Curiosity! How an aluminium boat is made - Sailing Around the World
17 December 2023 · 5 min · 5K views · The Netherlands
What this video covers
Thais Canado and Beto Toledo visit KB, an aluminium boatbuilding yard in the Netherlands, for a tour led by co-owner Klaas.0:40 The yard, operating since 2017, runs four facilities: one for CNC milling, one for plate cutting and bending, and two for hull assembly.4:02 Laser-cutting machines slice aluminium sheet to precise dimensions, number each piece, and sort them by hull; parts requiring bending move to a separate shed before welding.0:49 The visit centres on a 30-ft sailboat commissioned by a friend named Jorge, which features a patented stern design and had its structural framing complete at the time of the tour.0:40 After leaving KB, the hull will go to another yard for painting, electrical installation, plumbing, and engine fitting.2:46 Klaas explains the core advantage of aluminium over fibreglass: no moulds are needed, design changes are cheap, and the finished hull is stronger and easier to repair than a GRP equivalent.4:22 The Netherlands' long tradition of aluminium and steel construction is cited as the reason the crew's own steel boat has survived more than 100 years.4:56
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