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Posts: 123
| What do you think is more durable aluminum or fiberglass? Can you beach both of them? Which is tougher? What do you like about your boat? |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | If you hit a rock doing 25 mph you will do damage no matter what you are driving. You can beach both but if a wind picks up fiber glass can get beat up. If you take care of your boat I like glass they look nicer and ride better if you are running shallow river's with rocks I would go with aluminum. |
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Posts: 555
Location: Tennessee | I really can't call one way or another. They have their strengths and trade offs. Low speed a good glass boat will bump off with little more than scuffed glass. Aluminum may be left with a dent. Fiberglass can be repaired like new, aluminum will usually leave an ugly patch or weld when you knock a hole in it. If bumping rocks is an occasional concern I wouldnt worry about a glass boat. If I *knew* I was going to be regularly hitting rocks possibly at speed, I'd roll aluminum. Beaching a boat will take a toll on either one but you can get keep savers for either that really help. |
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Posts: 20180
Location: oswego, il | Glastron all the way. Anybody watch live and let die? |
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Location: varies | My dad's yacht club neighbor has a houseboat where the hull is made of Kevlar. Was built to withstand a 9mm bullet from 3 feet. He bought it at a great deal from the builder as the original buyer never showed to pick it up. Wonder what his occupation was? |
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Posts: 123
| So they are both just as strong? |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | beaching boats is no big deal ... the key is defined in "the beach" ... i love glass for the weight and stability. i have a 20 year old glass boat and beach it without worrying and pretty sure it's been done with this boat its entire life. aluminum boats have their place but not for me. people who worry about damaging a glass boat are worrying too much. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | I have a glass boat . I was blown up on top of a reef wile. Fighting a fish I felt a few bumps then nothing. Then the following spring I pulled the boat out washed it then I thought I would wax the bottom. That's when i found a chunk off the bottom the last 2 inches of the keel gard and 4 inches back from there for a total of 6 inches glad I had insurance on the boat. |
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Posts: 32798
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | If you damage a fiberglass boat from an impact with near anything, comparable damage would have occurred with an aluminum. |
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Posts: 206
| After having both, my general rule of thumb is that it's easier to damage glass but also easier to fix glass. ... |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Minnesota. | Icky subject. My new glass rig cost me half of what my first house did.
Icky topic...;-))
Jeremy - a worry wart! |
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Posts: 163
Location: NoDak | jumped a floating log at 30mph in a glass lund, it chipped the keel, I would say that would have dented/ loosened rivets in aluminum. that being said I love glass and I have dropped off people and gotten people from rock beaches with out a keel guard, that made me nervous, but had to be done and I know from experience it isn't a big deal to touch rocks, now obviously I have a keel guard and don't mind bumping rocks, I can draft under 10 inches in my 21 foot warrior and get what needs to be done DONE!
the only think I know aluminum will take better is abuse from dockrash and trailering mishapps like a loose rubbing strap on the transom, that stuff can wear thru glass
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Posts: 32798
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Dents and scratches in aluminum, gouges and scratches in glass..even even. |
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