On Sat, 18 Aug 2007 17:45:11 -0700, "
wrote:

As built to typical
scantlings wooden boat construction is lighter but weaker than steel
construction. In small craft the difference is very significant
because of minimum practical plate thickness.

Lots weaker. As I said, steel has a better strength to weight ratio
than wood If you build similar boats, of equal strength, wood will be
heavier not lighter. My experience with 16 foot boats is that wood is
a lot heavier than riveted aluminum. Same with the canoe. No maintance
whatever for fifty years, with the aluminum boats. It is true that
welded construction does require a minimum thickness. Not so riveted,
you get to use all of the weight, instead of unnecessarily strong and
heavy steel. Aluminum is thicker than steel for equal strength, so it
is stiffer, strength to weight ratio being the same as the steel. For
equal strength wood is stiffer than metal, because it is thicker. I
much prefer metal to wood or fiberglass. Light weight, zero maintance
what more could one want? Metal is noisier. Wood is quieter, give or
take the moaning and groaning, which the engine and/or wind will drown
out. In conclusion, welded steel is not optinum for boats under about
fifty feet. Steel tends to warp from the expansion when you weld it,
so you have a minimum thickness and a minimum sized boat, assuming you
want to use the strength of the steel efficiently. At one hundred
feet, you can use 1/4 inch plate. That is much easier to weld than
sheet metal.

Casady