Aluminum yachts are becomming more and more popular. Why does this happen? What make aluminum yachts popular?We will make a brief introduction in this article.
Most aluminum yachts work in the ocean. This is a general fact to us all. Aluminum alloy is the least corrosive metal. Its good corrosion resistance makes it popular in the marine industry. Many properties of aluminum alloy make it a popular choice to manufacture aluminum yachts.
Aluminum does not contain steel or iron, so it will not rust. It is true that aluminum is prone to oxidize, forming a layer of aluminum oxide, which is a hard layer of metal protection to prevent the inner layer of metal from oxidation. Aluminum yahcts can last for decades if we manufacture it with the right aluminum alloy, aluminum welding wire, standardized construction and regular maintenance.
Benefits of aluminum yachts
1. Aluminum yachts are light weight
We all hope aluminum yachts can sail fast. A truth is the lighter the hull weight is, the faster the equivalent boat can sail at the same horsepower.
It is well known that aluminum is not only much lighter than steel, but also lighter than fiberglass.
The lighter hull design usually has a shallow draft, making it easier to use in shallow rivers and to get closer to islands. In addition, the shallow draft brings less resistance and consumes less fuel, which undoubtedly improves the economy of using the yacht.
2. High strength, high safety
Although the density of aluminum is much lower than that of steel, the strength is relatively high, no less than high-quality steel, not to mention fiberglass. Many people will mistakenly think that GFRP is a kind of steel. In fact, it is not. Glass Fiber Reinforced plastics, short for GFRP, are a kind of composite material composed of synthetic resin and glass fiber.
If the hull suffers the same impact force, the GFRP yacht would have a hole; the aluminum yacht may just dent it. That’s why most of the ocean going boats is made of aluminum and steel – aluminum yachts are more secure. Aluminum yachts are less likely to break and sink even if they are dented by impact, and they are relatively easy to repair.
3. Long service life of alum yachts
Wood is easy to decay, steel is easy to rust, fiberglass is easy to absorb water and expand. The outer gel coat layer of fiberglass yacht determines its water resistance and corrosion resistance. When you accidentally scratch the fiberglass yacht gel coat, you need to repair it in time. Do not think it is as simple as a car with a little paint.
4. High fireproof performance
Fire is the most dangerous disaster at sea. If it is fiberglass or wood yacht, once it catches fire, the fire will spread rapidly. while aluminum will not catch fire and burn, knowing that aluminum will dissolve only when it is higher than 500 degrees.
5. Alum yachts are easy to maintain
Because aluminum yachts are not easy to rust, generally we don’t need to maintain it often at high cost, like what we do with steel and wood yachts. However, due to seawater corrosion, it takes a little effort under the draft line. First of all, when making an aluminum yacht, it is necessary to choose aluminum plates that are resistant to seawater corrosion. In addition, when welding, we must choose aluminum welding wire with high corrosion-resistace. Of course, a professional welder is also necessary.
6. Aluminum yachts are Environmentally friendly
Aluminum alloy hull is very durable and we could use it for decades. Even if the life of the aluminum yacht is up, aluminum is a recyclable metal material. Aluminum yachts are very environmentally friendly.
7. Maintenance on alum yachts
Generally, aluminum yachts are inspected by X-ray when they leave the factory. even if there is a very small probability of leakage due to corrosion or impact that needs to be repaired, it is visible and small. If it is a small, you can repair with epoxy resin or aluminum welding. If it is a larger repair, you need to go to the shipyard for repair.
For large repairs, you need to pay attention and choose the right aluminum alloy and aluminum welding wire. As long as you are a qualified and professional welder, you will not have any problem in general.
Compared with fiberglass hull, aluminum boat is easy to repair. Aluminum is so ductile that if it just causes a dented hull impact, you can easily repair it with a hammer. Because aluminum is softer than steel, it is easy to repair, which will save a lot of money and time in repair.
The disadvantage is that aluminum is more difficult to weld than steel. Finding skilled and experienced welders will make a big difference in the quality and duration of the repair. If you’re sailing in a remote location, finding a qualified master welder can be a pain. But if you plan ahead, you can reduce the chances of it.
For more information on what aluminum welding wire to weld aluminum yachts, please contact us.
