Why aluminium? it lasts

Shipping Business

Why aluminium? it lasts longer, says Customs Craft

SINCE the launching of his first boat at the age of six, Rob McLauchlan, Managing Director of Fiji Customs Craft Limited, has had a long and close connection with boats and the sea. From the first, a tin boat built of a beaten out sheet of corrugated iron for fishing in the river, he has progressed through timber, plywood and fibreglass to the present 32-foot aluminium gameboat.

Owner also, with his wife Brenda, of Fiji Machinery Limited, dealing in heavy equipment since 1976, the economic downturn of 1987 and 1988 forced a need to diversify from reliance on a drastically reduced market where capital cost had doubled and demand had virtually disappeared to one that showed potential

for growth.

The Fiji interim government’s move to encourage investment for manufacturing and the promotion of tourism and fishing has provided the opportunity to diver sify, said McLaughlan. “What to diver sify into was logical,” he added. “With Fiji a country of islands, boats would be needed for inter-island transport and the potential for growth lay in the tourism and fishing sectors. The export potential to other Pacific Island countries, where conditions similar to Fiji existed, was another area of consideration.”

With the financial backing of the National Bank of Fiji and the Fiji Development Bank, it was possible for McLaughlan to diversify and Fiji Cus tom Craft Limited started building its first boat on October 1, 1989.

Why aluminium boats? “Aluminium is the best building material for boats to around 12 metres for Fiji the tropics,” McLaughlan said. “The

12-metre mark is based on cost of steel against aluminium. In European and American yards multi-million dollar luxury custom-built boats of 45 plus metres have been built in aluminium when cost is not the criteria. Oceanfast, Australia, built the aluminium 49-metre Mystique for an American owner.”

Marine grade aluminium is quite different from that used in things like utentils. The aluminium specified for boats contains magnesium alloys and does not corrode in saltwater. With the right alloy the life expectancy of an aluminium boat is nearly 50 years without maintenance, even if the boat is left in saltwater. The bottom of the boat is painted with anti-fouling paint to prevent the growth of weeds and bar nacles which affect performance.

Steel boats will rust from the inside

unless thoroughly protected. Aluminium

boats don’t rust and therefore don’t need special protection. Diesel fuel has no affect on aluminium tanks unlike stain less steel tanks which can develop pinholes or black iron tanks which can rust from the outside if not kept painted.

Aluminium will not blister, crack or have “osmosis” problems. It is non

magnetic, non-sparkling and relatively

fireproof. An aluminium boat is much less likely to be extensively damaged by fire than wooden or fibreglass craft. The latter is built with petroleum-based resins which are flammable and would unevitably burn to the waterline in a serious fire.

Aluminium has the advantage of

lightweight and strength, giving it a

strength/weight ratio of 205-209 com pared to mild steel (123-145) and fibreglass (180-190). The tensile strength for welded aluminium is 35,000 to 39,000 psi, mild steel 58,000 to 68,000 psi and fibreglass 18,000 psi. Aluminium has the ability to stretch so that the hull plating can bend or dent in case of collision. It is difficult for aluminium to tear or fracture like fibreglass and wood.

The weight advantage of an alu minium boat allows more fuel-carrying capacity and longer cruise range or higher speeds with a given power.

Fishing boats can get to the fishing grounds faster, using less fuel, and carry a heavier catch home.

Said McLaughlan: “Having made the decision to build in aluminium, Fiji Custom Craft Limited are justifiably proud of the boats built to-date. One of our 9.6-metre gameboats was mistaken for a fibreglass boat, proving the highclass finish.

Special: an aluminium fishing boat being built Fiji Customs Craft

Special: a tourist dive boat being built by Fiji Customs Craft