Non-Destructive Composites & Structures Testing - Help Needed

Discussion in 'Boatbuilding' started by UNCIVILIZED, Dec 4, 2014.

  1. UNCIVILIZED
    Joined: Jun 2014
    Posts: 166
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    Location: Land O' the Great Lakes

    UNCIVILIZED DIY Junkyard MadScientist

    Guys,

    A friend's looking at an older race boat (as in to possibly purchase), and it has an aluminum space frame epoxied & glassed into the structure of the boat to take the keel & rigging loads (including the mast step & chainplates). Does anyone know how to go about evaluating what kind of shape this structure would be in? Oh, & I'm not ruling X-rays out, but there's also lead shot as ballast poured in, & epoxied around (and possibly over) parts of this area of the boat. Any chance audio gauging would work? Or "borrowing" an ultrasound meter big enough for an Orca? Beuler... Beuler... anyone, Beuler?
    Unfortunately, we've had zip in terms of luck, tracking down the blue prints, or the designer (yep, she's a custom). Assuming he's still alive, as the boat was built in '83.

    Thanks.

    PS: FYI, from what I can gather, the aluminum structural piece is in the shape of a big letter H, with the center web of the H running along the vessel's centerline (penetrated by keel bolts), & the other 2 legs being at the leading & trailing edges of the keel. With the forward one forming the base of the mast step/chainplates base. And is heavily bolted to some tall, beefy stringers, which run the length of the boat.
     
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  2. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    I think it will most likely need to have some areas scraped to check for corrosion. Thermal imaging can be used also to test for voids and delamination.
     
  3. UNCIVILIZED
    Joined: Jun 2014
    Posts: 166
    Likes: 1, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 31
    Location: Land O' the Great Lakes

    UNCIVILIZED DIY Junkyard MadScientist

    Thanks, I hadn't thought of thermal. Odds are that would work, knock on wood. That & I may put some feelers out for surveyors familiar with a lot of the "unique" ways which they were building boats then. Plus I think I found a sistership, online, for sale. Though as to how to go about making contact, & figuring out what questions remains to be figured out.

    I got a few tips from some guys on another forum as well, like using the vessel documentation to trace the boats history & owners. If it's possible to get that kind of info POC wise, then odds are they'll know more about the boat. Ditto if I can find out her other, earlier names. Then maybe via that info, something will turn up race record wise, which could lead to...

    The designer was/is Brendan Dobroth, & she was built in '83. She's 42' long, about 13' wide, draws 8'. Is mostly exotic skins over foam core, & is semi-flush decked. It turns out that she might even have been Ted Irwin's personal race boat for SORC & such, named Razzle Dazzle. That, or a sistership of it (maybe).
     

  4. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
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    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    Where in the Great Lakes are you? I am in Milwaukee.
     
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