Spinoff Thread: Aluminum Offshore Boats

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Is it because aluminum is lighter?

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Mainly this. That boat is probably 1000 pounds lighter than a blue wave 2800. If they had 3/8 bottoms and structure they'd ride much better but that brings up the 2nd issue.

It takes very advanced design to shape aluminum into a non-develipable shape, where fiberglass can do it effortlessly. Get into thick aluminum and it's almost impossible to form when dealing with the small size of a bay boat. That restricts the hulls lines in a very big way and leads you to the contender shape.

Aluminum hybrid boats are a farce. Louisiana people see big aluminum crew boats and think a bay boat will be indestructible like that thing is. In reality, a well built glass boat will generally be tougher and ride better than an aluminum boat.

A custom aluminum boat is going to be tough as hell and ride significantly better than a mass produced beer can boat, but you can't overcome the shaping problem without some very significant costs increases

There is very little flex with Al thus the hard ride and I would absolutely not own an offshore mono hull in Al.

I cant say I wouldnt own one. I've been in some 30-40 aluminum boats that handled just fine but they were government contract boats where price is largely irrelevant and they are loaded down with heavy shite.

I think its just too cost prohibitive to build a 30' aluminum boat with the weight and shape to ride like fiberglass. There was a point in time where I was close to starting a 32' build in my yard but talked myself out of it at the last minute. I'm glad I did. I would have never been happy with it.

Wasn’t there a guy in here last week trying to sell his own homemade custom version?

Weight is the name of the game when it comes to the sloppy Gulf of Mexico if one wants to drink a beer and run.

It has less to do with the material and more to do with the hull design. Dead rise of the hull, width of the chine flats, and location of spray rails. It’s all a compromise. That design may have prioritized draft, weight, and speed over seakeeping.

The great thing about aluminum is you can customize the design on every boat without any extra cost. You’re not locked in to a single mold.

We were between an American and the Blue Way hybrid and choose the Blue Wave. Rode in both and the Blue Wave was considerably nicer. Picking it up next week. Our neighbor in Coco has the American and really likes it.