Steel Boats
Few will argue that a well-constructed steel vessel
possesses immense strength. The physical properties of steel allow such boats
to survive groundings or being holed in a collision with the result being a
scraped bottom, and not much else. They are by far the most robust and the most
abrasion-resistant.
A welded steel boat is actually a rigid monocoque structure – tight and very strong. A steel vessel is able to withstand the grinding tidal action across a coral reef like no other type of vessel. Submerged container lying in wait? Water thins out along a rocky, unfamiliar coast? No problem! These things become the least of a skipper’s worries. A steel hull represents insurance against a cruising sailor’s fear of the unknown. Many experienced cruisers believe that owning a steel boat is like picking the biggest kid on the block for your team. It’s also no small matter that steel is a familiar material worldwide and readily available. Mild steel can be competently handled and repaired in even the thirdest of third world countries. Not so with other materials. Simply put, a properly built steel hull that is kept well-maintained will last the owners’ lifetime, and that of their children. Steel has a lot going for it! |