Portage_Bay
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2015
- Messages
- 2,661
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Pacific Myst
- Vessel Make
- West Bay 4500
I have always understood steel vessels rust from the inside out.
And blasting and painting the hull interior was the expensive process .
Building with flat bar instead if T bar is claimed to make the blasting job easier and better , but still a huge mess .
Steel boats rust from the inside out under the shaft log, in the chain locker and other low places water collects. They rust from the outside in on the deck, at structural joints where water can pool. Modern coatings go a long way preventing rust. And if she's heavily built like a work boat it will take decades, many decades of neglect for the rust to compromise the structure. To get an idea of how long look at the listings of steel boats for sale in Europe. Many are very old and still going strong.
My biggest concern with a steel trawler would be the scantlings. The few I've looked at the steel just wasn't thick enough to gain the advantages of steel construction.
It's been my experience that the oft stated concern about having to remove interior cabinetry to repair steel is not something to worry about. That's not where the wastage happens.
A lesser concern from my point of view would be the appearance. I would be content with a work boat finish, something I can touch up with a grinder or needle gun and paint brush or roller. Trying to maintain a glossy paint job that looks like pristine waxed gelcoat would be another matter.