Older Aluminum Hulls, General Question

This boat is steel .......... FG covered. In our yard a while back.

Never heard of such a thing but talked to the owner.

I would think the expansion rates of steel and FG with the sun on it would be so different that the FG would pop off from sheer strength failure. How could it possibly adhere?

manyboats said:

This boat is steel .......... FG covered. In our yard a while back.

Never heard of such a thing but talked to the owner.

I would think the expansion rates of steel and FG with the sun on it would be so different that the FG would pop off from sheer strength failure. How could it possibly adhere?

Click to expand...

Damn nice looking craft design! TY for sharen... I'd love to learn about steel hull coated in FRP. What did the owner say re expansion rates? Is it just gel coat?? Steel and FRP combined weight must be enormous???

Trapped water would rust like crazy - wouldn't it?

manyboats said:

How could it possibly adhere?

Click to expand...

It adheres quite well. Virtually every steel or aluminum yacht hull (of the size that rates yacht class finishing) is faired with epoxy. Every aluminum hull yacht (of the same description) has its bottom coated with multiple barrier coats of epoxy. Aluminum and steel superstructures are faired with epoxy material.

Adding glass to the mix seems like a waste of time, material, and cash but to each his own I guess.

Reaching back a couple of posts, aluminum hulls generally fare (no pun intended) than steel over the years. I see a lot more wastage of steel from poor maintenance than aluminum. A poor man can keep an aluminum boat in good shape far longer than he can keep a steel boat.