Wood sandwich

For a 50' racing sailer,my idea is to use the cold moulded wood laminate technique but I would like to insert in the laminate a balsa end grain core or PVC foam.
The aim is to decrease the weight of the hull.

Is someone know if this way to do have already been used.

 

Yes, Bruce Schwab's Ocean Planet was built with wood skins and, I believe, a Core-Cell (SAN foam) core. She was built in 2001 at Schooner Creek Boatworks in Oregon.

Eric

 

I had the oportunity to meet Bruce Schwab at the Maine Boatbuilders show last month...pretty cool guy

 

Trimix,
Steve Rander at Schooner Creek Boatworks has built several other boats in addition to Ocean Planet with the same technique, he might give you a few tips if you ask nicely.

It's a proven method, in fact, the first boat-build I ever worked on was a veneer/balsa-core Peter Norlin designed quarter-tonner my Dad was building in the winter of 1973/74 called Accent. At the time, they thought ready-made balsa-core was much too expensive, so they cut their own, then installed it with one staple in each block....... At the time I was five years old and my sister four, we were each given a pair of pliers, then we went around and pulled out all the staples we could reach.

The boat went on to win the Quarter-ton cup that year in Malmö, Sweden, molds were taken and the boat was put in production.

Growing up in a boat yard was a unique experience, I thoroughly recommend it.

Yokebutt.

 

Besides it's obvious lightweight what exactly does balsa core do??

 

Chandler,
Have a look at DIAB's website for a primer on cores. (divinycell)

Yokebutt.

 

You have a website addy??

 

Google diab.

Y.