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Hi all
We sail a 48ft Steel Ketch and have done so for the last 30 Years! The boat was built in 1939, 70 years ago next year, and she is in “original condition” according to her last survey, and I can say that steel does stand up to groundings…. I have been there!!!!
We had an accident just outside our home port which will say in my mind forever.
We managed to put her up on an isolated head “20ft either way we would have missed it” unfortunately the first point of contact was the “plastic speed transducer” that smashed the flange off and then just “popped in” leaving a 2” hole in the bottom, she also split the frame down to the next frame, there wasn’t a “backing/compensating plate” this splitting wouldn’t have happened if a backing plate had been fitted.
As soon as it happened I realised we had a problem as the automatic bilge pumps cut in and we were taking on water.
I stuffed all I could get my hands on to slow the inflow of water that helped until the water was deeper than my arm length!!
We needed a “big” pump, which arrived half an hour after we had hit the rock, about the same time as my arms weren’t long enough.
During this time she was being picked up and dropped back on to the head ”she was stuck on the rock between the bottom and the bilge keels and it was quite frightening looking back on it” once we got the boat back it turned out the area that took the pounding was under the engine where the hull plate was pushed up about 3” even though it was “backed up” by the engine beds “10mm plate” it just folded this plate up and pushed in the hull plate but didn’t hole or crack.
I think the material that a boat it built out of is all a bit of a compromise, steel has its downside of if the coating gets damaged it rusts, and it is very correct when people say that steel hulls rot through from the inside out that was obvious when we originally purchased the boat 30 Years ago, however with the paints today they are very forgiving.
Fibre glass needs polishing etc once a year or more depending where you keep it this is quite a big job…
Wood looks good when the paint is just completed but as the material moves (shrinks and expands) as it dries out and then gets wet again the paint cracks and needs re-painting.
We have gone 5+ years without re-painting our steel hull, yes we have to touch up some rust spots but as has been explained it earlier posts a quick flick with a grinder and/or a wire brush and then just coating/filling as needed.
With regard to performance our boat weights about 20tonnes (probably a bit more than that) she performs fairly well with a modern hull, she doesn’t sail quite as fast as a modern boat or point as close to the wind, however when its rough she is very comfortable doesn’t bounce around and ploughs through the waves.
In my opinion steel makes quite a good cruising boat, as said before it needs to be over 40ft in size to get the benefits of steel, it might not be the fastest boat but given the conditions will perform well and if the weather turns bad, she will get you home.
If anyone is thinking of purchasing a steel boat get a surveyor who specializes in steel, look inside at all the bilge and anywhere where water can/could collect and check for corrosion/plate thickness. It could have a thin area that has been painted over. If you still want the boat contact the seller and haggle the price down, these “thin” areas can be replaced or repaired. I have been there, it depends what the boat means to you.
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