Whether you’re buying your first-ever canoe or you’re upgrading your current one, choosing the material is always a crucial step because it has a direct impact on the canoe’s performance, durability, and other aspects.
Among the most popular materials on the market are fiberglass and aluminum. So, which one should you go for?
In today’s guide, we’ll put fiberglass vs aluminum canoe in a brief comparison to help you pick the suitable one for your needs. Let’s dive right in!
Aluminum Canoes
Construction and Durability
Being the metal of choice while manufacturing large airships, aluminum is among the most durable and heavy-duty materials to make a canoe.
In fact, a lot of aluminum canoe manufacturers claim that they should last for many years with little to no maintenance, and typically longer than most other types.
The boat will easily withstand bumpy rides through turbulent water even if it marks a dent or two due to knocks into solid rocks. It also resists sunlight damage caused by being left under the sun (UV light) for a lot of time.
Note: Although it shouldn’t affect its performance, if you’ve heavily dented an aluminum canoe, the canoe won’t return to its original shape again. Also, holes are only fixed at a welder’s shop.
Weight
When it comes to weight, aluminum canoes are typically on the heavier end of the scale along with wooden and plastic canoes.
Ideally, an average-sized aluminum canoe will weigh anywhere between 60 to 75 lbs. This also affects their speed and makes them a bit noisy in water.
Overall Performance and Speed in Water
Based on the two previous aspects, it’s easy to figure out the kind of performance that aluminum canoe put out in the water.
A sturdy and heavy aluminum canoe might be slightly slower than other canoes. However, they provide a pretty decent experience when used recreationally.
Maintenance
As an extremely durable construction material, aluminum doesn’t chip, warp, or break down due to corrosion by water.
This makes these boats an excellent candidate if you’re not ready to pay your local repair shop a visit every time you use the boat.
If you’re an occasional user, the only regular maintenance you need to do is nothing more than polishing and cleaning.
Price
The price of an aluminum canoe typically depends on its size. However, they’re typically slightly more expensive than fiberglass, with both of them being not too expensive as wood or as cheap as plastic canoes.
Who Should Use Them?
All in all, aluminum canoes are extremely durable boats that are perfect for those favoring low maintenance and longevity over speed.
Pros
- Extremely durable and survives the test of time, weather, and sunlight exposure
- Requires minimal maintenance
- Moderately priced
Cons
- A bit heavy, which makes it slower and harder to control than other canoes
- Though ultra-durable, dents are irreversible and holes require expert-level repairs to fix
Fiberglass Canoes
Construction and Durability
Although fiberglass itself is known for its high durability, fiberglass canoes aren’t that durable, especially when compared to aluminum.
The secret behind their relative flimsiness comes from the way they’re manufactured. Fiberglass canoes are typically made by adding layers of fibers or plastic along with epoxy or vinyl resin and leaving them in a mold to harden and cure.
The resultant material is known as “fiberglass composite”, which is why some may call these canoes “composite canoes.
The boats are then covered with an external gel-like primer to give them extra resistance against aberration and allow them to be painted.
Overall Performance and Speed in Water
Unlike aluminum canoes, which are made by heating and bending sheets of aluminum together, fiberglass is easy to mold into any design or shape that can benefit the canoe’s aero and hydrodynamics.
When it comes to fiberglass canoes, manufacturers usually try out creative and optimized designs to improve the canoe’s performance in the water.
This is why it’s more likely to find fiberglass canoes with a pointy stern and bow as well as a blunt entry line to provide a decent level of stability in anything from flatwater to whitewater.
Weight
Unlike aluminum canoes, fiberglass is known for being one of the lightest types of canoes out there.
As a rule of thumb, you should expect an average-sized fiberglass canoe to weigh anywhere between 50 to 60 lbs.
In fact, the only type of canoe that is lighter than fiberglass is kevlar, which would have an average weight of about 40 to 50 lbs.
Maintenance
While they don’t suffer from scratches and dents like aluminum canoes, fiberglass canoes may require some occasional patching after paddling through rough waters or getting a few knocks here and there.
Despite that, fiberglass is typically tough and durable and the maintenance of the canoe is simple, despite being frequent.
Price
The price is one of the best selling points of fiberglass canoes. Although they have the technical advantage of being durable and easy to maintain like aluminum, they typically cost a bit less than aluminum canoes.
For instance, both canoes would typically run between $500 to $1,500 but a comparable fiberglass canoe would usually save you a few bucks from the same manufacturers
Who Should Use Them?
A fiberglass canoe is remarkably easy to use and lighter in weight, which makes them easier to handle and a bit faster in the water.
This makes them ideal for both beginners and pros because they need little maintenance. However, they’re more reserved for those who don’t mind occasional patching to keep the canoe in mint condition.
Pros
- Easy to maintain and last for a relatively decent time
- Lightweight and easy to stabilize and maneuver
- Designed for speed and performance in water
- Affordable price
Cons
- Not sturdy enough to handle hard bumps and knocks
- Requires frequent repairs
Wrap Up
There you have it! A brief guide that walks you through all the differences between fiberglass and aluminum canoes.
As you can see, each one has its own set of advantages, so you have to keep them in mind to figure out the suitable option for your needs.