16ft,4.8m Catamaran

So I should use Lexan instead of plexiglass? Also I misread the sail height the mast is 26ft not the sail. Also aluminum has to be welded in most cases in which i lack the ability, and with bamboo its relatively stong and lightweight. Maybe another material would be good that doesn't require welding? I would connect them with small cross beams from bamboo to bamboo. New York Summers are pretty hot believe it or not so i will take expansion/contraction into concern. And A clear sail and clear boat is not very safe so I'm going to use a white hobie 16 sail.

 

Deparri--sorry to say you will still run into the same problems with exception of much less UV degration. Neither of these products were recommended for boat hull construction. Having said this there have been see thru dingys manufactured in a one piece heat moulding process but thats more of a fad thing.

 

Would a clear gel-coat do the trick? Or any other things?

 

Depari--Clear gel coat really isn't clear more opaque and less and less so with the addition of glass fibers to attain the necessary strength.I assume you want to create this see thru effect. Other than having the hulls heat formed one piece in a commercial walk in oven i'm at a loss as what to recommend. Second choice i suppose could be to form them out of fiberglass and install large glued in lexan window sections. This is not a fabrication i would recommend for beginning boatbuilders. Possibly someone out there might have a further suggestion but your idea is not one that is easy to fabricate for any builder so don't feel discourage with the idea of building but select a product that will prove out to be a successful reward for your lifes energy--- Geo.

 

Don't use lexan either, use 3/16" plywood, or 4mm about the same thing, with 6oz fiberglass inside and out in epoxy. Lexan scratches very easy, is not very stiff, and weighs a lot. It is very strong, but again you will need special sealers to make them stick.
Why Bamboo? Use cedar so you can get something you can easily work with. I buy mine at Home Depot - but I pick thru the pile to get something useable.



Don't ever try to weld aluminum without training and a lot of equipment.

Richard Woods was just suggesting an aluminum pole for crossbeams, bolted to the hull. The same method most every catamaran except Hobies use.

 

Ditto on the Aluminium welding - I have some $10,000 in welding gear and hundreds of hours hands on. Even with that i have to do test runs on scraps to get the settings on the machine to agree with my human talents.

 

Deppari,

Iv'e bee badmouthing your choice of materials.

Why do you want something like Lexan and Bamboo?

 

Wonder what transparent material they use in tanning machines. It could take the UV rays but i don't know about its strength. Ill look into it.

 

I'll give you a big E for Effort--and a big D for Determination-- If this chosen material doesn't poision you toward boatbuilding I predict you will be very successful in this field--Good Luck ---Geo

 

According to cha-cha they use acrylics.http://www.chacha.com/question/what-kind-of-glass-is-used-on-tanning-beds. So they could take the uv rays and are strong

 

bamboo is light. But i think i need to find an alternative. And lexan was just a bad idea

 

I agree with Viking North, if persistance counts you will succeed at something.
Bamboo is suppose to be light but it doesn't come in shapes that are usefull for most construction. I believe it is only light because most of it is the hollow middle. The actual material is not particularly light and all those joints make it difficult to work. If it has to be glued together to be large enough it will get heavier.

A healthy skepticism is good, but only when you can actually prove your own ideas. Fortunately there are people who have tried some of the "new" ideas.

 

I agree that bamboo isn't a good shape. Do you have any other suggestions?

 

Cedar - 21# / cu ft.
Poplar - 24#/ cu ft.
Balsa - 12-16#/ cu ft. But not very useful except as a core, not solid lumber.
Spruce - 24-26#/ cu ft.
Basswood - fairly light but I don't know the strength.

Lots of others.

Check in this book, the link lets you download it for free.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/...k 061205.pdf

You can even use pine or fir if you just need to get some - Home Depot, etc, but they are both heavier.

 

Thanks