Mino
Well-Known Member
Has anyone ever had, or currently own, a steel mobo? If so, opinions, especially re. maintenance?
Steel Mobos
- Thread starter Mino
- Start date
PCUK
Well-Known Member
Brilliant. Had mine 26 years. No osmosis - Ever! Only material to withstand a serious fire offshore or pounding on rocks - neither of which I have experienced. Minor repainting every six or seven years. (The blue on my hull is the original 26 year old two-pack and still shines.
It is essential to get a properly blasted end epoxy coated from new model. Most are these days. If not treated from new then they soon become rust buckets. Once epoxy coated the steel is basically inert and even underwater coating damage will have no effect due to the number of anodes fitted. Tend to be slower due to weight but not much theses days and roll more at displacement speed due to higher centre of gravity.
It is essential to get a properly blasted end epoxy coated from new model. Most are these days. If not treated from new then they soon become rust buckets. Once epoxy coated the steel is basically inert and even underwater coating damage will have no effect due to the number of anodes fitted. Tend to be slower due to weight but not much theses days and roll more at displacement speed due to higher centre of gravity.
Mino
Well-Known Member
Interesting. Rolls more at displacement speed? I had been under the impression that a displacement hull would have rolled less, but then I am on a major learning curve!. Is yours a flybridge model, and may I ask what make and model it is?
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Worth posting this on Thames Forum they have a unhealthy thing about then there tin baths up the Thames.
PCUK
Well-Known Member
I say steady on Oldgit!
In general displacement hulls all roll far more than planing hulls as the hydrodynamics at planing speed keeps the hull steady. At displacement speed a planing hull will again roll less but have a very uncomfortable jarring ride to due to hard chine form of the hull.
Steel hulls roll more than similar GRP types due to the higher centre of gravity but have a smoother roll.
In general displacement hulls all roll far more than planing hulls as the hydrodynamics at planing speed keeps the hull steady. At displacement speed a planing hull will again roll less but have a very uncomfortable jarring ride to due to hard chine form of the hull.
Steel hulls roll more than similar GRP types due to the higher centre of gravity but have a smoother roll.
Imperial One
Well-Known Member
Hi Mino,
Please feel free to call or pm me and I will happily talk to you at length about steel boats - it is generally thought that we know a bit about them!
See our website.
Some steel boats like a Boarnstream for example, have a GRP topside and as a result do not roll very much at all.
Many others have hard chines and these do not roll as much as round bilge boats will.
Many have stabilisers and don't roll at all and so on......
Then again there is Aluminium which is very strong and very light so is generally better than GRP when it comes to total custom build layouts due to the lack of fixed bulkheads as strengtheners (cue complaints!
)
What boat are you thinking of?
Some of the lower cost ones are very thin steel plate and somewhat high and as a result will roll at sea because they were only ever designed for inland or estuary use on calm days.
What PCUK said said about paintwork is true and with modern paints like Awlgrip, they look fantastic for years.
Apparently, the trick is to use low ph water when washing them off and then they hardly need a chamois. You can buy a filter for the hose that reduces the PH.
This advice was given to me by a painter who was at Pendennis Shipyard and now has his own Awlgrip spray operation in Holland - so he should know his stuff.
Please feel free to call or pm me and I will happily talk to you at length about steel boats - it is generally thought that we know a bit about them!
See our website.Some steel boats like a Boarnstream for example, have a GRP topside and as a result do not roll very much at all.
Many others have hard chines and these do not roll as much as round bilge boats will.
Many have stabilisers and don't roll at all and so on......
Then again there is Aluminium which is very strong and very light so is generally better than GRP when it comes to total custom build layouts due to the lack of fixed bulkheads as strengtheners (cue complaints!
)What boat are you thinking of?
Some of the lower cost ones are very thin steel plate and somewhat high and as a result will roll at sea because they were only ever designed for inland or estuary use on calm days.
What PCUK said said about paintwork is true and with modern paints like Awlgrip, they look fantastic for years.
Apparently, the trick is to use low ph water when washing them off and then they hardly need a chamois. You can buy a filter for the hose that reduces the PH.
This advice was given to me by a painter who was at Pendennis Shipyard and now has his own Awlgrip spray operation in Holland - so he should know his stuff.
powerskipper
Well-Known Member
ok
ONE of the things about steel boats is.
as I was told by an experienced person.
" don't hit anything with it, as there will not be anything left after of what you hit."
So due to their weight[ in my experience] , they are a slow drive,so you can't do anything fast .
The one I played with was 40 something foot , and was only time I have been over taken by Yachts under power and sail!!!
ONE of the things about steel boats is.
as I was told by an experienced person.
" don't hit anything with it, as there will not be anything left after of what you hit."
So due to their weight[ in my experience] , they are a slow drive,so you can't do anything fast .
The one I played with was 40 something foot , and was only time I have been over taken by Yachts under power and sail!!!
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nedmin
Well-Known Member
Had steel boats (3 in total) had no real problems.Most are designed so that you can walk to the bow without slipping in the drink and are very safe.Two things very important, a roll of pvc tape ,so that if you do mark the paint put a piece of pvc tape on until you have time to rectify.next a can of Comma Wax Seal.Where steel meets other materials spray a coat of wax seal around the joint.I,ve tried other products but the Comma one is best.Any excess can be wiped off and it polishes like wax polish ! If your thinking of buying a second hand one check the bilges first,if any rust down there be very careful, thats the first place to check.
pheran
Well-Known Member
I've had two modern steel cruisers in the past decade, both Dutch (and kept there) the first just on 50 ft LOA, the second 43ft. Both were a bit roly-poly in a beam sea but nothing too untoward. The first had twin 200hp diesels and could make 15 kts in ideal conditions but with an absolutely horrendous wash. The second with a single 145 hp engine was good for 10kts. I loved both of them to bits. Maintenance was no more onerous than other materials, less so than GRP IMHO, but avoid teak decks like the plague!
Mino
Well-Known Member
Very interesting, thanks all. Would you consider aluminium (so one could have a planing hull/IPS, etc), or do you feel steel is the better choice?
MapisM
Well-Known Member
I'd rather put it the other way round.
If it's a planing hull with IPS that you're interested in, GRP is the only logical choice.
For full displacement hulls, either steel or steel hull and alu for the superstructure.
Eat your heart out Nordhavn, no matter how hard you try to explain us that GRP makes sense for displacement trawlers, steel is the real thing in this league.
For SD hulls, either grp or alu, with pros and cons for both. I tend to prefer the first for various reasons, but alu has its advantages.
Imperial One
Well-Known Member
Wim van der Valk have a superb range of Alum boats with IPS drives and we get well over 30 knots from them - even the huge 25m Flybridge.
This is because whilst they are as strong as Steel, they are hugely lighter and IMHO stronger than GRP.
Unlike GRP boats which need internal bulkheads to give rigidity we still have total flexibilty of internal layout to owners choice because all the strength is in the hill and stringers which are approx 40cm apart.
At the moment we are selling many Alu boats to the Dutch and Russians, as well as one or two into the UK.
The only issue with Alum is that you need to be certain to have an isolation barrier between the Alum and for example Stainless Steel. Naturally, we do of course!
When we showed the Alu 20m at SIBS a couple of years ago it raised a few eyebrows - I think the entire Sunseeker team came over to check it out as well as all of the other major players.
It went on to be nominated for Motor Boat of the Year that year as well.
We also build the Boarnstream Retro in Alu and with IPS the Retro 60 will do over 30 knots as well.
Alu and IPS? IMHO they make a very solid choice.;
If you want comfortable displacement speed cruising with an ability to get up to 12 knots plus if situation dictates, go for Steel and stabilisers.
This is because whilst they are as strong as Steel, they are hugely lighter and IMHO stronger than GRP.
Unlike GRP boats which need internal bulkheads to give rigidity we still have total flexibilty of internal layout to owners choice because all the strength is in the hill and stringers which are approx 40cm apart.
At the moment we are selling many Alu boats to the Dutch and Russians, as well as one or two into the UK.
The only issue with Alum is that you need to be certain to have an isolation barrier between the Alum and for example Stainless Steel. Naturally, we do of course!
When we showed the Alu 20m at SIBS a couple of years ago it raised a few eyebrows - I think the entire Sunseeker team came over to check it out as well as all of the other major players.
It went on to be nominated for Motor Boat of the Year that year as well.
We also build the Boarnstream Retro in Alu and with IPS the Retro 60 will do over 30 knots as well.
Alu and IPS? IMHO they make a very solid choice.;
If you want comfortable displacement speed cruising with an ability to get up to 12 knots plus if situation dictates, go for Steel and stabilisers.
PCUK
Well-Known Member
Steel boats are generally built for hard work, IPS drives are not being so vulnerable to damage. Therefore I don't think the two would ever be compatible. I can't see me ever going for IPS, but then I am a more traditional boater who considers reliability and damage prevention the most important criteria for sea-going.
Gavi
Well-Known Member
Very proud and happy. I have a Peter Nicholls built 27ft steel boat with a few quirks... and I love her for it. Had a Freeman before, which I equally loved. The steel boat will be with us a long time, I just need to learn how to make her last as long as us. An unhelpful post, I know, but I am so happy with the tin
