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Welded Aluminium Boat Construction
A welded aluminium hull, compared to fibreglass, will yield a more durable, longer lasting boat, easily customized to customers requirement, that is simply and quickly repaired and is easily retrofitted to meet changing operating requirements.
Aluminium is a good choice for boats in the 6 to 20 meter range. Aluminium is suitable for most small to medium sized commercial and military boats. Used in most crew - workboats around the world. Aluminium has also been accepted as a perfect material for sea going RIB’S.
A lot of boats up to 20 meters are built of aluminium alloys. Aluminium boats plated with 1 mm or thicker material, such as that proposed, are "fastened" using the metal inert gas (MIG) welding process. Aluminium has a higher strength to weight ratio than most other boat building materials. Aluminium has exceptional dent resistance and aluminium boats typically weigh 30 to 40% less than their basic fibreglass counterparts and 45 to 55% less than their steel counter parts. Weight savings provide a number of performance bonuses. For example, in a given size and shape of boat, lighter weight means greater speed with the same horsepower, reduced fuel consumption with the same speed, or a greater payload - more cargo and greater range - all meaningful advantages. Light weight also provides reduced draft for a given payload.If properly designed and welded, aluminium boats are among the safest boats in the world. Almost all commercial and military vessels are welded including submarines, either aluminium or steel.
Durability and Reparability
Aluminium has great toughness and considerable ductility, i.e. the ability to withstand permanent deformation without rupture. It has one third the modulus of elasticity of steel, thus it absorbs the energy of any impact over a greater distance than steel. Stress levels therefore are considerably less than would be the case in steel. Basic fiberglas, on the other hand, is extremely brittle and is thus subject to cracking and fracture during impact. Aluminium boats are much easier to repair than fibreglass boats, particularly fibreglass boats with foam liners. With aluminium, dents can often be pounded out with a hammer, but if necessary, sections of a plate can be cut out with a saw and a replacement plate welded in with ease.Aluminium boats are arguably the most durable vessels made. Because aluminium, once it oxidizes, is impervious to further deterioration and therefore an aluminium craft holds its value very well.
Flammability
Aluminium does not burn. Fiberglas boats contain petroleum based resins which burn fiercely. Fire retardant resin makes them harder to "light", but nonetheless the burning is energetic once started.
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