[Jim H]

Thanks for the exchange about aluminum boats. We looked at an OVNI 36 in our marina on Saturday, and I'm still impressed by how rugged and non-nonsense they are, but the overall design is very modern. The stepped, scoop stern and arch, for example, is very impressive.

If we have time, we might look at some used OVNIs as they come on the market. If things in the bilge cause corrosion problems, I'm certain that's its happened to someone else already. The authors in the Aluminum boat design link above say these claims are exaggerated, and they had "a coin" sit in their bilge for years that did nothing (perhaps because of the OVNI paint).

One other thing-- even new OVNIs are priced surprisingly well for a cruiser of its size. There are also compromises, but having a newer boat isn't always a bad idea. As we think about possible cruising areas, including Senegal and rivers with lots of shifting sand banks, the idea of a swing keel becomes more appealing.