Wooden boats in today's modern world
Wooden boats in today's modern world
Humanity has been making wooden boats all along its history. Wood constituted the sole usable material till the advent of steel and fiberglass. Additional materials such as aluminum have also been employed in modern times to construct boats. As curious as it might seem, even concrete has been used, through ferrous cement.
However, in today's showrooms, you will not find many wooden boats, and sometimes you will not find even one. Most models will be made of shining fiberglass or aluminium, with ultra-modern looks. Boats made of wood have now become old-fashioned, and only a small handful of enthusiasts continue to praise these designs, most of the time as amateur builders. And it is true that if one wants to construct his own boat, wooden designs are one of the only options. Most other techniques require high skills and complicated tooling, especially when it comes to fiberglass. Even with the right instructions and training, it would still be difficult and require a delicate setup.
Wooden boats also give a kind of nostalgic feeling. When we build a wood boat, we are somewhat repeating the same kind of work boat builders have done for centuries. However, there can be some differences today, as some kinds of marine lumber have become extinct. Unfortunately, some of these species were among the best available to build boats. Some old ships made of these species of lumber still exist today, which is a testimony of their longevity. For instance, the King Billy Pine was made of such a hard lumber that it should basically last indefinitely. This lumber is so good that the wood from the old roots of the extinct trees are still used today to maintain this ship and make small repairs. However, the living trees have now disappeared, and one day or the other, no more of this kind of lumber will be available.
Other kinds of lumber are of course still available, but also tend to become expensive and rare. As a result, ply wood has become very popular, in combination with fiberglass coating to increase longevity. This is a really affordable solution, which results in solid, good quality boats. This is especially true if you need for instance a simple small boat for occasional fishing. In this case, the so-called stitch-and-glue method is probably one of the simplest and quickest methods to use. It can be set up at home quite easily, and you can build your boat in a matter of weeks.
If you are interested in building your own boat, you will find plenty of boat plans resources that will help you making the right choice. You should make sure that the plan you retain corresponds to your skills, and that good step-by-step instructions are provided. Then, all you need is to start taking action and build. Sooner than you think, you will be proud to sail your own self-made boat. Boat Finance- Read If you have been considering buying a boat Boating Accident Lawyer Straight Talk: Boat Sinkings, Liability and Determining Causation Downloadable boat designs & blueprints The 2009 Bayliner 197 Deckboat Where to find high quality boat patterns? Boat Plans PDF Replica U-BOAT Thousands of Feet, a New Star in Watch Industry Is boat transport possible in UK? Pontoon Rental How To Unclog A Scupper On Your Boat Bird Control...When You Open Your Boat for Summer Internet Marketing - Have You Missed The Boat Boating Safety - 5 Tips to Be Safe on the Water