Construction Material and Method

[Steven Prince]

Ok, I've been in the design phase of my boat for long enough.

I've finally finished uni (fingers crossed on results) and have got a professional designer that I am starting to consult with over the design I have put together.

I'm after people's opinions on the various techniques available for a one off boat to be home built.

Items to keep in mind;

Hull is to be painted black with Tek dek being used for the decks. This probably rules out the use of foam as a core material due to the heat and delamination issues.

Hulls are 17m long, overall beam is 8.5m, each hull is 2.3m max width (Waterline max = 1.4m)

Design is a mixture of Daren Newtons Dazzler 15R and the Yapluka 53.

Propulsion is to be provided by 2 electric jet drives that are fed by a diesel generator.


Current plan for hull construction is to strip plank the hull and then vacuum infusion a layer of glass matting on both the interior and exterior.

[GordMay]

Yapluka yachts are constructed of Aluminum.
➥ Yapluka Yachts

[Randy]

Look at the constant camber technique. I like it. You could communicate with John Marples to see whether your hull shape could be adapted to using the technique. It is a wood composite vacuum bagging process.

[DWT]

Propulsion is to be provided by 2 electric jet drives that are fed by a diesel generator.


Steve,

The Jet Drive Propulsion System...... do you have one in mind? If so, which one.

[Steven Prince]

My hull shape wouldn't suit the constant camber method which is why I was thinking of using the strip plank method.

I know Yapulka uses aluminium as its hull material, but as an amateur boat builder I don't think aluminium is the right material to use.

I had been sent some information a about a year or two ago about a new drive system that some one was developing, it was half way between a traditional prop and a jet drive. Now time is back on my side I'm going to start looking into the systems available again.

Has anyone got any experience of strip planking and if so what are there thoughts.

[Randy]

I'm building a kayak (your boat will only be about 100 times larger!) doing the strip planking method - then glassed inside & out. It creates a real strong, light composite (no vacuum bagging with the yak)
Even thought they're completely different boats the techniques & issues would be similar I suspect. There is alot of fairing & sanding to get the clean lines your after, Both inside & out. What's the hull thickness going to be - 1/2", 5/8"? What material? It'll be a great project where are you building it?

[Atlantic42]

The black paint is sure going to look cool, but the boat may be very hot inside depending where you sail. My light grey / white decks get so hot they burn my bare feet when in direct sunlight and the air temps in the 80's here at 15 degrees north latitude.

[Cheechako]

yea, definitely would avoid the black paint, not even sure it will stick for long it's going to get so hot... unless you are only a northern cruiser?

[flschaef]

And more than the discomfort from the heat and annoyance of peeling paint, there may be serious structural consequences. Epoxies, for example, don't like heat, and vendors and designers often warn against the consequences of dark paint on epoxied seams.