Steel Cat

[Fitcher]

Sorry I am sure this question has been asked but I searched and did not find it.

Is there a reason not to build a 40ft steel sailing cat? I understand weight must be watched and that it would be lighter to build a glass one but if cost is the driving factor and welding is not a problem then might a steel cat work?

Any suggestions on how to make it light and strong with steel?

[Thunderhead19]

Steel is one of the strongest, most technologically advanced materials we have (believe it or not). If designed well, and maintained well, there shouldn't be any glaring reasons not to build one. If you keep the rust issue under control, that is. For a one-of build it would be cost effective compared to fiberglass, but would require more labour and special metal-cutting tools to build than aluminum (aluminum is soft enough to abuse woodworking tools with). However, it is quite a bit less expensive a material than aluminum. There are lot's of factors to consider really, but as a matter of basic principle, it's not a bad idea.

have a look at http://www.admirals.com/xsteelmagnolia/ for an example. A method to build light weigth in steel is by using special steel like corten steel. Strong and rust proof. This one is slightly bigger but a nice example. Cabin is made of plywood.

Of course steel is more heavy then wood or fiberglass and one of the advantages of a cat usually is light weight and therefore performance. So you will loose some performance but the other advantages of a cat remain, like stability and space.

I am interested in building a steel cat also but examples are rare. I do not like waste materials like fiberglass and wood I find suitable for building tables only.

Originally Posted by Fitcher

Sorry I am sure this question has been asked but I searched and did not find it.

Is there a reason not to build a 40ft steel sailing cat? I understand weight must be watched and that it would be lighter to build a glass one but if cost is the driving factor and welding is not a problem then might a steel cat work?

Any suggestions on how to make it light and strong with steel?