Why Aluminum?
Sustainability:
Aluminum is the most prevalent metal on earth. Although it is not commonly found “free and pure” naturally because it is typically bonded to another mineral and must be processed and refined to become the aluminum we know and love.
From the Aluminum Association: With high value and infinitely recyclable, aluminum is a material tailor-made for a more circular and sustainable economy.
Making recycled aluminum only takes around 5% of the energy needed to make new aluminum — reducing carbon emissions and saving money for businesses and end consumers.
As a result, nearly 75% of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today.
In many industrial markets like automotive and buildings, recycling rates for aluminum exceed 90%.
Industry recycling efforts in the U.S. save more than 90 million barrels of oil equivalent each year.
How cool is that?!
Weight VS Strength:
Aluminum is super strong for its weight. If you built two racks to support 4,000lbs (1,814kg) each, one of steel and one of aluminum, the aluminum one would be twice as thick as the steel one, but still weigh half as much!
Another hidden strength of aluminum is that as the temperatures get colder, say you're on an expedition to the high latitudes- it actually gets stronger. Where steel and fiberglass both get weaker and more brittle as the temperatures drop.
Ductility:
This term essentially means: the ability of a material to have its shape changed. Aluminum is a highly ductile material, allowing it to take on any shape and bend easily while remaining strong. For us this means that if you smash your GoDu into something, it's far more likely to bend and dent than it is to be punctured, which adds considerable safety and durability. It also means, there is a good chance that you can get that dent out, or un-bend something you bent, so it also increases longevity.
Corrosion Resistance:
Raw aluminum boats, made of the proper 5000 series marine grade alloys form a protective oxide layer on their surface in the presence of air/water, which protects the inner aluminum from further reacting with the outside environment. This protective layer occurs naturally whenever raw aluminum is exposed. So if you scratch your boat- have no fear! This protective layer will naturally repair itself almost immediately.
5052 aluminum in general is considered to have exceptional corrosion resistance and its imperviousness to sun and saltwater make it ideal for marine environments. So there is no need to paint it! This saves huge amounts of work and money over the lifetime of your GoDu.
Flaking, abrasion and chipping of paint coatings is also a common source of microplastics in our environment.
Conclusion:
There is no better material for a boat than aluminum. It's sustainable, durable, low maintenance, strong and lightweight.
