Below is a brief description of the boatbuilding materials you will need to consider before your make your choice as the most suitable method for you building your boat. Each material will be covered in detail in its own chapter.

FIBERGLASS.

You have all seen the thousands of fiberglass boats that grace our marinas and this could be your preferred boatbuilding method.  Building a one-off fiberglass sail or power boat is best considered if you intend to either build the boat yourself or set up you own building facility with hired labor.

   Having a custom fiberglass boat professionally built is an expensive option. There are very few suitably equipped builders who specialize in building custom fiberglass boats so they can and do charge what they feel is appropiate, that is appropiate for them and not for you. 

   If you are going to build the boat yourself or hire your own team of fiberglass laminators or if you are building a large planing hull powerboat, using the one-off  disposable mold technique may well be your best option.  See chapter XXX for more details.

STEEL.

In boatbuilding steel is the most commonly used metal. It has many advantages including great strength, low cost, and ease of fabrication. There are great numbers of experienced welders in all parts of the world. Add to this the ease of repair, and the availability of a wide selection of suitable plans designed especially for building in steel, and it’s easy to see why this material has become so popular with the cruising fraternity. Successful steel cruising boats can be small, too—as little as 25 feet (7.62 m) in length. The Dutch even build steel dinghies of around 15 feet (4.57 m) and use them as tenders on their barges and other commercial craft.

   Steel is heavier than other boatbuilding materials, but that hasn’t proved to be a disadvantage in cruising sailboats or power craft. Steel needs some care and attention, but modern coatings have greatly reduced the chances of rust forming. As the owner of several steel boats, I must confess I have found it hard to find any serious disadvantages in building, owning, and maintaining a steel boat.

ALUMINUM.

Now widely accepted as a boatbuilding material, aluminum has the advantage of being about one-third the weight of equal-size steel plate or profiles; this is partly offset by the fact that you need a thicker material for boatbuilding. Aluminum is easy to work with. In fact, you can use hand tools on aluminum, even some woodworking ones. It’s ideal for decks and superstructures where its light weight can be used to advantage. In some areas of the world, aluminum has become popular for building commercial craft and fishing boats; when the correct marine grades are used, the entire boat can be left unpainted.

   The disadvantages include greater cost and relatively greater susceptibility to galvanic corrosion. Aluminum requires expert fabricators and experienced welders who are used to handling it. When it comes to repairs, experience won’t be a problem if you have built your own aluminum boat. Aluminum should be used where its benefits can be exploited to the full. For instance if you are considering building a fast, planing, metal powerboat, then aluminum will be worth your consideration. Another instance is where a vessel has a high superstructure; then aluminum may be used for the construction of those areas where its light weight will add to the positive stability of the vessel. Seek your designer's advice on this matter. It is a waste of money to use aluminum to build moderate to heavy displacement boats; steel is preferable as a construction material for these heavier hulls.

WOOD EPOXY BOATBUILDING INCLUDING PLYWOOD.

This method of construction is for those who love timber and do not mind a bit of extra work when it comes to maintaining their boat. We have to admit that a well built and finished timber boat has considerable ‘Dock appeal’.

   The wood epoxy systems have been around for many years and are popular for building all types of hulls. In boat building, the process of wood epoxy construction is building a hull using laminated multi-diagonal layers of veneers or plywood over a temporary male mould, in the case of a frameless hull, or over a permanent frames and stringers depending on the design.

   After building the male mould, temporary or permanent, the first strip is nailed and glued or stapled in position and each subsequent strip has to be shaped to fit the previous one.  Similar methods are used to build modern strip plank hulls. Often a combination of strip planking is used and finished off with one of more layers of veneer.

   Another popular method is to build using the plywood and the multi chine or in the case of powerboats single chine hull form is usually the quickest method the build a hull. Some people including myself find the multi-chine hull form very attractive. Usually all wood epoxy hulls are sheathed in fiberglass material and fiberglass resin.

TRADITIONAL TIMBER BOATS.

This method of boatbuilding is best suited to those who have previous experience with timber boat construction and those are fortunate enough to live in an area where timber is both plentiful and reasonably priced.  A well built traditionally built boat is a beautiful thing!