Boxy Fisher Catamaran

I think he said a "space ship" - er - boat... ? earlier on... Whatever, I am intrigued and will be watching

 

Looking good pal

 

It will be interesting to learn what the "atlas rocket" will be used for.

 

It's the axle for the jig.
It has to be that diameter so it won't bend under the weight of the rest of the stuff, including the glass.
It was calculated to sag about 6 to 8mm in the center with a 1600kg load.

 

Thanks, Fanie. Keep taking pictures.

 

will the wrap-around method be as strong as conventional hand layup? I'm thinking of fibre length and direction. does it make any difference?

 

Hi Richard, the wrap around is a LOT faster, the resin to glass ratio is close to best at around 1 resin to 2 glass, and I can even control that. There is no comparasson between hand layup and this. If I make a layup, it's solid glass. I'm having the reels of glass woven at 300mm wide, so the shortest strands are 300mm and they overlap by 200mm.

The test pieces I did came out champion. Keep in mind it is only glass and resin. There is no chop strand or other materials added to make up thickness etc. and the strands are x/y. If there's a bit more give in any direction I can't feel it. One aspect I like very much is that the hull and the deck is one solid integrated piece, no more joints.

3 to 4 people would be able to make a hull in a day, but keep in mind the jig assembly would probably take a day, and to strip out of the hull again another, and you will probably have to wait a few days for the glass to cure,
So one is looking at around a week per hull minimum.

The bulkheads would be made the same way and I'm not glassing them in place. I'm going to glue them in with one of these Dow Corning products. Have two 90 deg pieces 80mm wide and two guys weighing 100kg's each stand one either side of it and it doesn't tear loose. It's the same stuff they glue the bridges together with. Same goes for any other supports, steps etc, and also the PE foam will be glued into place.

 

If you can take pictures when the glass is going on or coming off the jig. Thanks in advance.

 

Hi Hoyt,

I've already posted pics when the glass goes on the beams. A mast, bulkheads and the hull is going to be the same, only the jigs vary.

 

OK. I'll go back and look again. I remember the rectangular glassed tubes. They were awesome.

 

Fanie, I'm sure you are going to have strong boat. But is there a weight penalty that you will incur compared to the more typical GRP layups that incorporate CSM and often coremat as well?

 

Hi Brian, I really hope not
What I am going to do do away with is the thick hull with csm and other fillers that cause probably more weight due to them being resin filled. There are better ways to stiffen a hull or large panels.

 

Is it still going to be the after-mast configuration? are you going to overbuild the mast or are you dead accurate with the calculations? Man, you're really building this thing....every bit even the electronics. I'm impressed.

I think the hulls will be worthy of more than just a few snapshots. Fanie, could we convince you to set up a camcorder when the hulls are rotating? Would love to see it on youtube.

 

Hi Richard,

All is not as exciting as you think. Time is a problem and no one to help around here, I have to 'hire' a friend and his workers to do some of the things I cannot do alone.

I'm defenately going to use the aft mast, and I will make the mast myself. The sail I will have made by a sail maker. The mast will work roughly the same as the little tri's mast, except since this mast is a bit larger I will add a gin pole to winch it up. I'm designing everything so one but preferably 2 persons can do everything.

 

Good luck Fanie, I hope we meet one day out on the freedom of the oceans? - Keep in touch http://boats-n-stuff.com.au/forum/index.php/topic,2.new.html#new