Estimating Hull Material Cost?

[Mastadon]

Is there a way to get a rough idea of what the cost for hull material will be for a boat design you dont have? If you have LOA, LWL, waterline beam, overall beam, draft, could you use these dimensions to get a rough surface area and translate into cost for aluminum or steel. How could you estimate the amount of framing you would need?

I don't imagine any professional boat builders would be willing to share hull material cost of their projects, but that would sure be cool.

Im trying to reign in my boat dream to something realistic so I can decide on a design I might actually afford.

[rasorinc]

Assuming your not building some huge boat you can easily get a close estimate. Using 5086 aluminum the side and floor frames would be 1" x 3"x 1/4" angle at 30" on center. The stem and keel would be 3/8" or 1/2" plate x 4" or 5".
Bottom stingers (5) would be 1/4" x 1" x 3" plate and side stringers 4) 3/16" x 1" x 2" plate. Bottom siding 3/16" or 1/4" and sides 1/8" and maybe 3/32". It all depends on size and use. This should be good to 28' x 10' but should be heavier for rough seas. Hope this helps. With steel you can reduce by 1/16"
and probably be safe. Figure out the rough sizes per square foot or lineal feet to get a list. Aluminum is sold by weight.
Here is a 24' x 8'-6" the cuddy sport that has a complete aluminum list of materials for study, https://www.boatdesigns.com/products.asp?dept=814 Best to you, Stan

[Mastadon]

Thank you very much for your reply. Much appreciated. Would such an approach not work for something bigger? 50'-60' range. I probably don't need to do the calculations to know this would be unaffordable but I wanna.

[rasorinc]

Check the Glen-L site I posted for Cuddy Sport under steel cruisers for material lists for larger boats. Also, larger sail boats out of steel. I priced the Cuddy Sport out in aluminum in 2007 and it was close to 10 grand for materials.

[Mastadon]

thanks again man.

[whoosh]

if you go to my gallery there is a 54 ft yacht, quite a substantial deck salon , from memory was 7 tonnes alloy

[Mastadon]

searching for the lbs price of aluminum I find approx 1$ american. this cant be right.http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/al/al.asp

[waikikin]

Mastadon, I think thats probably a "scrap" price, once you buy it back made into some plate or flat bar its probably x 10? & by the time its fabricated into a boat plenty more. Regards from Jeff

[tazmann]

I got a quote couple months ago buying around 1000 lbs 5052 plate 3/16" and 1/4" $1.30 a pound that was the lowest, highest was $3 for the same stuff. I did buy 4 sheets of 1/8" that came out to $1.60.
Price varies a lot depends on whom you talk to that particular day, pays to shop
Tom

[apex1]

5083 is 4.600 to 4.800 € per metric ton at present (flat plates) in central Europe!

[Brent Swain]

Steel for my 36 was around $9500 a couple of years ago, then it jumped up, then dropped. A guy got a quote of $8,000 this spring.
Brent

[Mastadon]

ordering the steel sandblasted and primed increase the price much?

[apex1]

ordering the steel sandblasted and primed increase the price much?

No, almost standard.

[marshmat]

Brent, you can probably buy the whole steel mill for not much more than that right now, it's just sitting there unused on the Hamilton shoreline ;)

How much pricing variation have you guys been seeing from supplier to supplier / day to day for steel and Al? The rates on the commodity exchanges fluctuate like crazy, and I have a hard time believing that those fluctuations find their way down to the shop floor in anything close to real-time.

[rogersims]

Can I ask for a bit more detail on costs from anyone as the above is great but I guess really depends on wastage from each flat sheet and cutting costs as well. I'm thinking of a 35-40 foot range as a target, probably in steel.

What kind of wastage would be seen in cutting from from flat sheet (assuming cnc cut by a shop) An 6 ton hull probably started as 8 tons of raw sheet for example?

Much difference seen cutting Aluminium sheet (logc says no) and similar rough costs of cut sheet for anything 35 - 40 foot in Aluminium would be great.


To simplify it can anyone cite costs for sheet, cut and delivered for something 35 - 40 foot ? Or provide a realistic guestimate? (I'm UK based but any info is good)


Just working out if it's worth the effort building something myself and also considering Wharrams. Yes, a totally different kettle of fish but I can see fairly transparent material costs compared to getting metal related costs.

Thanks.

[Brent Swain]

Wastage on my boats is around 2%
You can call the metal suppliers with your materials lists and get an estimate. I supply all materials lists with the plans. Ask if the price includes shipping, from some shops it does, from some it doesn't. It adds up to quite an expense some times. Some times one supplier will give you the best price , somtimes another will, so try them all, every time . They often promise short delivery times just to get the order. Then after they have your mony, they take their time. Make sure you state " NO SUBSTITUTIONS", or they will throw in odd ball sizes that will make the job far more difficult. Make sure they use zinc rich epoxy primer. If they use international Nu Plate F or some vinyle based primer , you will have to blast it off , nullifying the advantage of shotblasted and pre-primed steel.
Brent