I'm sure there are a lot of builders using composite today to stay away from rot. What is the cost difference of composite compared to marine grade plywood?

Who is using all composite and who isn't? I beleive that Active Thunder uses all composite, but who else out there does?


Just thought it might be an interesting subject: The pro's the con's if any.

All input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shawn

P.S. No pocorn and drink on this subject either!

Concept is all composite.

Pics of mine under construction.

Extreme is all composite. Dave

A.T. is, Where is Brian?

I believe the Formula fastec hulls are composite.

Just me personally but I wouldn't want a 100% wood free boat. We use a little wood and composites.. Always wood transoms (ask Will at Phantom) . No wood stringers though , all glass. Wood in the back side of the dash where the steering wheel mounts , bow hook and some other areas. When we core we use balsa ask (Skater) and sometimes a solid glass bottom (26). A little wood never hurts!

Approximately how thick is a solid glass bottom on your 26' vs cored with balsa? If you don't mind explaining, what are the pros & cons of these two construction methods?
Thanks,
Dan

Most people are used to the ability of taking a stick of wood, bending it over their knee and breaking it in to pieces quite easily. How can it be so easy to break, yet still strong? You need to consider how little that stick weighs, if you were to get a piece of plastic, fiberglass, Kevlar, carbon fiber or even steel, of the same weight, what would you be able to do with it if you bent it over your knee. Most would bend very easily, some would break with very little effort.

If you just compare strength vs weight, wood is stronger than steel, most fiberglass and aluminum. If you compare stiffness vs weight, wood is stiffer pound-for-pound than Kevlar, all fiberglass, and steel. By these measures wood still doesn't measure up to carbon fiber and other exotic materials like titanium, but if you look at structural efficiency which relates stiffness to density it turns out that pound-for-pound wood is the most efficient material for producing a given structure


26 is almost an inch thick and we offer a lifetime warranty on the hull.

Super Stringers , bulkheads and ballast tank.