Ferro Cement Hulls ?

[GordMay]

FWIW: A comprehensive website on ferro-cement boats can be found at Hartley & Brookes Associates “The World Of Ferro-Cement Boats":
Goto:
The World of Ferroboats

[KIWI]

Alan, Have you heard anything regarding the ferro boats being built in Alaska using SS rods and some sort of fiber mesh, I read this in the doctors waiting room in the NZ boating it was headed Ferro revival.

They were used as barges and the reason for Ferro was that F/G was unsuitable and the rust problems with steel, The article said that they tried ferro over a three period and no problems but the article was mainly about the the advantages of the ferro in the Alaskan climate and the new factory

[Alan Wheeler]

I do remember reading someone like Colin Brookes commenting on a similar application. He stated it was a waste of time and money to use SST as it added nothing to the protection. I think the idea came about due to the false notion that the steel armature rusts. This is simply no the case and on any repairs I have seen or been involved with, breaking the cement away reveals a lovely clean steel as if the steel was brand new. Another false notion was some said they watch some person build an FC boat and the armature was all rusty when they plastered it. Colin Brooks states that it should be that way as a chemical process happens in the cement and the cement binds to the Steel because of the rust. Certainly something takes place, because the steel is clean looking when the plaster is broken away. So SST is actually not the best choice of material because it doesn't bind to the Cement. Another area SST was used was a mesh. Once again I don't see the point due to cost. And yes I have heard of a fibre mesh. That one I am not so sure about. I don't think it is a problem as long as the mesh is small diameter and well tied to the armature. The mesh is what binds the cement and binds the cement to the armature and creates the "form" of the structure.

[KIWI]

Your right it was fiber mesh, I went back down to the doctors surgery to see if the mag was still there, It was a interesting article, Sadly the mag was gone!!

I have been on line trying to track the boat builders down in alaska , So far no luck
I'll keep trying

Graham

[Alan Wheeler]

Sadly the mag was gone!!

Darn!!
Can you remember what the mag name was??

[KIWI]

It was NZ boating but being in a doctors surgery lord knows how long it's been there

[emeraldsea]

I worked at a cement plant running a mixer truck long before I became the owner of a Ferro boat. We used fiber mesh in things like sidewalk pads & septic tanks, it makes a huge difference to the strength.
I also saw something a while back about a new kind of re-bar, not made of steel, but many times stronger starting to be used in building. With the price of steel, we will likely see more of this new age material. I could see a new age ferro revival.

[Alan Wheeler]

Interestingly I did a search on the name of the other Ferro we looked at buying at the time we bought our present boat. And darn it if it didn't come up with this link.
She is actually 50ft. The specs must be counting the bowsprit as well. She has changed a bit. She was white when we looked at her.
Now what is special about this boat is two things. It's picture during construction is in Richard Hartleys boat plan book.
But most importantly, she was one of the Ferro boats to sail right through the famous Queens Birthday storm that claimed so many boats. I really wanted this boat, but Dawn wanted Leisure Lady and I think in the end we made thr right decision. She has had three owners since we first looked at her. The first new owner spent $60K on bringing her upto scratch and then due to personal reasons, had to sell her. The second guy took the boat to Lyttleton and I am surprised to now to see a third owner.
Waitane.co.nz

[Alan Wheeler]

Hey Kiwi, we are coming around to Waikawa tomorrow. Only weather window we wil have for awhile by the looks. We are gong onto a mooring second out from the marina Boat ramp. Keep an eye out for me sometime. I will most likely be there most weekends.

[KIWI]

Bugger, I will be leaving for Havelock around 7am , I work for maintinance marine and we have a job on a boat in havelock may not be home until around 5pm-6pm
I hope we can catch on the weekend

Graham

[clockwork orange]

Its been interesting reading all the posts about ferro,i was pretty involved in ferro back in the early 70s when i was building a modified Rorc 39 in my spare time and cold molded and glass boats by day.I was wondering if anyone remembers the series of performance cruisers that were designed by Laurie Davidson and built by Ferrocraft marine in Auckland which used wood stringers instead of steel,they were good looking flush deck fin keel boats of around 40ft,i think some went to noumea.It would be interesting to see how they have held up after 35 years or so.Incidently they built some damn fine boats such as the Mummery designed Soubrette.
Steve.

[Alan Wheeler]

Several professionals had a go at building FC as a commercial enterprise. Everyone of them failed due to the hrs required to build a hull. 90% (exageration) of the labor went into a hull that should have cost 10% of the build (if that made sense). Simply put, it was too expensive to build the hull.
But certainly the process allows for a shape of hull not easily(I didn't say impossible) able to be reproduced in any other method, including GRP.

[mudnut]

Originally Posted by cooper

oy...Nudmut...what ya been dooen...missen in action mate....gota boat yet ?? At this rate I will have my boat finished before you get one. I aint coming to pick you up.!! Its meet on the water or nuthin..

Hey coop,is that you mate...
coop,ya still there.Hi nan,are you with coop,coop"wheres nan gone?...."On the water,what do ya mean ya wont pick me up,"Nan,whats coop saying?"

Gee Wheels,ya sure got bal#'s of concrete,hows coop gonna handle under garments to support ones of steel,the mind boggles."never the twain shall meet".But they have.It just goes to show that some folks never listen(45 or whatever the number was).

Now I might be mistaken,but,considering that there arn't a huge % of ferro boat owners out there, considering the amount of other boats made of other mediums,they don't seem to bitch much about a lot of things as do the "Others".Osmossis,rust,well that just sounds scary.Stuff the insurance,sail smarter!Fix the rust/de-lamination...over and over,not to mention the bright work and the varnish.Stuff the insurance,stuff the rust(Sorry coop)stuff the osmossis.If ya buy a good FC,most of ya problems are over,just go sailing and sleep easy,as for 5lb hammers,BIGHT ME,.

Hey cooper,Im just waiting till ya finnish the steel one so I can buy myself into one made out of FC.Ya shocked me on K Walker passing,I never knew that.I have never seen one of his designs that I didn't like.

I just heard George Karlin died,I'm out of here.

Regards,Glenn.

[Alan Wheeler]

,considering that there arn't a huge % of ferro boat owners out there,

About 20yrs ago, there was an estimated 11000 Hartely FC boats built. Many others designs like Samson can be added to that.

[cooper]

For any bodywho dosnt know who muddy is talking about.....




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