That Bright Carbon Cat

I see that the new M&M designed HH 66′ cat showing it carbon fiber has been launched. I have noted before that the black carbon fiber hull should get interesting on a tropical afternoon when the blackbody  temperature gets to around what, 180F (82C)?  Typically a room temperature epoxy will have a heat distortion temperature (HDT)  of around 160 F or so. But they have more forgiving impact properties. High temperature cure epoxies can tolerate the temperature but have fragile characteristics on impact.  The other question would be how the core can survive that temperature.  Or any voids in the laminate.  Finally, how do you stay ahead of the UV damage and dock damage.

Most interesting to me is the psychology of showing off ones carbon.  At every roadstead you charge in and declare “I’m the baddest boat here, bitches.”  What is that?  Like a  high school beta male now had a successful IPO, and is declaring his alpha now to anyone who looks?

Also, as has been noted by others, unit #1 looks down on her lines and down by the stern.  I did notice on the video, the views of transom in the water are blocked.  Launch is as dry and empty as they get.  For the selling price of a few million, and design fee of what $100K(?), that transom had better be well out of the water.  Payload will push it down soon enough.

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3 thoughts on “That Bright Carbon Cat”

  1. The clear carbon is definitely an exercise in dick waving. The rest of the boat I’m not sure. My observation is that bridgedeck clearance doesn’t seem particularly generous which does make you wonder whether it will pound on certain points of sail. The performance looks to be ok from the videos so far, not setting the world on fire by racing boat standards but certainly comparable with other heavily equipped cruiser/racer catamarans. I do wonder if weight targets were hit, often multihulls built in developing countries work out heavier than they should.

  2. What is missing from this picture? Why, all carbon fiber uniforms for the crew of course!

    And how can they live with white paint on the decks hiding all that carbon from view of the owner?

  3. Hi, Kurt! Just for the record, I would rather have you design a sailboat for me, rather than MM. I looked at their photos of the HH66 and it seemed to be floating high, as far as that goes. They have four of that model in various stages of build/completion. Point well taken with the dark finish of carbon beneath the clear. Would the clear be worse than black opaque paint for heat gain, do you think? Certainly clear is worse for UV and dock side damage, yes! It did look amazing. I know that some of my productions at first had a fancier finish and after a while went to more of a workboat style for practical reasons, so that is definitely an option at a later date. Everyone has their niche in life, and I am not worried if people who have too much money want to waste it on excessive carbon fibre. There is not much we can do about it. I am not sure if these people are your clients. Yours seem to be more down to earth. Keep up the good work!

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