Pros and Cons of Steel/Aluminum/Aluminium Allow hulls

[alaskatrawler]

Hi All

Sorry about the misinformation I had posted regarding the HMS Sheffield fire. I stand corrected.
With that said the question as to why the military does not use aluminum in shipbuilding still is due to fire issues with aluminum.
I am including a excerpt from the same article I read about the HMS Sheffield.


A related story claims the US Navy and Royal Navy abanonded aluminum superstructures, in favor of steel, as a result of the Falklands war. Since aluminum superstructures played little or no role in the Falkands losses, this story is obviously untrue. The Royal Navy's switch to steel appears to be a result of a 1977 fire in the frigate Amazon. In the US Navy, the switch from aluminum to steel superstructures was a result of the 1975 collision between the carrier John F. Kennedy and the cruiser Belknap. The collision caused major fires aboard the cruiser, and her aluminum superstructure essentially melted; she was reduced to a badly burnt hulk. This incident lead to a decision to adopt steel superstructures in the next new warship class, the Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyers. This decision had been made prior to the Falkands War.

Aluminum can melt at 1000 deg versus steel 2500+deg. I remember a couple years ago an 80 foot yacht left here (seattle ) bound for california and points south. A fire in the engine room set the vessel ablaze . It burned for 3 days before finally burning out. When the fire finally burned itself out the hull was still floating and the vessel was towed in for salvage. I imagine had this vessel been built out of any other material used commonly for boatbuilding it would have sunk.

Regards
Dan

[korvello]

HI: THANK YOU guys i was getting scared myself and i think that you scared GUMBYTHE BORG away why don't you take on other myths ala myth busters like regular steel is not any more corrosive than marine aluminum....what about regular steel is as good as cor-ten ..... to strong of aboat is not good .........that would be a public service .... i think i'm going to use 4130 would that be better than a-36..... has the politician said you can have your own opinion but not your own facts [ actually that may have been the only time he was right ]....regards

[oliverdcq]

I have 19yrs experince in painting and fairing yachts, I do agree with one writer about steel hulls and aluminum superstructres. The steel offers stregnth but one thing to look at is, eventually no matter how much corrosion protection you implemnt you will have rust issues in latter years. Aluminum is more benefical as faras corrosion goes. As for fairing steel vs. aluminum, that depends on how well the builder constructs the boat. Both can be built with minor distortion in the metal, thus using less fairing products and helping with weight issues.
Always ready to help :-))
oliverdcq

[Etec]

if i'm not mistaken , the superstructure of the warship that got hit in the fakland war are made of aluminum and the hull are from steel and it burn down when it got hit by the missile. that's why now days they use steel for the s/s.

[DanishBagger]

Originally Posted by Etec

if i'm not mistaken , the superstructure of the warship that got hit in the fakland war are made of aluminum and the hull are from steel and it burn down when it got hit by the missile. that's why now days they use steel for the s/s.

You weren't paying attention:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sho...4&postcount=14

[nappel]

Interesting string. Simple question though: Is their a respectable shipyard that will build me a hull (motor not sail) in aluminium... say between 70-80ft?

[Etec]

thanks for the info bro.mmmm so why many navy vessel use steel superstructure rather than ali?

[DanishBagger]

Longevity?

[MikeJohns]

Quote from http://www.hazegray.org/

"The RN switch to steel appears to be a result of a 1977 fire in the frigate Amazon.
In the US Navy, the switch from aluminum to steel superstructures was a result of the 1975 collision between the carrier John F. Kennedy and the cruiser Belknap. The collision caused major fires aboard the cruiser, and her aluminum superstructure essentially melted; she was reduced to a badly burnt hulk. This incident lead to a decision to adopt steel superstructures in the next new warship class, the Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class destroyers. This decision had been made prior to the Falkands War."