The Advantages of Purchasing a Wooden Sailboat
For many things, technology and modern advances are a benefit. The things we use every day and even for recreation are made stronger, better looking and even cost less. The exception, though, just maybe sailboats.
The fiberglass sailboat seems to have taken over the popularity of its wooden cousin, but the truth is that there are many advantages to buying a wood sailboat instead. While there are certainly advantages on both sides; consider the number of advantages that wood brings to the boating party.
First, and for some, this may be neither here nor there, but a wooden sailboat is more attractive.
The shine of teak wood shimmering against the water is an age-old sight that invokes thoughts of freedom and the sea. Fiberglass, while more easily colored, does not bring the same traditional beauty to sailing.
Secondly, a wooden sailboat feels more solid. Ask any veteran of sailing and they will tell you that there is no feeling quite like that of a wooden sailboat.
The heavier wood lets the sailboat feel more solid in the water and thus a little bit safer.
Third, a wood boat is much easier to modify than a fiberglass boat. Should you need to make adjustments to your boat, you need only lumber treated for boat use and little know-how.
With fiberglass, you are looking at either an impossible job or one that will require a lot of time and money in comparison to your wooden boat.
Because wood is able to absorb and release water, a wooden sailboat will actually get less condensation and dampness on it than a fiberglass one. This means less dampness to deal with inside and out. A dry boat is more fun than a wet one.
Finally, with some of the modern technology that was mentioned earlier, wooden sailboats actually need much less maintenance than their fiberglass brethren.
Despite all the technology we have, a fiberglass boat will deteriorate continually with age, and there is little that can be done to prevent it.
On the other hand, a wooden boat can last for decades in a good safe condition. You need only an annual maintenance check to keep them looking and floating like brand new.
Along those same lines, wooden boats are usually more environmental-friendly. The production of fiberglass produces a lot of waste in and of itself. That is not to mention the disposal of said fiberglass as the boat deteriorates.
On the other hand, wood production is not as pollutant-causing. Additionally, wood is biodegradable so that a sunken or disposed of a wooden boat is not as hard on the environment as a fiberglass boat.
As you can see, there are many advantages to a wooden sailboat. Consider the maintenance, the environmental friendliness, longevity, and even the dampness factor and it becomes a no-brainer for most.
So while technology may help cars and improve computers, there are some things that are better left old fashioned and sailboats just might be one of those things.
