{"id":1652,"date":"2026-09-16T15:34:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T13:34:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alubat.com\/?p=1652"},"modified":"2026-09-18T15:31:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T13:31:02","slug":"does-an-aluminium-boat-require-more-maintenance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alubat.com\/en\/actualites\/blog\/does-an-aluminium-boat-require-more-maintenance\/","title":{"rendered":"Does an aluminium boat require more maintenance ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Aluminium or composite: What you really need to know
\n<\/h2>\n

“Does an aluminium sailing yacht require more maintenance than a composite boat?”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is a question we hear regularly at ALUBAT. And it’s a perfectly valid one when considering the purchase of a blue water yacht.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aluminium has some very specific characteristics. It is a conductor, it reacts to its environment, and protecting it against electrolytic corrosion requires a few specific precautions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But does that mean you have to spend more time maintaining an aluminium sailing yacht?<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/figure>\n\t

Cr\u00e9dit photo : \u00a9 Voilier Libre – Claire Dubois<\/em><\/p>\n\t

In practice, no.<\/b><\/h2>\n

As with any boat, an OVNI or a Cigale needs regular maintenance. You need to take it out of the water, clean the hull, apply antifouling, check the appendages, inspect the equipment and replace the anodes when necessary.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aluminium therefore mainly requires you to follow a few simple rules<\/b>. Once you’ve got the hang of these, maintaining it is by no means any more complicated than maintaining a composite boat.<\/p>\n\t

Mat\u00e9riau<\/p>\n\t

Why choose<\/p>\n

aluminium ?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Before discussing maintenance, it’s worth recalling why aluminium is particularly well-suited to blue water yachts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At ALUBAT, we have been building 100% aluminium <\/b>sailing boats for over 50 years. This material enables us to design robust, durable boats that are particularly well-suited to long-term voyages.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aluminium is highly resistant to impacts and the stresses of sailing. It is also durable and recyclable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But its greatest strength also lies in its ability to be repaired and modified throughout the boat’s lifetime. For a sailing yacht intended to cross the oceans for several decades, this characteristic is particularly valuable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An OVNI or a Cigale is designed to sail long-term.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And like any item intended to last, it requires maintenance.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Frame\n\t<\/figure>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t<\/figure>\n\t

Cr\u00e9dit photo : \u00a9 Voilier Libre – Claire Dubois<\/em><\/p>\n\t

Routine maintenance comparable to that of a composite boat<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In an owner’s experience, the maintenance of an aluminium sailing yacht ultimately follows the same broad steps as that of most boats.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Every year, or as recommended and depending on the boat’s condition, it is necessary to:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • haul the boat out of the water<\/li>\n
  • clean the hull<\/li>\n
  • inspect the hull and appendages<\/li>\n
  • reapply or maintain the antifouling<\/li>\n
  • check the anodes and replace them when required<\/li>\n
  • check the equipment and fittings<\/li>\n
  • check the various parts of the rigging and the deck hardware.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In other words, aluminium does not exempt a sailing boat from routine maintenance, but nor does it make it any more complicated.<\/b><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    The main difference lies in a few additional precautions relating to corrosion protection.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    And these precautions are simple.<\/p>\n\t

    Anodes : <\/p>\n the guardians of the hull and appendages
    \n\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    On an aluminium boat, just as on other boats, anodes play a vital role.<\/em><\/p>\n

    These metal parts, known as “sacrificial anodes”, are designed to be attacked first by electrochemical processes. They thus gradually corrode in place of the parts we wish to protect.<\/em><\/p>\n

    On an OVNI or a Cigale, they help to protect the hull and appendages in particular.<\/em><\/p>\n

    An anode that is deteriorating is therefore an anode that is doing its job.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

    It is essential to check their condition regularly and to replace them when they have corroded sufficiently.<\/em><\/p>\n\t

    An additional precaution in port
    \n<\/h2>\n\t

    When the boat is moored in a harbour, we also recommend using hanging sacrificial anodes <\/b>at the bow and stern of the boat.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    These anodes are attached to the boat and submerged in the water to enhance its protection when it remains in the same place for several days or weeks.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    At ALUBAT, we have taken their use into account right from the boat’s design stage to ensure they are particularly easy to fit.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    A mounting bracket is integrated at the bow, in the anchor locker<\/b>, allowing the cylindrical anode to be secured when in use and stored directly in the locker when not in use.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    A second bracket is provided at the stern, near the swim ladder. The anode can thus be stored nearby, for example in a stern locker or in the emergency storage locker.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    No need for a complicated system: the anodes are within easy reach and can be fitted quickly.<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n\t\t\t\t\t\"Frame\n\t<\/figure>\n\t

    Aluminium and corrosion: a few simple rules<\/h2>\n

    Aluminium is particularly susceptible to certain forms of corrosion when it comes into contact with other metals or is subjected to stray electrical currents.<\/p>\n

    You therefore simply need to adopt a few good habits.<\/p>\n\t