One reason I bought a steel trawler is peace of mind. Nothing beats a steel vessel in terms of strength and when properly maintained, it's not the maintenance horror some people suggest.
When my ship hits a floating container, we may have some repair work to do but compare that with a fiberglass hull (called 'tupperware' by North Sea trawler makers). Anyway, I have a hard time understanding why people spend millions on a plastic yacht. OK, it may look cleaner and fancier but that won't help you when you encounter that container.
Another goal we have is to meet classification standards in regards to design and equipment we plan to use. Whether it's Lloyds, Det Norske Veritas, the American Bureau of Shipping or MCA LY2, compliance means the vessel meets safety standards that are established based on years of experience. Issues like fire safety, structural integrity and stability requirements are just too important when you plan to create an all-weather yacht capable of crossing oceans.
We may not bring our ship under class - a pretty expensive proposition - but at least we know we'll be built to class.
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