https://www.omanboat.com/journal/ Notes on leather, making and running a small workshop in Changzhou. en Fri, 13 Nov 2026 14:28:14 GMT https://www.omanboat.com/journal/aluminium-corrosion-maintenance https://www.omanboat.com/journal/aluminium-corrosion-maintenance Sat, 07 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT Maintenance The aluminium hulls that fail early almost never fail because of the alloy. They fail because of a stainless bolt, a wet locker, or a bilge that nobody looked inside for two years. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/choosing-an-outboard https://www.omanboat.com/journal/choosing-an-outboard Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT Engines Power is the last decision, not the first. Start with weight, usage and the cost of running the engine for ten years — then decide how many cylinders you need. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/deadrise-chine-and-beam https://www.omanboat.com/journal/deadrise-chine-and-beam Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT Design Three numbers explain most of the difference between a boat that pounds in a chop and one that runs through it. None of them are horsepower. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/welding-quality https://www.omanboat.com/journal/welding-quality Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT Workshop A fibreglass hull can hide a bad lay-up under gelcoat. An aluminium hull cannot hide a bad weld — which is uncomfortable for builders and very good for buyers. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/why-5083-aluminium https://www.omanboat.com/journal/why-5083-aluminium Thu, 24 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT Materials 5083 is not the strongest aluminium and it is not the cheapest. It is the one that survives salt water, welding and a decade of being beaten against a quay — which is why almost every workboat in the Gulf is built from it. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/aluminium-vs-fibreglass https://www.omanboat.com/journal/aluminium-vs-fibreglass Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT Materials The same ten questions asked of four hull materials. No material wins all ten, and the one that wins most of them depends on how you use the boat. https://www.omanboat.com/journal/why-aluminium https://www.omanboat.com/journal/why-aluminium Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:00:00 GMT Materials Lighter, no osmosis, repairable with a plate and a welder, and worth more after ten years. Five differences that only show up once the boat is old — and the cases where fibreglass is still the right answer.