Airex in the Sun

I forget now what the heat distortion temperature of Airex core is. I used to know off top of my head. I did always know it was lower than a cross linked pvc and slightly lower than SEN core. So when I set about heat bending some Airex window stops on the lander, I was surprised that this was all I could get to bend. It was a 100F day and I set the pieces in dark sand that was reading 155F. I thought just a little extra boost from a hair dryer was all I needed. No way. And this was with using weight.

airexinsun

KHSD Atlantic Rowboats 2012

Two competing teams used my F40 cat hulls that year. One was a tri and this one was a cat.  This is a video about David’s cat.  www.rocexpedition.com/

http://vimeo.com/75176109

That crack in the bow was alarming.  Clearly no triaxial nor uni glass was used.  They declined laminate design. 

I was surprised how heavy and low tech the items like rudders or hatches were on these rowing multis.  I was retained to do a design for a trimaran for ’13 but Roy skipped out without paying, so the design sits.

big-bluerowing

 

Spiders

The multihull sailor and philosopher Mark Evans used to remark that spiders will move into epoxy boats immediately, but never onto polyester boats.
I’m building the spaceship like a boat, with epoxy.  This large alpha arachnid in the lunar lander was warning me to back off.  It was his  house now.  There must be human health implications.

IMG_20140807_160425_473

Kelsall Invite

I see Derek Kelsall has sent out a mass emailing, inviting me to his workshop.  I got two of  them, I guess in case I missed it.  Says he will increase my understanding.  I do understand it.  I had forgotten that I had been doing CM about a decade before KSS started  and its pretty similar to CM but with bits cut out of the bilge.

The trick as I see it is to start with curved panels; instead of bending flat panels into a curve.  The other trick is to resolve the compression along the keel.  That way you don’t have to cut bits and then laminate over the cut bits, and next fair that work.  I think I sorted that compression out and will build one that way as soon as I get this spaceship done.

I hope I’m still working the problems like Derek is when I get to his age.