Fiberglass, carbon fiber, aluminum, and stainless steel are modern materials commonly used in building boats. They are resilient to external conditions as long as you don't drive the boat into a rock or something.

Boats don't have enough usable surface area for solar panels to propel them at a sustained useful speed (especially not at night or in a storm). Most sailboats do now have small solar panels to power lights and electronics. Hybrid propulsion systems are available, although expensive.