Belize 43: Belize 43 & Bahia 46 Core Construction

[AussieWayne]

Hi guys
I have seen some recent discussions and views posted on various threads here on CF and elsewhere re the construction materials used with these two classic FP models.
As there seemed to be differing views I contacted FP to try and obtain the original builder's somewhat 'official' view on this subject and I copy the relevant parts of the exchange here for completeness and for future reference when and if required.

FP responses are in blue.

My original questions:

There seems to be different advices on the Internet as to the construction methods of various vessels including the Belize and Bahia with regards to the sandwich materials utilized eg foam core or solid glass or balsa core.

Would you be able to advise the construction methods of these two great designs please to avoid any ongoing confusion within the yachting fraternity.



The Belize and the Bahia are built the same way.

We use foam core either for the hulls and the deck.
The hull mould is an 'open' mould' which means the sides and the bridgedeck are made separately. And then we laminate from inside the junction.

It means you have a monolytic solid glass at the center of each hull at the bottom with an overlap of glass.

See the doc attached where you can see the principle: the white areas are foam.



FP sent me the attached drawing for clarity and they then answered the following questions

Just so that I fully understand the white areas are foam and the cross hatched areas are SOLID GLASS?
YES. The foam was PVC foam 80kg/m3

This drawing applies to both the Belize and the Bahia for all year models? Is that correct? YES

Is the deck foam cored throughout as well and is there a drawing available for that? YES, the deck is almost all foam. Same density as the hulls.

And all factory installed through hulls are through solid glass layups at those positions? is that correct? The through hulls are mainly on the solid glass. When it is not, we removed the foam, replaced with armed glue.


Hope that makes sense to any who might be interested.
Others may care to comment on their personal experiences / findings when installing various pieces of equipment etc.

AussieWayne

[Bill4]

Thanks for posting this. It is in line with what I already knew about our Bahia and was one of the determining factors in our choice of catamaran. There is no balsa core anywhere. There is solid glass below the waterline and a mix of foam core & solid glass elsewhere.

For clarification, I don't think the turquoise horizontal line on the drawing is the waterline on a Bahia. It is far too high. We are fully loaded for cruising and at max payload (sadly) and our sterns are out of the water and our bows are only just in the water.

[neilpride]

If i understand, they mould the hulls in 2 Split sides , they are cored with foam and glassed ¡n the centerline joints with solid glass from inside, nothing unusual with this method...

[AussieWayne]

Originally Posted by Bill4

Thanks for posting this. It is in line with what I already knew about our Bahia and was one of the determining factors in our choice of catamaran. There is no balsa core anywhere. There is solid glass below the waterline and a mix of foam core & solid glass elsewhere.

For clarification, I don't think the turquoise horizontal line on the drawing is the waterline on a Bahia. It is far too high. We are fully loaded for cruising and at max payload (sadly) and our sterns are out of the water and our bows are only just in the water.

FPs advice was that
The turquoise blue line has nothing to do with the waterline. It is just the scale.

Below the waterline is not only solid glass. Only the last 20cm/30cm to the axis of the hull.

This is shown if you look at the drawing again and see the hatched line areas which are the solid glass areas and the white areas which are the foam cores.
Hopefully this sets the understanding right.

AussieWayne

[AussieWayne]

Originally Posted by neilpride

If i understand, they mould the hulls in 2 Split sides , they are cored with foam and glassed ¡n the centerline joints with solid glass from inside, nothing unusual with this method...

neilpride yes that is my understanding as well. The manufacturing process with these two models seems to have stood the test of time very well with few problems that I am aware of.
AussieWayne

[Bill4]

Originally Posted by AussieWayne

FPs advice was that
The turquoise blue line has nothing to do with the waterline. It is just the scale.

Below the waterline is not only solid glass. Only the last 20cm/30cm to the axis of the hull.

This is shown if you look at the drawing again and see the hatched line areas which are the solid glass areas and the white areas which are the foam cores.
Hopefully this sets the understanding right.

AussieWayne

Now I've re-read my previous post I can see my wording wasn't quite right. For clarification (and confirmation) there is a wide section of solid glass that runs along the centreline of each hull and turns up the hull sides but starting just below the waterline there is a change in hull thickness that can clearly be seen from inside the hulls, which marks the point where the foam core starts. Apologies for the poor choice of wording in my earlier post.

[AussieWayne]

Originally Posted by Bill4

Now I've re-read my previous post I can see my wording wasn't quite right. For clarification (and confirmation) there is a wide section of solid glass that runs along the centreline of each hull and turns up the hull sides but starting just below the waterline there is a change in hull thickness that can clearly be seen from inside the hulls, which marks the point where the foam core starts. Apologies for the poor choice of wording in my earlier post.

Bill4
Yes that is correct as I understand it.
Which means that the fore and aft sections of the boat are mainly solid glass below the waterline and the midships above the keels are foam cored with a narrow strip of sold glass at the bottom. The change in hull thickness will theoretically be visible internally both fore and aft but maybe not midships.
Add some foam filled crash boxes at the bows and stern and it seems to me like the perfect way to build a strong safe and buoyant boat.


AussieWayne

[arsenelupiga]

assuming there is crack in fiberglass and water intrusion in foam part, will foam suck in water ?

[Lucky]

Comment to the claim that the deck is foam cored, our Belize from 2001 do not have this! Various areas of the boat are not cored, like inside each hull so the construction is quite complex.
When all this is said, we find the construction very solid and strong.
The newer FP models I find is more"flimsy" in that it is more squicking from the internal wood fittings so I would think that the Belize at least is a very good construction, but assume that the Bahia is similar.

Happy lead free sailing from Lucky