Posts: 32902
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | And that's just gel damage...if you damage the glass itself, that's major repair if you "can" repair it at all.
If you damage a fiberglass hull so badly it can't be repaired, rest assured that impact would have also destroyed an aluminum hull. Glass is far easier to repair back to original surface and integrity than aluminum, especially if the aluminum is creased or badly dented by impact. All aluminum boats have a built in keel shield in the form of the welded or riveted keel over the hull. Those pieces will wear, scratch, and be damaged just like a Keel Guard if pulled up on sand and rock. Gel coat on glass is a few mils thick, paint on aluminum even thinner, and both surfaces show wear and can be repaired.
Aluminum punctures far easier than glass, but there's precious little out there that will cause puncture damage. Both materials are excellent for boat building, and both are quite durable. |
