Advancing technology has had its profound impact on boat building in general and the making of boat panels in particular. Wood is still a popular option and is used because it is cheap, buoyant, easily available and can be worked upon with ease. When it comes to boat construction, usually rot resistant woods, for instance cedar and oak are used. The various parts of the boat panel constructed out of wood are then joined using specialized glue, screws and nails. There are different types of wooden panel construction in practice, like the ‘Carvel’ method and the “Lapstrack” method, depending on the final shape and size of the boat.
Plywood panels are also extremely popular. They are fixed to a frame. The method of building boats with plywood is also known as the “stitch and glue” method, since pre-shaped panels are glued together at their edges. Some amount of fiberglass is also involved in this method. Steel is also used for boat construction. The only problem that arises with steel or iron is that they are heavy and are prone to rusting. Aluminum and fiberglass are also used in boat construction. Boat panels made up of “composite” materials are also being increasingly used for boat construction. The term composite usually refers to plastics which are reinforced with fibers.
