Is fiberglass better than wood for boats?

Question

whats the difference? what about steel or any other material?

Answer 1

No!  Not anymore...

There was a time when fiberglass was "thought" to be better, but today... if you visit any junk yard, you will find many more fiberglass boats than wood... and many of the fiber-glass ones will only be 10 or so years old...

But... that is not the whole story...

For the past 10 years (or so) there has been a "high-tech" revolution in the boat building industry.  This is the result (mainly) of "high-tech" boat resins and epoxy that has filtered down (mainly) from NASA.

As a result... boat building has become more and more popular with novice - home - first time - Do It Yourself - boat builders, and with the very finest professional custom Yacht builders...

However, the average "Joe on the street - boater" is totally unaware - because he bought his boat from a "production house" boat manufacturer for whom: fast, cheap, same mold, same shapes, same everything is the economic driving force of their business. They are not about to subject their profits to a labor intensive or higher cost method of building boats... they have no need to... Why? Because there are plenty of first time buyers that don't know anything about boats the salesman has not told them.

In fact, your better, higher quality, custom built yachts are indeed built out of wood... you just don't know it because the exterior wood has all been fiber-glassed over.

Wood makes a big-big difference... it adds maximum strength for weight and is the very strongest most rigid and sound proof material for your hulls...

A cruise out on a rough day is proof enough... in a wooden hull, you can head out (or in) in rough seas at full speed and hardly know the difference... Try doing the same in a fiberglass boat, and you will end up cutting your speed to less than half throttle... and the sound alone will be your constant companion on your way in - as it keeps you in absolute fear that the ocean is going to come crashing through your hull at any moment.

With modern day "high-tech" epoxy - even a novice boat builder can build his own beautiful wooden vessel of almost any size... and the result will be... his boat will be stronger, and last longer... well, lets just say - his great, great, great, great grand kids will enjoy it... That means these vessels will last longer then any vessel ever built out of any product...

The "high-tech" boat-building epoxy is the key - or should I say "magic".  This stuff penetrates, laminates, and glues wood in such a way that both air and moisture are totally vanquished.  This means no more worms, or rot. Air and water of course - is what caused all the problems everyone ever had with wooden boats.

I have built several boats (all over 48') using this stuff... I love it. It is wonderful!

In addition to the wonderful qualities of this new epoxy... you can also use it with fiberglass... In my case, I build my boat hulls with solid wood laminated with epoxy... then I lay on a layer of fiberglass - just on the hull... the fiberglass simply smooths out the hull... for a smooth, slick and s**y paint job.  But is is the epoxy on the fiberglass that adds the extra strength, stiffness, and protection to my hulls... other than that... I don't bother with fiberglass anymore on anything above the waterline... I simply laminate everything I possible can with boat-epoxy.

As for steel or aluminum... most of these vessels are also getting laminating with this new epoxy to prevent rust and corrosion... And as for maintaince on the wood... stained, or unstained, laminated with epoxy... it is a whole lot less maintaince then paint on fiber-glass... or gelcoat. We simply use Bristal Finish as you would furniture polish to keep that wood work shinning!

If you have any doubt... or for more information on this subject... check out the link below... and note: I am not pushing or promoting any specific company - there are many boat building and boat building supply companies that now use these epoxy-resins. This one just happens to be one I of many I trust that happens to have an excellant website.

Answer 2

Of course fiberglass is better. Steel and stuff has its applications but I'd be wary of any metal that can rust..

Answer 3

Fiberglass is far superior than wood. With Fiberglass there is a much bigger selection with hull design. Wood is ,by nature, far more porous than plastics, which is what Polyester Resins are! They can be molded into any shape and when properly coated, become waterproof. With wood, it needs constant attention with hull coating, because with even a pinhole in the finish, you have water to wood contact. That means rot and that means money. Not to mention time. Which should be spent on boating not fixing your boat. Fiberglass boats have performance advantages with state of the art hull designs and lighter and stronger Epoxy resins. I restore classic wooden and fiberglass boats as well as small to large repairs. And I see far more wooden boats for hull repairs  for water damage,  then I see fiberglass boats. As for steel, thats for the bigger "ships" or for industry such as freighters. Aluminum is an awesome lightweight metal that is perfect for small fishing boats and "row"boats. The lightweight and easy hauling abilities of aluminum makes it perfect for the everyday fisherman or the weekend warrior. Happy Boating!

Answer 4

The ride that you get in a wooden boat is the best, but the maint. on a wood boat never ends. Fiberglass boats are getting better and the maint. is something that you can live with. Forget steel unless you are into a commercial fishing dragger or something on the very large size.

Answer 5

the only downside to fiberglass is that it can break easier than metal or thick wood.  But fiberglass is much lighter so you can go faster and save gas.  It should be able to carry more stuff without sinking.  Personally i have never used a wooden boat.  All boats around here are steel and aluminum.  There are to many logs and junk in bayous to use fiberglass. (without worrying about getting holes in it )

Answer 6

A cold molded (you essentially do a few layers of thinner planks criss crossing each other) hull is stronger and lighter than fiberglass.