Is preventing Blisters possible?

[sluissa]

Yes, preventing blisters IS possible!

Get a metal boat.



of course, then you have to deal with rust... but blisters won't be a problem.

[classycoro]

Get a Titanium hull then you dont have a problem with rust... drilling thru hulls is next to impossible though... but in the long run the hull would be cheaper than blister and rust repair...

[sluissa]

if you can afford a titanium hull, then you can afford to invest in some diamond drill bits

[Pblais]

Titanium is nominally about $40 / lb to make from ore, so the cost won't be too inexpensive if you just made a dinghy.

Titanium is not hard to drill or work at all and does not require a diamond drill bit. It's tensile strength is as strong as low alloy steel but 40% of the weight yet twice as strong as the better grades of aluminum yet 60% heavier. It really fits between steel and aluminum in terms of structural properties. It is not stronger than steel just lighter. It's primary use is in white paint pigment not as a pure metal.

Chain plates and other critical pieces of the boat hardware would be nice in titanium. If constructed much like an aircraft hull it might prove to be a good hull material but with a hideous price tag. It's great stuff in sea water but it's not magical. It is a strange metal in that it will burn at 610 degrees C. When used as a metal in structural applications is is alloyed quite a bit. Another neat property is that is colors easily.

It would not be any more immune to sea growth than anything else. It just would not require a barrier coating except to help bond the bottom paint.

[classycoro]

Humm, I had this titanium alloy piece one time that I tried to drill through and it was an effort but I dont know what it was alloyed with, it came off a jet so who knows...

[classycoro]

Oh Here is one for ya, add titanium oxide and cobosil to epoxy and see how hard THAT mix is to sand.. it is the hardest blend I have found yet that has a good viable use in boatwork. GREAT for spot blister repair, you can see where previous repairs have been made

[Alan Wheeler]

Paul? what do you mean it "burns at 610c" I thought titanium had a melting point well over 3K C.