Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | sworrall - 12/22/2010 11:18 AM
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..
I guess that's my point. You're comparing bare aluminum to a KeelShield...not to glass. I know aluminum boats have protective keels on them...made from aluminum! Glass boats don't have glass keels glassed on to wear...you have to install a sacrificial wear strip in the form of a Keelshield. And I'm not talking about paint on an aluminum boat or mil thickness, as I know it will scratch just as easily, of course. It's obvious our opinions differ on this and that's cool. I'm just saying there's a reason why river boats out west, air boat hulls, landing craft and work boats in AK are all aluminum...it wears better and takes dings better than glass and gel. We do agree that either material makes for a fine hull...but I contend that each has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I guess I've just had better luck roughhousing a tin boat than glass. |
