Attention Australian builders

[rob denney]

G'day,

Most builders have read about the Kelsall KSS technique http://www.kelsall.com/methods4.html for rapidly building boats and wondered if it is really possible to build hulls this quickly. If they are, it makes a mockery of spending weeks gluing, glassing, bogging and sanding strips of wood or foam in the traditional strip plank method, or any of the heat it, bend it and screw it foam techniques.

Harryproa have decided that this development is too good to miss and have paid Derek to adjust the design of the hulls of the 15m/50' proa we are building for me to race in next year's Solo Transpac. As part of the deal, Derek is putting on a 4 day workshop at our factory in Urunga (midway between Brisbane and Sydney, 20 minutes south of Coff's Harbour) to demonstrate how infusion and KSS work. He reckons that at the end of it, we will have the hull ready to top coat paint, and a 15m vacuum table. It would take more than 4 days to fill and fair the hull of a 15m strip planked boat, so this will be a very impressive achievement.

The workshop is from 17-20th May (just before Sanctuary Cove show). Anybody who wants to attend is welcome, at a cost of $500 for the 4 days. This includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea, the chance to participate in the build and to pick Derek's brain on the technique. Mostly though it gives you a way to save a huge amount of time building your own boat. Local low cost accommodation is being organised.

Anyone interested in attending, please email me at proa@iinet.net.au or phone 08 92843483.

regards,

Rob Denney
Harryproa Home Page

[DtM]

Hey Rob,

Are you going to Sanctuary Cove?

daniel

[DeepFrz]

Check this out...

Fram sailing & building pages, home building a F-39 trimaran

[northerncat]

i dont suppose you get a discount if you lend a hand to help build the hulls then do ya 8-) 8-)

[rob denney]

G'day,

Dan: Won't be at the Boat Show. too much building to do. When does the Mahe arrive?

DeepFrz: Pretty awesome effort, but very expensive and time consuming compared to infusing most of a full length panel on a flat table, then cutting a few darts in the foam, bending it all into the hull shape and glassing the cut area. At least I hope it is. :-)

northerncat: Big discount if you are interested in hanging round afterwards to build the mast and the other hull.

By the way, we have changed the date to June 7-10 so that we can publicize it in the next Multihulls mag. Participants from NZ, Holland, Norway (possible) and half a dozen Australians so far.

regards,

Rob

[delmarrey]

When I was a kid we use make model boats doing the same thing with cardboard. I didn't thing it would ever catch on for the big ones.