Newby to Ferro Yachts

[skipmac]

In general I have to agree with cooper on ferro cement boats and concrete use in marine environments. Bottom line, you can buy a great boat or a piece of crap in wood, steel, glass, or cement. Each material has its own strengths and weaknesses.

The main negatives I see with ferrocement are these:

1. There are fewer people with experience in the material so more difficult to find expert surveys, repairs, etc.

2. More difficult to sell when (not if) you decide to sell and move up or retire.

Perhaps I am more naive or less cinical but I do see this forum and the internet in general as excellent sources of information. Like any information you have to evaluate the quality and source but after 35 years boating I learn something new every day on cruisers (and by the way, thanks to Maine Sail for lots of great information).

[radiuschine]

Originally Posted by pulyajibon

I am considering buying a ferro yacht, could someone let me know,
do you need heavyer anchor chain due to weight of yacht, is heaver ropes needed to tie to mariners? Are heaver masts used ect. Do ferro yachts sail as quick as glass yachts? Recommended keel type for coastal cruising. I am thinking about a 44ft yacht. Thanks for your help and information. I am finding it hard to get an estimate for insurance in Australia any idears?

I am old enough to remember the ferro-cement fad of the late 60's and 70's. Even considered building one myself. Fortunately that is one mistake I didn't make. The fact is the vast majority of hulls that were produced outside of a shipyard were not seaworthy. The are any number of ways to botch the construction, and amateurs can be expected to find a way to screw it up. I had several friends who tried to build themselves a cheap yacht. They all found out that it wasn't so cheap and easy. If you decide to buy one, be sure you check out its history. Better idea, don't buy one.

[cooper]

Here we go again..the "Ferro fad"...guess you will have to go and tell all those people instaling new marinas that they have participated in a 60s Fad.

The fact is the vast majority of hulls that were produced outside of a shipyard were not seaworthy.

I would LOVE to know where you get those STATISTICS FROM. Or is just another "well I got told that....."

They all found out that it wasn't so cheap and easy.

.

Well yes. Building a boat is never cheap and sure aint easy. The dream of boat ownership through building and its tragic failures is not at all limited to Ferro cement. I know of countless steel hulls, fiberglass , and very rarely due to the cost and work, timber "BROKEN DREAMS. These are here right now....so are you going to cast the same asperstions? You should after all: it is a blanket statement on your behalf.

..There is really not a lot of point having a sensible discusion about the pros and cons of Ferro boat building here. Seems a lot of people KNOW but A. dont own one. And B. dont want to listen to anybody who does.

...anyone want to have a bagging sestion about multy hulls ?

[Sam Plan B]

To any one interested in buying a ferro boat, I say buy it. Buy it now. They are not rare items but can be found in marinas near and far. In fact one can be found at Lippincott Marina, 3420 Main Street, Grasonville Md. The broker is Ken Church and he can be reached at (410)827-9300. The boat is about 40 feet on deck and has been on the hardstand for a while. Call Ken and buy this boat. He sold me my Columbia 41 (14 tonnes) and treated me with honestly. He needs the space on the hardstand and you, who want a ferro boat, can do a good deal. Buy ferro. Buy now. Clear the hardstand.

[Sam Plan B]

For that matter, buy two ferro boats and have the first ferro catamaran.

[Sam Plan B]

Buy three and have the first ferro trimaran. Make history. Clear the hardstand.

[Springbok]

Hope you feel better after your last 3 posts Sam. Enjoy your motor-sailer

Clyde

[Sam Plan B]

Yes, brothers and sisters.

(Chorus)
You gotta have faith, faith, faith, faith in FERRO,
FERRO keeps you dry in a stormy sea,
You gotta have faith, faith, faith, faith in FERRO,
Don't buy one, you must buy two or three.

Even if it has an orange peal finish
And even if the rust stains just won't quit,
And if the folks who walk by the marina
Ask why you bought a boat built out of s--t.

(Chorus)

A man once sailed off to the South Pacific,
His home built boat exceeded 40 feet,
Displacing 30 tonnes, it was a monster,
And 24 of that was hull concrete.

(Chorus)

Believe in ferro for your eyes are lying,
And put your money into your belief,
Buy a ferro boat and clear the hardstand,
Fish will love you for your existential reef.

(final chorus)

[radiuschine]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Yes, brothers and sisters.

(Chorus)
You gotta have faith, faith, faith, faith in FERRO,
FERRO keeps you dry in a stormy sea,
You gotta have faith, faith, faith, faith in FERRO,
Don't buy one, you must buy two or three.

Even if it has an orange peal finish
And even if the rust stains just won't quit,
And if the folks who walk by the marina
Ask why you bought a boat built out of s--t.

(Chorus)

A man once sailed off to the South Pacific,
His home built boat exceeded 40 feet,
Displacing 30 tonnes, it was a monster,
And 24 of that was hull concrete.

(Chorus)

Believe in ferro for your eyes are lying,
And put your money into your belief,
Buy a ferro boat and clear the hardstand,
Fish will love you for your existential reef.

(final chorus)

Back in the late 70's, as the fad was coming to an end, they were often referred to as "cement trucks". Occasionally they were called "cement flakes" in view of the habit many of the hulls had of shedding their outer skins. Big slabs of cement would just fall off! Many of the critics would claim this was caused by the chicken wire not being strong enough to build a boat. This analysis in not correct. The problem was that the chicken wire was usually galvanized, and the reaction of the concrete mixture with the zinc created electrolysis, in other words bubbles. The shipyards solved the problem with a chemical suppressant. The backyard hulls weren't so lucky.

[hooked on water]

I am a builder who has studied concrete technology.
Concrete IS by it's nature impervious to water. The reason our esteened architect above stated water is penetrating through the building is simply that it has not been cured properly, and has had capillaries form through the concrete which allow the water to transfer through as does our blood in our body.
If the concrete is cured properly, then these capillaries do not form. Concrete in a ferro is also of a 2:1 ratio as building concrete is at best 4:1.
There is another thread that has stated to pull the boat out and clean it off and let it dry, If you see spider web in it whilst drying out, then these are fair testament to capillaries in the hull.
Further to this, when the steel corrodes from within concrete, it expands and cracks the concrete open, called spalling - a noticeable sympton of concrete not being watertight.
Building concrete has a 20 - 30mm cover over the steel to provide sufficient moisture resistance to the steel. If the concrete was porous then this steel would be corroding in all buildings due to moisture and air availability.

[Amgine]

Some people hate wood, point out that it rots, serves as an ideal home for teredo worms, boats made of it are designed to leak, and requires an amazing amount of care. But the oldest boats in the world are made of the stuff. Does this say it's a good material for boats? no, it just says there are some old wood boats.

There are ferro cats, trimarans. There's even an annual ferro racing canoe competition. I've sailed on 40+ year old ferro boats, and owned one which was 25 years old. Cement has been used for more than a millenia as a waterproofing treatment in wooden tanks and casks; it's FUD to imply otherwise. It's a fine material for boats.

But for peace of mind I prefer plastic. I can see when it's damaged or about to fail, it's less complicated to repair, and from an engineering standpoint it's less complex. Nothing against ferro (or wood, or steel, or aluminum, or...) just that I worry less about my current plastic hull. (With unlimited funds to build disposable boats, though, I think I might go with aluminum.)

[hartley tasman]

I have a 33' hartley tasman ferro, pro built in 1980
She has done many trips through the tasman sea to nz and back,
I bought her on ebay for less than $1000 and sailed her from sydney to melbourne without so much as a hiccup,
The only structural damage we could find with her was a small section on her nose from running into another boat or the dock,

Including purchase, lift, re antifoul, new safety gear, the trip down and drydock on arrival for minor repairs to her nose and rigging, she now owes me $5000 and is as nimble and sound as most any other boats of similar size and weight
Rust can be a problem as mentioned by others,
But combine this with the ease of repairs, much easier than wood or fibro,
I believe a good cement boat to be on par with all other types of hull materials
And on another note,
If the boat catches fire,
It will most probably still be floating and reuseable afterwards
with a little refitting

[hartley tasman]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Buy three and have the first ferro trimaran. Make history. Clear the hardstand.

ummmmm,...... think its been done,..... might need to try for a quadmaran
Probably get away with only 6-12 ton for a small one,
hmmm, Id like to see a ferro wake board, now that would be something

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Here is a good reason not to buy a ferro hull. Concrete is not waterproof. If the barrier coat is scratched anywhere (scuffed from contact with a piling, for example) salt water will be drawn into the concrete shell. The armature will begin to corrode in short order. When steel corrodes it expands and will force the concrete to spall. This damage will begin as surface pitting but will continue until the barrier coat is repaired. The damage, perhaps from a momentary grounding, may be out of sight until the boat is hauled and this may be years away.

The views of Sam Plan B and the other nay-sayers on FC boats realy cracks me up Sam may well be a architect but I bet he's never built a FC boat of any size, I wonder if Sam has ever built ANY boat/s
Sam mate, there's a big difference between building office blocks and building ANY FC boat. BTW Sam, here's a little info' on just what Ferro Cement is
Quote:
Often referred to as 'concrete', which is a misnomer, in reality it is steel reinforced plaster (SRP). Introduced more than 200 years ago for boatbuilding (there are still surviving craft almost that age). The cheapest and easiest form of construction for boats over 25'.
End Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Plan B

Ferro boats has a reputation for low resale value. If you buy this boat you should consider your money gone for ever.

Quote From Ferro Boats:
In the boating world you will from time to time hear the comment 'the problem with ferroboats is they don't sell for as much'. Or 'I couldn't get as much for my ferro boat, as some of the other boats around her size were selling for'. And that's usually where those statements end, without any further quantification. In many cases their comments are quite true because......a/ they are generally trying to compare an amateur built ferro boat with the value of a professionally built one of GRP or aluminium or wood etc.... or b /they have forgotten that the ferroboat usually cost considerably less to build than most other boats, so why consider it to have a greater value ! And for the buyer, that means that generally you will get a lot more for your money (when talking of over 25ft)
End Quote:
So there ya have it Sam mate, the above info' is provided by people who HAVE been in the FC boat game since 1938, so I believe they know what they're talking about

[Catalpa1]

Hahahaha I suppose next another 'expert' (and i use the term very loosely !!) is going to try and tell me that my ferro hasnt really circumnavigated or that i havent really got it insured...