Surfriding Aluminum Hull

[Rich_Griff]

We are metal fabricators who enjoy jetskiing. I have a couple questions and hoping you guys can answer.

Y does no one make an aluminum hull for surf riding?

what advantages or disadvantages do you guys see with the aluminum hull?


any feedback is greatly appreciated.



Rich

 

[QJS]

Can't think of any advantages off hand and the disadvantages are too many to list.
Chris.

 

[D-Nice]

itd be to heavy, yea aluminums light but to make it strong enough to take impacts without bending ud have to have some real thick aluminum

 

[snowxr]

Surf riding (salt water) with an aluminum hull?? crazy talk.

 

[hugh jair]

I for one have had many thoughts of fabricating an aluminum hull, not for surf ridding but more for river runs like jet boats do down under..
many wonderful rivers here in the great white north but just as many hidden "hull crushing" hazards lurking below ie sharp rocks, submerged tree stumps etc etc etc.. having such a hull would permit many exploratory trips into unknown waters.

that being said the cost would be the single greatest inhibitor of such a hull i would suspect

 

[Waternut]

Disadvantages:
Corrosion pitting and hull degradation is imminent especially in salt water and where steel fasteners are used
You're likely to dent it
If it's strong enough to resist denting, it'll be heavy
Repairs are either inboard lap patches which would be hard to install/require engine removal or external lap patches which would create drag and change handling
Welding is not an option or you'll crack it around the weld
Repairs require more specialized tooling that cost $$ (composites requires sand paper, resin, a brush, and fabric while metal repairs take a drill, drill bit, pop rivet gun, pop rivets, sealant, metal cutters and grinders, and metal benders depending on thickness)
Man hours to fabricate such a hull by hand would be enormous making the cost of a hull extremely expensive and likely to exceed a carbon fiber hull

Advantages:
Engine, pump, midshaft, etc mounting is easy as you can drill and tap the hull instead of extra fittings
Serious cracks and be repaired on the beach with a drill, pop rivets, and a beer can but must be sealed and properly fixed later for longevity

 

[MADMAT]

I have always thought that...and plastic injection molds.....

"Hello. You need a hull? Sure. Hold on."

SQUIRT!!!!

"Its done! Where should we ship it?"

 

[509freerider]

I don't see why it would be a issue, tons of ocean going boats are made of aluminum, just need anodes to resist corrosion. I think the weight would be close to that of a traditional surf hull with more strength. I am very pro aluminum coming from a river jet boating background. For me repairs would be easy, get a dent, knock it out, get a crack weld it up, way easier to repair than glass. I beat the sh*t out of my aluminum boats and they just keep coming back for more! I also don't see cost being much more that a glass aftermarket hull. I attached a pic of my 22' coming down a rapid, I would love to have a aluminum jetski hull just for this kind of river abuse!

 

[Schmidty721]

I have always thought that...and plastic injection molds.....

"Hello. You need a hull? Sure. Hold on."

SQUIRT!!!!


"Its done! Where should we ship it?"

Yup. Roto Molding (kayaks) would be the way to go if someone was willing for front the tooling cost. After that about $250 a pop for the hulls

 

[509freerider]

I have always thought that...and plastic injection molds.....

"Hello. You need a hull? Sure. Hold on."

SQUIRT!!!!

"Its done! Where should we ship it?"

I think your on to something there, but isn't that kind of how the Metton top decks and hoods are made on the SN?

 

[Scraggly]

blow molding

 

[hugh jair]

Seems 509 and I are on the same page as far as river abuse..we do the same in my buddies boat hence my desire for a similar jetski hull...i cant begin to count how many times a traditional fiberglass hull would've blown to bits with the stuff we've hit in his boat...or even skid it right over/across sand/rock bars in the rivers.

 

[icecoled007]

The only advantage I can think of is river riding.... which would be fun

White water scooter riding!!!!!

 

[Crab]

Awesome idea

 

[550/440]

Just ride old 550's in the river! Aluminum hull would be cool, but as mentioned above, too many issues with corrosion and collision / impact damage.

 

[OCD Solutions]

Ignore them and build one just to say you did.

 

[Snivilous]

Carbon layup > Aluminum. I'll go carbon fiber.

 

[garretonufer]

how about a stamped piece of aluminum sandwiched inside of a fiberglass or carbon shell? you could stamp it reletively easy, and people would have the shape they need and could lay up they own hull for minimal cost, put the work back on them.

a stamped sheet of aluminum can't weigh that much if you just use it for shape and not strength. if it's inside fiberglass or carbon, you shouldn't get any corrosion issues. could always anodize or galvanize it i'd imagine.

 

[Snivilous]

how about a stamped piece of aluminum sandwiched inside of a fiberglass or carbon shell? you could stamp it reletively easy, and people would have the shape they need and could lay up they own hull for minimal cost, put the work back on them.

a stamped sheet of aluminum can't weigh that much if you just use it for shape and not strength. if it's inside fiberglass or carbon, you shouldn't get any corrosion issues. could always anodize or galvanize it i'd imagine.

Why not just use a foam or wood plug? Seems like it'd be cheaper.

 

[garretonufer]

i'd think wood would be heavy compared to a thin sheet of aluminum, and foam could have shipping complications in my mind.

thought i'd be a good compromise to this debate.