or even improved. My 1973 cruiser is
better than the day it hit the water, because I've put backing plates
everywhere and beefed up the tabbing and the chainplates. Easy.

Moral? Go sailing. Don't worry so much about resale value when in all
likelihood the boat will outlast you. Wood is a lovely material that
is perhaps the hardest in terms of upkeep but is the easiest in terms
of skill sets for the owner to fix...cold-molded wood is even better.

Hope this helps.

R.