On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:03:55 -0700, "
wrote:

Cruising boats aren't 16 foot tinnies. Also, you are comparing a
lightly built tin boat with a heavy wood one.
Why do you say that. I have seen boats of all kinds that have hit
something, like rocks. The metal ones hold up better than wood.
All the boats I have encountered, in fifty years at the same lake
were strong enough. I don't remember with trouble with strength with
any of them. None of the metal boats needed it, but you can drill out
rivets to make repairs, and put in exact replacements for damaged
parts, and have it end up exactly as it was. Exactly.
Right up until the 70's
racing dingies, rowing shells, unlimited hydroplanes &c. built of wood
were lighter, stiffer and faster than glass, aluminum was not
competitive

Why then did they use aluminum to build all those airplanes?
The brits built some wood bombers during WWII but none survive.
They certainly were no better than metal. They got around an aluminum
shortage caused by U-Boats. All of them rotted away over the years.
They use aluminum for the floats on float planes, they are neither
heavy or weak. And as for wood, the examples you pick are scarce,
limited edition specialty boats. There are probably more than 100
metal boats for every one of the types you mention. How about a
realistic comparison. There is a guy who who makes sports fishing
boats. He molds the hull in plywood [more or less] and it is
significantly stronger and lighter than something made from 4x8
sheets: they cost a lot. Wood is no better but it always seems to
cost more.I read the writeups on the go fast boats, in Boating. The
ones made from the very best plastic. Kevlar, stuff like that. You can
get a go fast cruising boat that will cruise at 60MPH, with diesel
engines and drink a reasonable ammount. Some of those boats are about
as high tech as it gets.

As for the ordinary wood boats, the ones I have seen in the real world
are heavy. Lightweight construction may exist, but I have seen very
little of it in the real world I do my boating in Iowa, and wood
boats are very rare these days. My father's wood boat is in a museum.
I would like some of that miracle wood. You know the stuff. 3/8
planking that is as strong as 1/8 inch aluminum. Wood was not only all
there was not so long ago, it was actually affordable. Those who like
wood can still get it, but it is far from cheap, unfortunately. The
best plastic is much more expensive than metal. Where I come from
nobody will do the maintainance that wood requires. The very best and
most expensive aircraft grade sitka spruce is just about as strong as
the very weakest aluminum available: pure aluminum, with no copper or
magnesium to harden it. The stuff used for outboard engines for the
corrosion resistance in salt water. And for beer cans. The cans are
..006 inch thick. You can't do that with fiberglass.
Casady