I have a 12-foot aluminum canoe - a "Sportspal" made by Radisson of Canada. They say it is built of 5051 Alulminum - and I understand that this class of metal is OK for Salt Water. If anybody has any experience with this canoe or with similar aluminum (5051) boats, I would be interested in hearing from you.

-- Joseph Ress (charlesriver@peoplepc.com), March 01, 2001

Answers

I'm no expert on metallurgy, but given the relatively small amount of time a canoe spends actually ON the water, I'd be willing to bet that almost any aluminum alloy will be allright in salt water if the salt is rinsed off after use. The relative merits of different alloys come into play only if the boat sits in the water for weeks or months at a time.

-- Kim Apel (kapel@ucsd.edu), March 01, 2001.

We used a Grumman 17-foot canoe a lot in salt water. I believe it is the same blend of Aluminum. My understanding is that it will corrord some, but not much. The corrosion is more of a darkening of the canoe. This corrosion "coating" then protects the aluminum from corrording more. We used that canoe for years and its still in fine condition. I would imagine, the aluminum is similiar of the same used in motor boats, some which are keep in water all year round. My dad did paint his aluminum canoe once. I believed he had to clean it with some acid first.

Hope this helps, John

-- John Anevski (hoodoo40@hotmail.com), April 27, 2001.

Aluminium in salt water will dissolve but so slowly that unless your trying to think about the great grandkids it's not an issue. The radisson is one piece so there is no seams, rivets to trap salt and cause long term problems. My best friend has a radisson and lives on the ocean. She takes it (solo and with a child) out offshore into deep blue water (no sail), * she is part of the upper crust of humanity. but...... she says even a mortal could take one into light chop.

be carefull out there life vest, light, compass ,flair, horn, and eperb wouldent

-- leon Shabott (leonmail@together.net), June 24, 2001.

I am sorry I do not have an answer for the aluminum in salt water question......however I do have a question if anyone can help me. I coudn't find the site for questions ??? I have a 3 inch cut in the bottom of my Sportspal canoe.... does anyone know the best method of repairing it????? Thanks for you attention.

-- lou fournier (louandlinda@sympatico.ca), August 12, 2001.

a local sheet metal shop should be able to weld it for 30-50$

-- dave hahn (dhahn99@netzero.com), January 04, 2002.

...This corrosion "coating" then protects the aluminum from corrording more. = This coating is Corundum. An aluminum silicate (Al2O3) made from the chemical reaction of aluminum and the atmospheric oxygen. No problem with my 1976 Grunman 15' canoe and my 1970 and 1973 Land Rover british-made 4x4 vehicules made of aluminum. I live in Quebec where we use a lot of salt on roads in winter time to melt down ice...

take a look at this w3 site:

ttp://webmineral.com/data/Corundum.shtml

Claude Denis (geologist)

-- Claude Denis (claude.denis6@sympatico.ca), February 03, 2002.