In article , Roger Long
wrote:

And people ask me why I am considering steel for an offshore
boat...G

Go with aluminum if you can. No compass problems and you can make
emergency repairs with hand tools and sheet metal screws.

I saw a 60 foot sailboat that had gone ashore on a rocky island and
had it's keel torn off. One side was pushed in three feet for about
half the length. Still, it could have been made watertight and
floated off with about five feet of duct tape. A steel hull, although
stronger according to some measures, would have been in pieces after
that treatment.

No it wouldn't and saying that demonstrates that you don't know the
characteristics of materials. Steel is more ductile than aluminium - it
will deform more before reaching its plastic limit and tearing. It is
also less susceptible to work hardening and notch sensitivity, and
welds can be 100% the strength of the parent material, which is not the
case with al. Steel is also far more resistant to abrasion.

Notwithstanding, I like aluminium for boats myself and if I ever get
the urge, would weigh carefully the first cost vs maintenance issues
WRT steel and aluminium.

PDW