srm
Well-known member
The OP mentioned steel as an option - I would caution against it. There is a saying that steel boats rust from the inside, and having owned what was probably the only Mcgruer designed 8 metre cruiser racer built (in Belgium) in steel I can vouch for it. Ourside was fine under its 2 part epoxy but inside . . . . the next owner stripped the boat to a bare hull and deck then did a lot of replating. This autumn in the Azores saw two steel boats undertaking a lot of dirty work with a needle gun before painting. One owner admitted it would have been a lot easier to build from scratch rather than repair/restore while living on board and cruising.
Having owned boats made of real wood, ply wood, steel, and GRP I now have what apears to be the best of all worlds. Grp hull and deck with a fair amount of wood trim outside to look after and no plastic visible inside other than the shower tray and in the bilges. Hull, cabin sides and deckheads are all insulated and lined, cabin sides mostly in wood. Have even been asked on a few ocassions if she is a wooden boat.
Having owned boats made of real wood, ply wood, steel, and GRP I now have what apears to be the best of all worlds. Grp hull and deck with a fair amount of wood trim outside to look after and no plastic visible inside other than the shower tray and in the bilges. Hull, cabin sides and deckheads are all insulated and lined, cabin sides mostly in wood. Have even been asked on a few ocassions if she is a wooden boat.
