There are many different types of materials used to build boats in the modern age
. Throughout history the vast majority of boats were built with wood. In the modern age though technology has allowed us to use more sophisticated materials for boat construction. The focus of this article is on the four advantages of using aluminum in boat building which are weight, speed, repair, and manufacturing durability.
Weight - When building a boat one of the important factors to consider is weight as weight affects the bouyancy of the vessel. Aluminum is lighter than steel but still provides the necessary strength to build a solid boat hull. Aluminum also allows a boat to carry heavier cargo than a boat made with a steel hull. A lighter hull also means less fuel consumption which can make an aluminum hull more economical.
Speed - Since aluminum is a lighter material it allows theboat to travel more quickly when it is driven by a sail, motor, or anything else for that matter.
Repair - Repairing an aluminum boat is a lot easier thanone would think. For example,you can easily repair a dented aluminumhull with a hammer.Ifthe dent isfor some reason unable to be repairedwith a hammer thenone can easilycut the dented area with a saw and replace it with another piece.This type of repair is not possible with a fiberglass boat.
Manufacturing Durability - Since aluminum is a soft metal and can be welded to any design or shape an aluminum hull is relatively easy to manufacture. The manufacture of an aluminum boat isn't as time intensive as steelor fiberglass boats which require a mold for production.Aluminum boats are also incredibly durable as opposed tofiberglass boats which are brittle and easily broken even from the slightest impact. Aluminum hulls arerobust and able tostand up toany weather condition. One of aluminum's best features is its ability towithstand saltwater corrosion in salt water which is a feature that steel hulls do not possess.