 |  |
| Boat Design Forums | Boat Design Directory | Boat Design Gallery | Boat Design Book Store | Thanks to Our Site Sponsors |
| ||||
|
#1
08-10-2011, 05:59 PM
| |||
| |||
| 16 ft foam catamaran Hi, I'm building a 16 foot catamaran and would like the hulls to be made of foam. I was wondering if anyone might know about how much I'll need, and where to find the foam. I also heard that you can use stirafoam in the hull so that you don't have to use as much of the high density foam, is this true? Thanks! Keenan  |
|
#2
08-10-2011, 08:27 PM
| ||||
| ||||
| Do you mean solid foam that you cut to shape and glass over like making a surfboard?? Or pvc (or maybe polyurethene) foam sandwich panels ?? Styrofoam dissolves in polyester resin so you need to use epoxy. It also dissolves in gasoline so you cannot use it unprotected. Whatever way you build you need to think how to attach the beams to the hulls, and if it is a sailing boat, the chainplates. Most small one-off beach cats are built in 3/16in plywood for speed, lightweight and low cost Richard Woods of Woods Designs www.sailingcatamarans.com |
|
#3
08-11-2011, 01:29 AM
| |||
| |||
| Do you by chance know about how much the cost would be if it was made out if plywood? Really I am just looking for the cheapest way to build it, without losing any performance level, which is why I don't want to build a PVC catamaran. Keenan |
|
#4
08-11-2011, 01:46 AM
| |||
| |||
| Make a few calls and price marine plywood in your area - ~a half dozen sheets in a boat like this plus epoxy, a small amount of fg cloth, & paint, e.g. http://www.sailingcatamarans.com/quattro16.htm or http://www.selway-fisher.com/Smallcat.htm |
|
#6
08-12-2011, 10:32 AM
| ||||
| ||||
| You'd need about 6 sheets of 3/16in ply (WBP, doesn't need to be marine grade). No structural need to sheath the hull with glass So 1 gal epoxy is about enough Look at my Pixie, Quattro 14 and Quattro 16 beach cats for ideas. Richard Woods of Woods Designs www.sailingcatamarans.com |
|
#8
08-14-2011, 06:07 PM
| ||||
| ||||
| That's right. In part because I am assuming you would not be leaving the boat in the water all the time. If you are then it is sensible to glass sheath the below WL area. BTW, if you want to meet up you might like to know that I will be at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat festival Sept 8-11th Richard Woods of Woods Designs www.sailingcatamarans.com |
 |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
| Display Modes | |
| |
Similar Threads | ||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| Where to get foam? | Chris Ramsey | Boatbuilding | 6 | 05-24-2010 04:23 PM |
| To Foam or Not to Foam? | 4winns | Materials | 9 | 06-30-2009 11:43 PM |
| buoyancy foam for catamaran | northerncat | Powerboats | 7 | 04-19-2007 05:52 AM |
| Catamaran Tender for Catamaran | b_rodwell | Boat Design | 4 | 02-18-2006 09:01 PM |
| How much foam | huntermike32 | Wooden Boat Building and Restoration | 1 | 10-18-2005 07:59 AM |
Linear Mode
