5086 Aluminum, Differences Exposed

5086 aluminum, and 5083 aluminum are used by the boat building indusrty. The marine grade aluminum 5000 series are non heat treatable, like 5086 and 5083.

There is a 6000 series, such as 6061, it is a much stiffer, hard to bend without first heating it.

This would not be easy to work with, especially when you are trying to form your skin around the ribs of your sailboat.

Magic Dragon, 65' aluminum 5086 hull.

We had to put the skin plates through the roll bender in order to get the correct shape and contour of the boat. Even though 6061 is stiffer, a lot of people still use this alloy, for longitudinal's.

6061 is good to use inside the hull for framing.

5086 and 5083, both have high strength...

Marine Grade, Alloy Temper Form:

5083,

H111 extrusion, H321 plates and sheets, H323 sheet, H324 sheet, H321 plates,

Aluminum 5086,

H111 extrusions, H112 plate, H32 plate and sheet, H34 drawn tube, 5054,

H111 extrusions, H112 extrusions, H32 plate and sheet, H34 plate and sheet,

6061,

T6 plate and sheet, T6 extrusions, T6 rod and bar, T6 drawn tube, T6 pipe

Key: Do not use marine grade 6061 for your exterior hull construction, 6061 series contains copper. Copper has a different electrical voltage, which can create a current flow, when two different metals are connected. It's known as the dreaded Galvanic Corrosion.

Bottom line, two different metals are joined in salt water, the lower voltage, the (least) noble metal will corrode, creating the pits on your hull. Key: Marine grade 5000 series, 5086 aluminum, and 5083 doe not contain any copper, which means the 5000 series is more corrosion resistant, then 6061 series.

Aluminum 6061-T6 is used in the boat building industry for sailboat mast or spars, also common uses include extrusions and stanchions.