BUILD A CAT??

Greetings Noodle!

First post? Good for you, well done!

Nylon..? hmm.. there are some injection molded plastic boats around here but I don't think they are nylon. maybe ABS? or PVC? in any case they are small runabouts and they are heavy! Also a large suface I think they will deflect too much. The popular material for modern cats are fibreglass composits, that is a core material such as balsa or polyurethane foam saturated with a resin and glass fibre mat/clothe/whatever. The result is stiff/strong/lite! Homebuilt cats of proven design and materials are good resale usually. Around here $300K to $600K are common numbers for resale of well done backyard projects in size range of 11 to 14 metres (38 to 48 feet)

but what the hell, we should look at alternatives. If you could build a boat of ******** you could begin operations in Washington tomorrow with excellent profit and no material shortages. If you could convert used rubbers, any catholic school could probably get you a large vessel in any weekend of scholarly activity. And Silicone?!?! In California alone there would be enough supply for a fleet the size of texas.... and all with botox dinghys. It might be time to look into converting things we have way too much of into something that floats! How about beer bottles?! I could have my own stinking navy!

I better stop before I get bounced outa here...

Cheers

[Alan Wheeler]

Tires Bob Tires. Now that would save the world.
Those injection moulded thingies (Mac boats I think is one) are Polyethelyne. I am not so sure if the are injection moulded as such though. It starts of as a bag of granules and they pour the bag/s into a mould that is tumbling around. The mould is heated and melts the granules and forms the plastic layer. You are right they are darn heavey. Darn near indestructible, but you are also right in that the deflect. I can't see any large panel area being mae out of the stuff. Nor out of nylon for that matter. I doubt you could weld a panel of nylon in any statisfactory way.

TIRES! hmmmm..

A lot of possibilities... think of it , "Firestone Yachts" "Goodyear Gaffers"... "Dunlop Dinghies"!
But what would all the steel and ferro boat guys do for fenders? and what of the fish? Half the Toad fish in queensland would be homeless.

All my idiotic drivel aside wouldn't it be great if we could use a recyclable plastic, like nylon for boats.

who cares if you can't weld.... you can always patch!

My luck if I tried it I would stumble over the only bio-degradable stuff in the bin.

cheers

[cat man do]

The cat I'm building at the moment is made from "KIRI "lighter than western red and non toxic[ I got an allergy from last cat we built]. It also comes in 8 x 4 sheets in various thickneses that can be used like duflex.16 mm sheets for around $100Aus , but you have to glass yourself. I,m building a fifty footer at moment , was only going to do a forty, but with this less epensive core material, got the extra 10ft for free, cant beat that extra waterline length ..
Got my stuff from Highpoint timbers in West Aus, but I'm sure there are other east coast suppliers now.
Bob, sounds like your all fired up to get a cat.......welcome to the dark side.

Dave

[northerncat]

do you mean the kiri comes in 8*4 sheets or is it kiri ply or what, it sounds like a nice cheap material
sean

[cat man do]

Hi sean, it actually is an 8x4 sheet of solid KIRI that is made up of planks that have been fingerjointed into 8ft lengths and butted together to get the 4 foot width. I was a bit sus when i first saw it, but you can bust end grain balsa and foam real easy before its glassed, you cant break this. I actually have a piece of duflex 1200 x 1200 and 16mm thick and before i started building had some samples planks sent from Highpoint timbers and glassed up a panel with 600gsm double bias and epoxy and the weight and strength till destruction were in my opinion in favour of the Kiri. I also did a test with W.R.C and the kiri seemed again in my opinion far superior.

Have fun
Dave

P:S got to get back to reading "The coastal passage"

[northerncat]

what is the weight of the 8*4 sheets? i would probably be mreo interested in about a 9mm core thickness but it would give me an idea
sean

[cat man do]

Sean, all my sheets are in boat now and i was using 16mm for cabin,hulls etc. Any 9mm used was gaboon ply, so all i can suggest is you google highpoint timbers and ask them or get info from them on east coast supplier.

Dave

[Highpoint]

Hi Dave,

I was browsing the net and happened to see your post about Kiri Marine Timber and Highpoint Timbers. I actually work for Highpoint Timbers, out of the head office (not the factory).

I dont think I am allowed to post phone numbers on this forum but have a look at our webpage www.kiripark.com.au/Highpoint/highpoint.htm

We have pricing and details about the products we sell and can organise an east coast distribution pretty easy.

Thanks
Wade

[cat man do]

Hi Wade, actually its the next post up from mine, Sean at northern cat who.s after info. I've had a small forest of the stuff cut up to use in mine [see pics in album] and got it out of Nigel before it got popular ....lucky me. I personally wouldnt use any thing else as a core material, unless I got filthy rich that is and then the bulk of the construction would still be in Kiri. Shame I could'nt get it for my last boat. Much more enviromentally friendly than cedar and foam.

On a tangent the dust highpoint gets from machining mixed in with macadamia flour [ground shells] and Q cells in a 3:2:4 blend makes an exellent glue powder when mixed with epoxy and is great for filleting. Very strong and on a par with microfibre at a fraction of cost.

Say g'day to Nigel for me and payment can be made to...........Just kidding. If a product is good I don't mind telling everyone, same with a crap product.

Dave

The unstayed, wishbone cat rigs are very impressive. Check out some of what Bill Lee has done, and Wylie Cats. Granted, these are monohulls, but I have seen them point so close to the wind, most boats would be going backwards. If my pockets were deep enough, I would be looking at a side by side wishbone cat rig on carbon fiber hulls. But, it is always fun to dream

Greetings Y'all

I been away for a while. Really intersting.... kiri? hmmm I will check that out, thanks! Yes Dave.... the dark side it is. I was hoping to announce the purchase of a F9R farrier last week. Drove from Bowen to Manly basin to have a look and turned out to be badly ....overadvertised... ****! 3000 k's there and back past uncountable speed traps and random drug searches. I was hoping to get that boat to hold me off till I got settled in new property where I can start a one year (hopefully) project.

Anyway, I am pleased at the new input and discussion.

Cheers

[cat man do]

Hey Bob, shame I did'nt know you were coming down. Only about 2 klm from the brokers office[if you went to the guy im thinking of].Could have shown you through the new boat and plied you with home made rum.I'm really only building a mono,the rum makes me see double...........only jokeing.
Have you decided on new design yet ????

Dave

greetings Dave

Tax free booze is my favourite kind to! Not a broker, saw new ad on boat point and knew someone at the trailer boat club marina that had seen the boat and said looked good at a glance which it did. It was at the Royal in Manly winnum. Still could be OK but no way for the money the vendor was talking about. Keep hold of the rum mate... send me an invite for the launch! Design?? Bob Oram probably but will have to be a new one for him. Want 12 metre sailer with as much accomadation as the legs will allow. Did stop in to see the prototype 40 ft tri hull MV that is being built on the sunshine coast. So far tests are very positive for very low fuel consumption. My wife favours the MV. she has always been a rev head.

Cheers

[cat man do]

Yes mate, they tell me some of those efficient type power multihulls are pretty good on fuel, but they still stink and any way , what sort of D...HEAD would want one............. oh ,thats right, ME.

Good luck and have fun

Dave