Plastic Boats: Boat of the Future

For boat experts, the concept of having a boat made of plastic is something new and foreign. That's why a lot of them are quite wary of how it will fare with the traditional wood and aluminium-made vessels. But for other boat makers who are driven by change and innovation, using plastic as the main material for building boats is a breath of fresh air. Good thing, more and more boat manufacturers are considering using this material to replace heavy and costly materials. Boat makers like Aquatruck are very much confident to build sturdy and safe boats Australia residents can rely on using this material.

History of Plastic boats

As some curious minds ask, "How did the plastic boats came about?" Most plastic boats today are made out of polyester, specifically a high density polyethylene.  Polyester was first introduced in World War II. War technicians used this for sealing airplane gas tanks. But on year 1946, Winner Manufacturing Company of West Trenton, N.J debut the first plastic boat - a 10-foot dinghy made of polyester and sisal fibre. Although it was not a successful unveiling, it became a turning point for the boat making industry. After years of tedious research, two fibreglass company were able to discover the perfect polyester compound that has the structural thickness yet malleable to replace metal moulds. Thus, these discoveries paved way to the modern boat building sector.

Nowadays, boat manufacturers are leaning more on this material, whether they are making leisure boats for the water enthusiasts or industrial ships like fishing boats. But these changes don't stop there. With the elimination of the substandard elements concerning the plastic material, a more perfect and better grade of polyethylene can be produced, thus, creating a more sturdy and stable boat.

Advantages

Critics and cynics out there have a few questions about the advantages of plastic boats over the traditional vessels. But there are a number of positive qualities that plastic boats offer.  One main advantage is, it is not susceptible to corrosion. Unlike aluminium-made boats, plastic boats are rust-resistant.  Boat owners need not to worry about prolong exposure to salt waters as this can withstand the rusting and other destructive elements brought by salt water. Another is the durability. A high grade polyethylene boat is stiffer and resilient to damage, especially to offshore structures.  But need I remind you that plastic boats can be vulnerable to denting and deformation if not taken care off.

Lastly, plastic boats are much easier to navigate and handle as compared to wood and steel-made boats because of its lightweight feature. Back then, seafarers were having a hard time to navigate their ships because of the weight and density. Plastic boats are much easier to operate as boater will have fewer problems on navigating the vessel.

These advantages are just a few from the numerous benefits provided by the plastic boats. And with the continuous development of the polyethylene, the list will continue to go on. And boat lovers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that boat manufacturers are there to give them a more polished and perfect version of plastic boats in the future.