Think I'll stick with glass. I've heard that 'rust never
sleeps'.

What is the biggest fiber glass boat built?
Is it conceivable that a large ship could be built of glass?


--
Scott Vernon
Plowville Pa _/)__/)_/)_


"DSK" wrote in message
...
Well, that's an issue for another discussion. Steel
boats
have their disadvantages from my point of view, too


Scotty wrote:
Besides the rust, and being heavy and slow, what are the
disadvantages of a steel boat.


Well, there's the rust. Then there's the fact that it's
not
as easy to repair as fiberglass. And it rusts.

It can never be as strong as a well-engineered and well
built fiberglass hull & deck, much less carbon fiber. The
biggest disadvantage is the rust, howewver, which once it
starts will never stop and eats away at every part of the
boat, especially the inaccessible crevices which are
structurally critical.

Then there's the issue of galvanic corrosion, not as bad
as
aluminum but a dropped wire can eat right thru it, as can
a
penny in the bilge. The rust is also a constant problem.

Because the galavanic corrosion, if lead ballast is used
it
must be very carefully insulated from the structural parts
of the boat (usually done with fiberglass, which was
originally invented as electrical insulation). Alos
because
steel is so heavy, it is difficult to design a steel boat
that can carry a high proportion of ballast. Don't forget
about rust.

Almost every steel boat will have slight ripples in the
metal from welding, and it will look crummy or else be
filled with Bondo. This isn't really a bad problem as long
as the putty doesn't fall off from rust under it.

As a Navy veteran, I can tell you that infinite man hours
and oceans of red-lead primer are not enough to keep a
steel
vessel from rusting away beneath your feet. The first ship
I
was on actually had fiberglass patches on the hull where
the
rust had eaten thru. What does that tell you? Something
like
"Build it out of fiberglass in the first place!"

But if you're going to get shot at, a couple of steel
plates
between you & the bullets is very nice. The only thing
better would be some Kevlar or some of that new fiberglass
tank armor.



DSK