Is Carbon Already Accepted for Cruising ?

[andreavanduyn]

We have , and are still, dreaming of one day having a carbon build fast cruiser ; center cockpit.

Not that we are not happy with our current Orion but more for the enjoyment of fast sailing and high upwind performance next to luxury cruising.

Our dream is designed already and inside has to be 'homy' full of wood.

With the modern designed wide stern we have more space in this 47 ' than in our 50' today and can even sail in winds below 12 true with pleasure.

Also our winches will be easier to use for my wife as forces of wind disappear in speed. In harbours again easier to handle mooring her with high winds etc.

What do you cruisers think?

[Bash]

Center cockpit. Built of carbon. Well... it will certainly be a unique vessel.

I was recently aboard a boat with a toilet built of carbon. Not exactly a cruiser, at least not if you define "cruiser" as someone who never sails without a minimum of 100 meters of chain aboard, but it was light and fast. No door on the head, either. Just a curtain. I imagine it was an ultra-light curtain.

No wood for the interior, either. I believe the bulkheads were all Divinicell.

In my opinion, by the time you add the center cockpit and the interior built of wood, you've effectively negated any advantage you'll get from the carbon. In the meantime, you'll have added hundreds of thousands of whatever monetary unit you're using to the cost of building the vessel.

Sounds like fun.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Bash

Center cockpit. Built of carbon. Well... it will certainly be a unique vessel.

I was recently aboard a boat with a toilet built of carbon. Not exactly a cruiser, at least not if you define "cruiser" as someone who never sails without a minimum of 100 meters of chain aboard, but it was light and fast. No door on the head, either. Just a curtain. I imagine it was an ultra-light curtain.

No wood for the interior, either. I believe the bulkheads were all Divinicell.

In my opinion, by the time you add the center cockpit and the interior built of wood, you've effectively negated any advantage you'll get from the carbon. In the meantime, you'll have added hundreds of thousands of whatever monetary unit you're using to the cost of building the vessel.

Sounds like fun.

Rather like lacing running shoes onto an elephant. If money were no option, I would have several boats. My last boat was a Kevlar honeycomb rocket; It was a wonderful day sailer, easy to manage and fast. Like any high-performance boat, it could also be a jackhammer in rough water and you had to reef early. My current boat is MUCH heavier, more comfortable, and relaxing in a blow, but not so easy to manage and not such visceral fun. And NO amount of money would allow either to share the virtues of the other. Both designers made smart compormises.

I will add that carbon is not a miracle fiber (stiff, brittle and not great in compression), but any good designer will explain that the optimum design will use multiple materials. Used in moderation, it is certainly proven. But as Bash noted, real weight savings don't come from the fiber but from austarity. My Kevlar boat was stripped with tube bunks, painted liner, and a porta-head (the holding tank would x-off many thousands of dollars in carbon alone--same with water and fuel tanks).

TANSTAFL

[andreavanduyn]

right guys; forgot some detail like 'veneer' wood so thin on carbon seperators/walls /doors etc .......looks like real thing when done properly apart when opening a door

Planing is key to pleasure ; isn't it

No extreme 'curtain' issues needed to achieve this today ; nor extreme expenses to build........question is wheather or not there are more owners alike me keen to have one

our 'final dream' looks alike this

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha,
I had acquaintances who were unable to find good workers who knew how to work with their carbon fiber hull when it was haulout time. I guess if money is no object then flying them in from wherever you might find them would not be an issue. It certainly would be an issue for me.
kind regards,

[MarkJ]

I fail to see why one particular building material should sway all you thoughts.

Wouldnt it be better to have a design you like built in the best material for the job, not a design made from your idea of the best material available in industry?

On a completely different thought I was on a big cat the other day (about 70 feet) and his chain plates were Stainless steel because he was worried that Carbon Fiber may fracture orbe too 'exotic'. He regreats it.

So I think in the last 5 years carbon has become quite accepted as a material for cruisers.

[Blue Stocking]

We were using carbon fibre hold down straps for crossbeam to hull connection straps on the Reg White and Jerry Houlton (sp) Tornados at least 30yrs ago.