Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The "new" float is getting there, slowly.  The first, starboard, side was a bit of work, but I think it starts looking reasonable.  Port side was a blast and the next two float sides should be even faster, as I can apply the extra foam more precise.

I have removed the SS deck fitting for the bow pole side stay and replaced it with a piece of carbon tubing taped to the forward bulkhead.  I will use a system similar to the one on the shrouds to attach the stays.

 More sheets of 12mm H60 foam being glued to the central 75mm foam bow cap piece

 Another sheet being glued to the float side

 Bow cap being attached

The carbon tube is taped to the forward bulkhead

 Float up side down.  Elongated at waterline, but the shape is preserved at the first few inches of immersion to maintain the good light air performance.

 Port side up side down.  Will give an idea as to how the additional buoyancy is distributed. Much less fairing compound will be required prior to lamination here.

 Front view up side up.  I plan on adding a rounded deck the first 152 cm of the float to assist in the resurfacing process after the occational dive, and to reduce the rate of deceleration encountered with the current design.

 Oblique view

 Prototype padding.  Lots of bits and pieces of foam and a bunch of fairing compound.  This shape is transferred to the other sides using templates every foot cut from this shape.

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Establishing the new forward float shape

I have an idea of how the shape at the first bulkhead should be.  And the new profile of the float bow.  Then I just have to try and tie it all together and apply the adjustments listed in my last post.  I am still uncertain as to how well this will go, both with respect to the final result as well as how much trouble it will be to make these changes.

This morning i started out glueing a 12mm sheet of foam to the next 1,2 metres aft of the first bulkhead..  I use PU glue for all the foam glueing.  I put this sheet in a bag to make sure I had sufficient pressure over the whole panel while curing.  The foam blank in progress seen in foreground.


I was home waiting for the cure when Per, who has been working in my workshop, building a new carbon wing mast for his cruising cat, called me and told of a gigantic bang that suddenly had frightened him.  It turned out the resin trap had imploded.  Saved the job by bypassing the trap.


After rough shaping the new foam I glued another sheet in the more forward part.


I think I will have to attach the foam blank now, and just work the long board to get the lines smooth.  Then probably make up  patterns to transfer the same shape to the three other float bow sides.

Friday, July 05, 2013

Re start

With a few other non sailing related tasks finished, it is time to push on getting the boat back on the water. This coincided with the arrival of Farrier Marines very nice set of float lifting foil cases as shown in the below picture.


I've spent much of the day glueing foam to the bow blank, and shaping it to the best of my abilities.  The aims are as close to the original as possible down low, to maintain light air performance, then as fat as possible in the mid section to prevent bow buying as the wind picks up, and then a fine entry rounded top to easily resurface when the above occurs anyway. It's a "start fat enough and take down a bit more right here until you are satisfied" project.Not easily photographed.

I made a heavy duty carbon tube to replace the SS fittings for the bow pole whisker stay.  It will be glued to the forward bulkhead, transversing the float and using a system as in my shroud attachments.


And I finally finished the taping of the wing net support flange modifications.


I'm looking forward to receive Mr. Farriers details on the correct placement of the lifting foils, but not so much looking forward to all the hassle installing the cases. Stay tuned.