Aluminium Or Fibreglass Boats

Aluminium Or Fibreglass Boats

Perhaps 90% of modern planning trailer boats are made from just two materials, aluminium and fibreglass. Both were developed in the late 1950s, replacing plywood or "bondwood" as the favoured small boat building materials.
The advantage of the new materials, especially fibreglass, was the manufacturer's ability to produce identical boats quickly, more efficiently, and with relatively unskilled labour. As you can imagine, this revolutionised recreational powerboat manufacturing, opening the door for the establishment of many new companies, as well giving builders the ability to experiment with different hull types and configurations.
Alloy boats or "tinnies" as they are known throughout Australia, are favourites with small boat buyers and inland, estuary fishermen. Remarkably, up to 90% of boats in the 0 - 4.5 m size class are manufactured from aluminium. The majority of these craft are built using sheets of relatively light weight aluminium (1.2 - 3.0 mm) which are "pressed" to provide rigidity and strength.
Pressed aluminium boats are most popular in sizes up to around 5.0 m, and have a number of advantages over fibreglass boats. They are light, durable and require less horsepower and in the smaller sizes usually less expensive than fibreglass.
Conversely, they are also quite hard riding and noisy, and they rattle and vibrate underway. They dont have the practical working life of most fibreglass as they suffer from electrolysis or cracking after years of pounding over the water.
In addition to the pressed alloy boat builders, there are specialist manufacturers of what are called "plate" alloy boats. Plate alloy boats are generally considered to be stronger and more durable (albeit much heavier) because they are built using thicker alloy sheet (up to 6.0 mm). Plate alloy boats can usually be identified by their smooth hull finish along the topsides, as opposed to the panelled look of the lighter weight pressed alloy models.
Fibreglass boats have been popular in Australia since they were first developed in the late 1950s. Generally speaking, fibreglass trailer boats are most popular in sizes above 5.0 m in length. On the used boat market, there are plenty of top quality models available.
Fibreglass boats are easier to build than alloy boats, but more importantly, fibreglass boat designers are able to create much more sophisticated and softer riding hull shapes. As a general rule, fibreglass boats also handle better through turns, are sportier, run much quieter, are more attractive and more luxuriously outfitted.
The major shortcoming of the fibreglass trailer boat is its weight, at least when compared with a pressed alloy boats under 5.5m in length. Glass boats, are often heavy and need more power for good performance and demand a more powerful tow vehicle.
Contrary to wide believe, fibreglass boats are considerably tougher than aluminium. Fibreglass doesnt rip or tear as aluminium can do. If you were to hit rock or a submerged object, you are less likely to hole than if in aluminium. Also the bounding caused by trailer travel and choppy seas, does not weaken structurally fibreglass as it does that of aluminium.