This 44′ catamaran to be built in Tampa was originally envisioned as a sailing cat. It would use the Sunny Days 42 hulls extended. Using CM construction.
Owner decided to make it a power cat instead.
A Sailing Cat Becomes a powercat
Miami Bed Boat
I got a commission to design a niche charter cat for Miami. The customer has built boats before but knows nothing about cats nor naval architecture. With the outboards they insisted on, the adjustable swim platform and its mechanism, the Cg is a full four feet aft of Cb. I am having a hard time convincing the builder this is bad. i may have to walk away from this one. Foam/glass.
79′ In So Cal
This 79′ day charter power cat is being designed for a group in California. They have been delightful to work with. Good project. Foam/glass.
Tomcat 30 Trimaran at Mobile
I just got pictures of a CM built Tomcat 30 trimaran with updated amas. It looks hot. It was built in the early 90s as I recall.
Still One of the Best Looking Boats I Have Ever Done
I just got this picture of the 3rd or 4th design that I ever did. Back in the hand drawing days. Cylinder molded plywood/epoxy. 1986 I think it was. It still looks really good to me. 37 feet.
One of My Favorite Pictures of All Time
Peter Mannerstråle sailing one of my 42 foot cats out of Sweden posted what I think is one of the coolest pictures that I have seen in a long time. All is right with the world.
Carbon Fiber Crosstubes Installed
When I ordered the carbon fiber cross tubes for my yellow 12′ trimaran, I assumed a modulus of about 16 million. And I speced the thickness accordingly.
I just got the spec sheet from the manufacturer.
8.5 x 10 to the 7th.
I checked with a scientist I know. That is 85 million.
That is more than 5 times the modulus. Wow.
They aren’t going anywhere.
Painted with Awlgrip clearcoat.
Meermark 17
The Meermark 17, a Kurt Hughes designed 17 footer that provides, easy, safe, fun, fast and affordable sailing to everyone. #sailing #sailingforeveryone #sailability.
New Carbon Fiber Cross Tubes
On the spur of the moment I decided to go to White Salmon to pick up the carbon fiber tubes I had made for the little yellow trimaran. Innovative Composites Engineering.
I also got a tour of the place. Amazing. Stuck in the woods outside of White Salmon. Space X is their biggest customer. They have giant presses to compact the laminate even more than bagging. I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures inside the building. And also warned not to touch anything.
They consulted on Oracle. Hence in the boneyard.
When I ordered the carbon fiber cross tubes for my yellow 12′ trimaran, I assumed a modulus of about 16 million. And I speced the thickness accordingly.
I just got the spec sheet from the manufacturer.
8.5 x 10 to the 7th.
I checked with a scientist I know. That is 85 million.
That is more than 5 times the modulus. Wow.
They aren’t going anywhere.
Sources
I stumbled on this list that I made years ago. It still looks pretty good. I need to study it carefully for changes but again it looks pretty good.
SOURCES
DECEMBER 28, 2012 KURT LEAVE A COMMENT EDIT
A big mess of sources. I worked on a lot of these during the last few trips. I imagine this kind of being crowd sourced where people will add to this as it goes along. Some to be added anyway, but getting it out for what it is now. I see it doesn’t let me hot up the links. To get hot links, put sources in the search engine and load the one from years ago.
A sources list now is different than it was when I first did the Construction Manual. Presently the best way to locate boatbuilding products is to go to the manufacturers website, and from there find the vendors in your local area. This list is pretty much for North America. And it leans toward products that I have first or second-hand experience with. Builders elsewhere, get me your favorites and I will expand this.
Epoxy
Mas http://www.masepoxies.com/
Noahs www.noahsmarine.com
System 3 www.systemthree.com
SP http://www.gurit.com/
WEST System www.westsystem.com
Fiberlay www.fiberlay.com
Jamestown Dist. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/main.do
Fiberglass Supply www.fiberglasssupply.com
Vinylester Resin
Ashland Chemical http://www.ashland.com/products/hetron-epoxy-vinyl-ester-resin
Interplastic Corp http://www.interplastic.com/
Composite Fabrics
Fiberglass Supply www.fiberglasssupply.com
Fisheries supply www.fisheriessupply.com
Fiberlay www.fiberlay.com
Composites One http://www.compositesone.com/
VectorPly http://www.vectorply.com/
Core
http://corecomposites.com/media/CoreComparisonChart.pdf
Airex http://www.corematerials.3acomposites.com/
Corecell http://www.atlcomposites.com/products/cores/end grain balsa/index.htm
Divinycell (crosslinked PVC) http://www.diabgroup.com/europe/products/e_prods_2.html
Urethane General Plastics http://www.generalplastics.com/products/index.php?PHPSESSID=6ac3fdb313fb070a2d6a8f4d0f5eb4a4
Balsa http://www.corematerials.3acomposites.com/
Paulownia http://www.paulowniawood.com/
Foamular http://www.foamular.com/foam/
Fiberlay www.fiberlay.com
Nidacore http://www.nida-core.com/
Polycore http://www.polycore.com.au/
Plascore http://www.plascore.com/index.htm
Tricel http://www.tricelcorp.com/
Core Craft FRP Honeycomb http://www.infracomp.com/index.html
Vacuum Bagging supplies and equipment
Fiberlay www.fiberlay.com
Airtech http://www.airtechonline.com/
Plywood/Lumber
Anchor Hardwoods www.AnchorHardwoods.com
Edensaw http://www.edensaw.com/MainSite/Store1/Content/SiteContent/1/Home/Main.aspx
Meridian Plywood 1-800-743-1126 Lynnwood, WA
Noahs www.noahsmarine.com
Boulter Plywood www.boulterplywood.com
Joubert Plywood www.wolstenholme.com
Paint
Farwest Paint www.farwestpaint.com
Awlgrip http://www.uspaint.com/
Stirling http://www.scomar.com.au/Products/Coatings/CoatingsSterling.aspx
Rigging and Masts
Hall Spar
LeFiel
Plastics
Hardware
Fisheries Supply http://www.fisheriessupply.com/
West Marine http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategories1_11151_10001_-1
Foamex
Outdoor cushions that do not absorb water. Dry-fast open cell polyurethane foam ideal for outdoor furniture and boat cushions. Five Year warranty.
www.foamex.com
I have bought some light samples from HollySolar http://www.hollysolar.com/
The watermaker store (http://www.watermakerstore.com In san diego has a watermaker (up to 1500gpd) with a 130A alternator on it, all based on the Kubota 6hp diesel which purportedly uses 1/8 gallon per hour.
Masts
Masts, Battens www.c-tech.co.nz
www.southernspars.com former omohundro 775-782-6788
http://ballengerspars.com/, often called the best mast builder
Sailing equipment www.layline.com
Synthetic rigging parts seen
at http://www.allspars.co.uk/precourt.html
Carbon tubes http://www.cstsales.com/
racing software and electronics
Marine computing international http://www.marinecomputing.com/
make a black box that allos wind and radar to be fitted on a rotating mast (Mike Golding on his open 60 has one)
Composite props www.kiwiprops.co.nz/home
electric outboards http://www.fischerpanda.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?task=content&folder=03_Whisperprop_Marine_Propulsion&sfolder=NULL&file=08_DE-Outboard.html&lang=eng
A Steerable diesel electric outboard: http://www.fischerpanda.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?task=content&folder=03_Whisperprop_Marine_Propulsion&sfolder=NULL&file=06_ADE-Saildrive.html&lang=eng
Steerable raisable electric drive: http://www.fischerpanda.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?task=content&folder=03_Whisperprop_Marine_Propulsion&sfolder=NULL&file=10_RA-DE_Thruster.html&lang=eng
The Azimuting Podded Prop: http://www.fischerpanda.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?task=content&folder=03_Whisperprop_Marine_Propulsion&sfolder=NULL&file=07_AZIPROP.html&lang=eng
Or these amazing drives http://www.fischerpanda.de/cgi-bin/start.pl?task=content&folder=03_Whisperprop_Marine_Propulsion&sfolder=NULL&file=12_General_AZIPROP.html&lang=eng
Plastic Mirror TAP Plastics Inc. www.tapplastics.com
Go to www.solomomtechnologies.com electric power
For nets
http://www.multihullnets.com/
http://www.nets-n-tramps.com/
http://www.net-sys.com/
http://sailrite.com/
window bedding techniques
http://www.sikasolutions.com/Marine/295.htm
Tools
Northern Tool And Equipment www.northern-online.com
Fax: 1-612-882-6927 Air tools, Auto, Engines, Generators, Gloves, Hydraulics ect…..
For info on LED lights www.Hollysolar.com
http://www.diyplastics.com/safetyglazing.htm
comparison table for plastics and other materials
http://www.machinist-materials.com/comparison_table_for_plastics.htm
Composite materials
http://www.uscomposites.com/
Noah’s Marine www.noahsmarine.com
A local Vancouver company, Kraft Industrial Supplies.
www.kraftindustrial.com Lots of other nifty pultruded shapes (I
confess I was surprised how cheap these things are).
I just had a meeting with a rep from TriStar Plastics Corp. This is the
plastics equivalent of a steel service center. They stock plastic, machine
plastic and will provide technical advice on what is best for a particular
application. Interestingly they make a wide variety of bearings which would
seem ideal for rudders etc. www.tstar.com
plastic boat sheds www.ClearSpan.com
Carbon tubes, start with these guys:
http://www.forterts.com/
http://www.csi-composites.com/
http://www.cstcomposites.com/
http://www.marstrom.com/
http://www.carbonfibertubeshop.com//index2.html
Engines
Yanmar
Styer
Caterpillar
Yamaha
Tanks
Haul-out
Builders