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= Hull Material =
<tr>
<th>Material</th>
<th>Specific Weight<br>lb/cu.ft<sup>3</sup></th>
<th>Tensile Strength<br>kN/m<sup>2</sup>x10</th>
<th>Compressive Strength<br>kN/m<sup>2</sup>x10</th>
To make a mould, you start with a plug in the exact shape of the hull or hull component. The plug is disposable, and can be made from a variety of materials. The exterior of the plug is highly finished.
Next, a fibreglass mould is built up on the plug, using alternate layers of cloth and matt, a felt-like material. Each layer is impregnated with a synthetic polymer resin that cures and hardens. The exterior of the mould is reinforced, and the plug is removed and discarded. The best range for working temperatures in the mould shop are is 18-21 C °C with humidity less than 80%. Direct sunlight should be avoided.
Finally, the inside of the mould is coated with a wax-like release agent, and a fibreglass hull or other component is built up inside, starting with the coloured gel coat, a layer of mat and then woven roving. Putting mat, a sort of filler, next to the gel coat prevents print-through of the roving. Anecdotally, putting mat next to the gel coat increases the propensity for blistering. After the piece is finished and cured, it is removed from the mould for finishing. The mould is then ready for re-use. Gel coats should be >30 mm and incorporate protection from ultraviolet (UV) light, which damages plastics.
Sandwich construction was introduced to reduce material cost. It uses a foam-core material, plywood or balsa wood between two layers of fibreglass. Wood of any kind is not recommended because it readily absorbs water, which will delaminate the sandwich.
Although introduced for cost reasons, a sandwich is stiffer than a single skin, and lighter for the same stiffness. Interestingly, the stiffness is not imparted by the foam-core but by the equal separation of the two skins, and the effect this has on bending forces. Another advantage of a foam sandwich is no extra insulation is required inside the hull. <ref>http://triloboats.blogspot.ca/2012/01/sea-going-sips-toward-creating-market.html</ref> <ref>http://www.nauticexpo.com/boat-manufacturer/thermal-insulation-panel-22312.html</ref> <ref>http://duflex.com.au/duflex2/</ref> Usually the final paint is applied in the gel coat.
A sandwich is not as durable as solid 'plastic', partly because more skill is required to ensure the skins bond solidly to the core without voids. Incomplete bonding and voids cause delaminating and failure of the component. These risks can be overcome with vacuum infusion. Biaxial fibreglass material is recommended with sandwich construction. Some experts advise against any kind of core below the waterline; although reasons have not been well articulated. Perhaps this was based on experience with early foam-cores.
A similar technology is carbon-fibre composites. These are generally too expensive (and too light) for displacement boat hulls but are found widely today in aircraft and automotive parts like wing assemblies, monocoques and body panels where strength and light weight are important,<ref>DPS Composites, http://www.dpscomposites.com/</ref> or in super yachts like the aforementioned Juan K Super Maxi. The Maxi is a high-speed sail boat, not a displacement boat, so light weight is important.
== Steel ==
Steel hulls are made of plates of Lloyd’s approved marine quality steel. The steel is pre-primed at the steel mill. Plates are precision laser cut, using computerized design instructions called cutting files. Cutting files minimize wasted steel, and ensure a good fit. Deck plating is typically from 5/32-in to 1/4-in (4-6 mm), and hull plating is from 1/4-in to 5/16-in (6-8 mm) in thickness.
Typically the hull is assembled ground up, by raising web frames and longitudinal stiffeners, and then attaching the hull plates, followed by deck plates and superstructure.<ref>The Complete Guide to Metal Boats, Bruce Roberts-Goodson, International Marine, McGraw-Hill Corporation, ISBN 0-07-136444-7</ref> A few builders are using transverse instead of longitudinal stringers.
Steel construction requires some heavy equipment; and experienced welders to get a fair finish to the hull. Joints are double welded below the waterline. Above, they can be single welded but it is better to weld them inside and out. After welding, joints are ground smooth and filled in where necessary. A team of three welders might take about 1000 hours to assemble a complete 60-ft hull.
A critical join is between the deckhouse and deck. Although the deckhouse could be simply welded to the deck, it is better to have structural pillars extending up from inside the hull. This can be accomplished by having strong mullions. Extreme waves have been known to tear off deckhouses.
Similarly, the bow, keel and bilge keels should be reinforced in case of an accidental grounding.
If you have a larger budget, you could have a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. This reduces weight above decks and keeps the centre of gravity lower. Galvanic corrosion between the dissimilar metals is avoided by using an explosion-bonded bimetallic strip to join the steel and aluminium. These strips were first developed for the US Navy.
The strips are composites of aluminium and steel, bonded together at the molecular level by an explosive force. The aluminium deckhouse is welded to the aluminium strip, while the steel hull is welded to the steel strip.
Steel will give you a homogenous leak-free hull. It is more difficult than fibreglass to get a fair finish. To prevent corrosion, it must be primed and painted. It must be protected from galvanic action. It is very strong and not damaged easily. It can withstand some pounding when grounded. It will dent before it allows penetration. Any welder anywhere in the world can put a patch on easily.
== References ==
[[Category:HullGeneral]]