What weighs the most? Wood, fiberglass, or steel

[F14CRAZY]

Soon or later, when my "life" gets together (mostly just finishing off my car loan) I'd like to buy a "classic" (60s-80s) Chris Craft cruiser, 28-35'.

There's wood Constellations, fiberglass Cavaliers, Catalinas, and Commanders, and then steel hulled Roamers.

I know there's maintenance advantages and disadvantages to all 3 hull types, but which weighs more? I would think fiberglass is lightest, then wood, then steel is the heaviest but perhaps I'm wrong. I guess a fiberglass boat with rotten stringers would actually weight the most :facepalm:.

Thanks guys

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: What weighs the most? Wood, fiberglass, or steel

As far as materials go, wood is lightest, then glass, then steel, However, you the weight of a boat depends on how it was built. One could easily make a steel hull that weighed less than a wood of the same size, but it would be weak.

The finest way to build a boat, in my opinion, is welded bare aluminum. It's ideal for a marine environment. It needs bottom paint (like any other boat) to keep growth down, but otherwise, it requires no finish and no care, plus it's light and strong.