A couple more shots of the 4m catamaran oceanography drone. These are renderings by Nic at the company building them. Next ones  might be composite.

James is sailing now.  And sent this nice note.   Now he will know where to put the leather bits on the batten sleeves.

“Kurt just wanted to say that you designed an incredible boat. It’s everything I ever dreamed of and everything just works the way it is supposed to. I’m pointing up higher than I thought a sailboat could go. Thanks for all the help and time on the phone! Your the best!”

I see over at Steamradio that while I was gone, some guys were having a religious experience building a 42′ KSS hull in 4 days with a half dozen people. I watched the guys at Sea Island Boatworks build Peter Cromwell’s 56′ first hull in 4 hours. Plus assuming a half day bagging each of the two panels.  Add another half day for adding sheer timbers.  But still not 4 days total.   And they were joined, not just proximate like the KSS pictures show.  And no religion involved.  And when he was pissed, Keith did the 40′ main hull in the DVD again in less than 3 hours.  Still no religion.  Pic shows the hull spread.  It will be pulled back in when keel is cured.

While on the trip I did work out an improvement to a composite rapid build that I published in early 90s, using CM hull for a female mold.  I built the Geko amas that way and Kevin in Kauai did a couple of cats that way.  I sorted out much faster steps.  I have to squirt 2 part poly on the spaceship before I have time to model and publish it.

The master is at the printers and a new lot of CM DVDs will be here as soon as they are printed.

I guess in Argentina a local naval architect has to verify plans before a boat can be built. I got this very nice note. My obscurity is in danger?

Hola Eladio! Hughes es uno de mis diseñadores favoritos, felicitaciones!
Conta con mis servicios para lo que necesites, yo soy socio del astillero Alba y le acoplamos la oficina técnica así que por ese lado estas cubierto.
A tu disposición para lo que gustes.
Un cordial saludo!

Horacio I. Saboldelli   Técnico Constructor Nava

and translated by Googles

Hi Eladio! Hughes is one of my favorite designers, congratulations!
Conta my services for what you need, I am a partner shipyard Alba and will couple the technical office so that way you are covered.
At your disposal for whatever you like.
Kind regards!

Horacio I. Saboldelli  Builder Technical Nava

I just got the latest and first on water pictures of Frank’s KHSD 44 built in Indonesia. Lots of flat bagging table stuff. It looks great. It will have a wing mast.  Trying for an overall pic next.

Pipeline 3 heading down the St. George River. She and her crew are headed south – like way south to the Bahamas or Caribbean. Check out her transformation here – http://www.lymanmorse.com/boats/pipeline-3-kurt-hughes-165

Recall that she was Salty’s KHSD 46 trimaran known as Famu Sami.

While in Japan I met Whitney Rich. He has several companies including one that makes speakers using, well “LeapSonic is a small speaker that can turn a resonant flat surface into a flat panel speaker. The LeapSonic sound actuator is attached to a smooth resonant surface; this surface then acts as speaker.” See http://www.leapsonic.com/

I imagine these could be very useful on multis;  especially tour and charter multis.

Back. I see there are 1200 emails. I will be getting back with everybodys’ projects as soon as possible.