aluminium plate boats

[daedong]

This may be a silly question, but are aluminium plate boats 12ft to 25ft more common in Australia than other countries?

[antonfourie]

Yes, the Aussies love their tinnies, it may have somthing to do with flotation regulations.

[nevd]

I haven't seen figures recently, but I suspect aluminium is now 90% of the boat market.

Austal now builds the largest high speed aluminium boats in the world and they are also Australian.

[MarkC]

Which goes to prove that the idea that only fiber-glass/polyester boats can be cost-competitive for production-runs is wrong...

[Ari]

Australia seriously goes Aluminium about early 80s I think.

[Lyle Creffield]

Originally Posted by daedong

This may be a silly question, but are aluminium plate boats 12ft to 25ft more common in Australia than other countries?

Hi

Yes there are a lot of tinnies <2mm hull (plate to me is 4-6mm plus)arround Aus.

Aus. mines bauxite (raw material) and produces aluminum possible from arround the 1970's yet is more expensive per tonne 5086 series plate ($7 000 AUD.) than France (4 700 AUD) june 05.

Disposable income and cost of labour (more hours to produce a GRF boat) also accounts for the number of tinnies

Plate boats in the 20' (trailerable up to 2.5m beam and 2t gross) plus have increased with many having the hull built and fitting out done at home

A 3m tinnie five years old can be found for <$500 AUD

Add to that lots of comparitively unpolluted waterways, great climate (Queensland Lat 11-27S) good fishing and cold beer it is a popular pastime

Cheers

lyle

[jrsvj1]

aluminum boat kits for catamarans in the 18 to 36 foot range are hard to find. I would like to purchase the cutting files if possible.