Caring for Your Aluminum Boat Hull

Aluminum is the easiest boat hull material to care for. With simple maintenance, your boat will be in top shape for years.

Other than cosmetic reasons, most aluminum boat hulls do not need painting above the waterline. The unpainted aluminum will oxidize. The oxidization will protect the unpainted area of the boat. Usually the bottom of the boat only needs a compatible antifouling paint to prevent the growth of barnacles, weeds, and zinc anodes.

Small are easy to take care of. Since aluminum is soft and pliable, you can hammer the material back in place. If you are unable to hammer it back in place, you can cut the damaged area out and weld in a new piece of compatible aluminum.

Whenever you take your boat out of the water, you need to look the boat over for any damages. For general maintenance on aluminum boat hulls, you should check the fittings at least once per year to make sure they are sealed. If you see any scratches or dents, you need to have them fixed immediately. Clean the hull at least once a year and re-apply the anti-fouling paint.

This simple maintenance will keep your boat not only in top shape but will also keep the resell value high.

The Aluminum Flat Bottom Boat

Brothers Bill and Chick Ward invented the aluminum flat bottom welded seams boat in 1945. It was patterned after a wood cypress flat-bottomed boat of that period.

After some experimenting the brothers discovered that with more flair on the sides and rake on the bottom, this Jon Boat was easier to paddle and maneuver. It responded better to an outboard motor, was easier to load and unload, and pull out of the river onto the riverbank. The Dura Craft was the new name, and the Ward family made their way into history.

Soon the fiberglass boat was invented and the Wards needed something to keep them in the industry. By now leadership of the company was in Kim Wards hands. The seamed aluminum boat soon birthed the seamless all-welded boat, and in the 1970's the US Coastguard and the Air Force contracted use of these boats, and one of these boats was involved in the recovery of the space capsule Apollo.

Team Ward was incorporated in 1990, and are still building strong. In 1992 the War Eagle was created and the Ward family had done it again by creating a new boat that people loved. They are still going strong today.