Steel VS Fiberglass trawlers

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by FF

..T or L stringers stand the skin loads just fine but are almost impossible to sand blast , even on an empty new hull.

You don't need T of L stringers on a pleasure boat....that's mostly for commercial and military constructions. Simply flat bar stringers are fine in most instances, and as MikeJohns pointed out on several occasions you need to fillet these with Sikaflex sealant and you are find. they have been doing this for 15 years. I doubt they would still be recommending it if it didn't work just fine.

"As for the gaps between frames stringers and the hull, don't fret about them, for starters the paint goes into the gap and secondly these days we often use a bead of sikaflex polyurethane sealant to fill any gap. It works a treat and I can guarantee the sikaflex works we've been doing that for 15 years. We even use sikaflex underwater to seal riveted steel vessel plate boundaries after sandblasting."

.... it is how most steel boats rust out , from the inside.

That's true. That's why I would want to pay particular attention to getting the prep right on the internals at the building stage.

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by bligh

I worked on a steel ship for five years. I can tell you the exterior maintenance was never ending. Even though steel hulls are more rugged, I will never own one unless I win the lottery and can afford a team to maintain my boat.

Define what kind of steel SHIP ??....a commercial boat, a Navy boat ??

[bligh]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Define what kind of steel SHIP ??....a commercial boat, a Navy boat ??

It was a 92 ft schooner. It went through major refits every 5 to ten years.

[Nomad Willy]

I have been w a FG boat for 8 for eight years and have spent less than 3 days labor and probably $100 in materials maintaining the Hull. For the water under the bridge I don't think I could do much better.

But ther'e is worry about the plywood under the decks and in the cabin and plenty of vigilance is required to minimize the very real danger of serious problems.

Would I be better off w a steel hull? Not likely. But this is not a very useful discussion as ther'e are very few steel trawlers available. The discussion is mostly for new builds and then ther'e is the iffy question of who should build the steel boat.

I have seen steel boats built simply before epoxy was born that lasted for many years. And since epoxy they are much better than before so it would seem that a steel boat done right would obviously be a very sound and long lasting boat. Only an Airex foam or honeycomb cored FG boat could be better than steel ... As I see it.

[markpierce]

The kind/price of boat I wanted wasn't available in FG, so steel was the default choice.

[psneeld]

If you treat a steel boat like some people treat their fiberglass boats....street shoes off and boat slippers on...then I bet a steel boat's paint job will last.

Bet the paranoid tools make you take your belt buckles off too!!!!

[Bilge Rat]

I had a steel boat for 20 plus years. The problems I had were with marinas and boat yards that did not want steel boat customers. Parts suppliers who could only look up parts by manufacturer, model and year. Insurance company's who only insured boats that were listed in appraisal manuals.

[sunchaser]

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

Parts suppliers who could only look up parts by manufacturer, model and year. .

My experience is the same with FRP except no one ever asks what kind of vessel I have when I'm buying boat stuff. But I really don't care as all the systems are generic. FRP or steel don't care if Furuno, Racor, Torrid, Webasto or an Avon dinghy etc etc are hooked onto the vessel.

[Nomad Willy]

Mark you're talking new only right?

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by manyboats

Mark you're talking new only right?

Mostly. At the time, no locally used boat fit requirements.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

I had a steel boat for 20 plus years. The problems I had were with marinas and boat yards that did not want steel boat customers. Parts suppliers who could only look up parts by manufacturer, model and year. Insurance company's who only insured boats that were listed in appraisal manuals.

I've noticed no "steel discrimination." Employees of KKMI boat yard and K-dock occupants in my marina "love" my boat.

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Hey, what's not to love.


Oh....um, er.......

[Nomad Willy]

I was shocked to find out this boat is FG over steel. A possible answer for those that can't make up their mind.

[brian eiland]

Almost as bad as fiberglass over wood,...especially polyester resin fiberglass. That stuff doesn't even like to stick to itself.

[brian eiland]

Hi Mark,
Now does that anchor protection bow stem piece work out for you? would you change anything if doing it again? Looks rather nice

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by bligh

It was a 92 ft schooner. It went through major refits every 5 to ten years.

I think that likely explains some of your 'maintenance woes'.. How old was she, and where was she built?

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Hi Mark,
Now does that anchor protection bow stem piece work out for you? would you change anything if doing it again? Looks rather nice

Helps to protect the paint when hoisting the anchor. Could also help if I run into an iceberg. Regardless, it looks cool, and that's what it's all about.

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Regardless, it looks cool, and that's what it's all about.

Amen Mark! Too many folks forget that pleasure boating is supposed to be pleasurable.

[FF]

<..especially polyester resin fiberglass. That stuff doesn't even like to stick to itself.>

True , that is why consturuction requires at least 85% to be ground to glass fibers to assure secondary bonding , even on a new hull that went too many hours between GRP layers.