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Shawn,
Thanks for the good article.More than 30 years ago we embarked on a project to build our 51' aluminum cutter Holy Grail. Please see www.sail-our-world.com. I still think aluminum is the finest boat building material available for sailboats.

In your first paragraph, "What are the pros and cons of an aluminum sailboat?" what follows in bold might lead to some confusion, as the sentences do not identify which assertions are Pros and which are Cons. Also, on your statemet that aluminum needs painting every 2 or 3 years, that is only, IF YOU PAINT IT. But why would you? Agreed, aluminum does not like paint. And fortunately, it does not NEED paint. Our Holy Grail is only painted under the waterline and on deck to create a nonskid walking surface. Otherwise, paint is not needed. In 29 years of service, the underbody primer coat of paint has remained perfect. It was applied correctly and has served as a barrier coat which has never needed renewing. Further, it is that crucial coat that protects the alu.