Looking for a canoe? You will come across many different options available in the terms of brand, materials, and style. After narrowing down your choices between an aluminum canoe and fiberglass canoe, where and how you will use your canoe will factor in your decision. It is important to know that both the materials will be durable, however, for some considerations like waterway conditions, the performance, and benefits of one material will outweigh the other significantly.
There’re many different styles, brands, and materials, which can confuse anyone. Once you have decided between the aluminum canoes and the fiberglass, then you are at the right place. In this post, we will look at materials, durability, and performance that will help us make the right buying decision.
Why Choose Fiberglass Canoes?
The fiberglass canoe has become quite popular because of its weight, speed, durability, and design, particularly in the last some years. Here’re some main reasons why:
Lightweight and Durability
The fiberglass canoes are made from the resins and mixing fibers and make them form in a perfect mold. They’re quite durable and lightweight.
Simple to Maintain
For a lot of canoe owners out there, an important thing is the ease of maintaining this canoe and fixing it if required. The fiberglass canoe does not need to be maintained more than basic care, whereas if anything goes south and the vessel gets damaged, there is a higher possibility you will end up repairing something on the canoe, it is simple to fix using the patch repair.
Better Performance
During the time of manufacturing, it is simple to tailor the shape of the fiberglass canoe specifically. Its hull can easily be molded in any shape you want just by layering the resin as well as fiberglass sheets in a different way.
It makes the fiberglass canoes much faster on water, particularly since the bow and stern are specifically pointed. A shaped design will offer much better stability.
Pros
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Speed
- Different hull designs
Cons
- Need patch repairs
Why Choose Aluminum Canoes?
Unlike fiberglass canoes, the aluminum canoes are a bit heavier and made for the slower waters, however, they are highly durable and stable.
Strong and Tough
Aluminum is a highly durable material especially when it is about canoes. It will take plenty of bumps and knocks that will be perfect in the recreational vessel, particularly if kids and beginners are using this.
Since it will easily survive hits and bumps against any substance or rocks, you will be left with a dent in a hull that probably will not go away. But, this must often have a minimal impact on the performance of water. Suppose you want to repair the hole in the hull, probably you will find that it needs welding by a professional. Due to the metal material, probably you can see its repair job.
Highly Durable
Aluminum canoes can probably survive a nuclear war. The reason is aluminum is the toughest material that you will ever find. Out in the water, this canoe can survive almost everything.
Bumps, knocks, hits, rockslides – just name it, and this canoe will easily handle it. The aluminum canoe is best for the watercraft you want to keep for a lifetime.
Best for Beginners
A fact that it’s a bit slower than a fiberglass canoe makes this aluminum canoe a better choice for beginners. This can allow new canoers to properly paddle the canoe, and react and behave when out on the water surface.
Pros
- Weather-resistant
- Little maintenance
- Durable
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow
- Hard to repair
Final Words
Aluminum vs fiberglass canoes both are durable and best suited for recreation. Suppose you want a performance-driven canoe, then it is better to go with the fiberglass canoe that is well-suited for you.
Alternatively, if you are just looking for a tough vessel that needs very little maintenance, you may take out on the flatwater for family paddling and fishing trips, then aluminum craft can work out best in such a case.