A buyers guide to Aluminum boats

Is buying an Aluminum boat the best choice for you?  Aluminum is an extremely robust material, which makes aluminum boats a more maintenance free option creating a longer, more enjoyable boat season for the owner. You will notice that most government agencies deploy aluminum hulled boats to cope with our rocky coastal beaches and shallow inland waters. Aluminum boats are the best option as a workhorse or pleasure boat! The benefits of owning an aluminum boat are plentiful. Some are fairly obvious but there are a few key points that some boaters may not have considered.

Welded construction is stronger and less prone to leaking, but it comes at a cost.

Types of Aluminum Construction

Generally speaking, there are two types of aluminum construction: there are riveted boats and welded boats. Most of the benefits apply to both types but welded construction is in our opinion the better option. Welded construction is stiffer and naturally immune to leaks that are inherent with riveted seams. That’s why the soon to be launched Adventure Marine hulls are fully welded above and below the water line. Yes, you read correctly – Adventure Marine is bringing the ‘Adventure Series’ of
boats to market! There is more freedom and latitude in hull designs which can be modified to suit customer demands should something nonstandard be requested.

Strength of Aluminum Hauls

Coming back to the strength, aluminum is considerably stiffer than fiberglass providing more rigidity using less material. Fiberglass tends to fracture with impact whereas aluminum by its nature is tough and malleable allowing it to take more of a beating. It has a low modulus of
elasticity which allows it to be deformed permanently without rupture, absorbing any impact. The major benefit of this is the less overall weight which has a cascading effect on performance and boat fuel economy. There will be less power required to move the lighter hull.

Performance of Aluminum Boats

A comparable fiberglass hulled boat would require a bigger, higher horsepower engine to get its extra weight up to the same speed as the aluminum version which of course is detrimental to performance and your wallet. Not just the boat fuel economy is affected, it’s cheaper and easier for you and your tow vehicle to manage in the long run as well. Then, there’s maintenance and general care of aluminum hulls.

 

Aluminum Maintenance

Aluminum has excellent corrosion resistance. This corrosion resistance allows the owner to go from salt water to fresh water without issue. That combined with its immunity to ultraviolet light can stretch the lifespan
to 30 plus years which of course bodes well for resale value or the passing of the boat to the next generation. Fiberglass hulls get brittle over time and UV radiation damages the gel coat. Aluminum hulls can be beached without any major concerns and relaunched with ease, resealed and patched more quickly should any damage occur, more easily than their fiberglass counterparts. The general appearance of the aluminum hulls tend to clean up better and show better.

 

Light weight and durable aluminum boats offer benefits many boaters are looking for today.

In closing, the last point to make is that the aluminum hulls are 100% recyclable at the end of it’s long and dutiful life. Boaters love the environment and strive to keep the waterways clean and pure with minimal impact.

Adventure Marine sets high standards for our people and
products and we have very big plans to service our customers better with new product lines, service, and support. Keep informed on the latest developments here on our blog or sign up for our newsletter.

Do forward this article to anyone that would find this information useful or is considering a boat purchase (we don’t mind)!