Team Seacats

Our buddy building the SR-71 Blackbird has posted a significant update where he’s building wing skins now and gluing them together. He’s using an interesting technique in both installing the internal structure and attaching to two narrow skins together in the mold. As for the inner structure, he’s using blue construction foam first gluing it to the skin half. Then he comes back with a hot cutting wire and cuts the foam flush with the top of the mold flange. After this is done to both sides, he applies glue to the foam and lays in a resin soaked piece of carbon fiber tow on the fine little edge of the skin where it will bond with the other skin and sandwiches the two halves together to cure. Although I probably need something a little more structurally sound than foam for the primary bulkhead, the timing is good as I’m still trying to perfect our hull halve blind joining method. While I doubt the necessity of using carbon in the seam, since it probably adds very little strength value, the use of tow to fill and help join the two thin sections is an interesting idea. I too used to use wedges to separate the mold halves but I have found that air pressure shot from a simple air nozzle usually does the trick much more easily and with less potential for damage to your mold surface. Link to the sled.

Originally uploaded by Team Seacats.

The Hydroptere team is on standby waiting for a weather window in which to launch their bid for the 500meter sailing speed record. Apparently the WSSRC has approved of their onboard equipment to be used to record the speed and distance data. I’ll keep you posted here or you can keep checking their site; Hydroptere

Gitana 13 (Formerly Innovation Explorer from “The Race”) set out a couple of days ago to best the Columbus Route of Discovery Record currently held by Steve Fossett’s Cheyenne (125 foot) catamaran of just over 9.5 days. Boy, wouldn’t Columbus be impressed that we can sail from Cadiz to the Bahamas in a whole lot less time than his five weeks!

Gitana had fallen slightly behind Fossett’s pace while sitting in some still weather. She had finally broken free when they had an impact with a UFO (Unidentified Floating Object) yesterday and broke the starboard rudder at the hull. Unfortunately a large chunk of that rudder is partially attached and is threatening to do further damage to the hull. The crew intends to send a person into the water to free the rest of the rudder to hopefully avoid a larger problem – but the great sailing weather is impeding this repair and they’re slowly trying to make their way toward land. They’ve given up on the record attempt. I hope they find some land soon and safely.

More info and some video on The Gitana Site.

Originally uploaded by Team Seacats.

I managed to squeak out a hull during the last several days. I vacuum bagged both halves using epoxy resin (I’m beginning to doubt the benefits of vacuum bagging these hulls in this situation), and got two pretty good halves. I glued them together along an external flange that will later be removed (I will probably join the future boats within the molds). For the purpose of verifying the correct amount of ballast, I thought it important to get the hull floating to determine if the waterline was where we thought it would be and that the CG for the ballast is correct. Good news; it’s right on the money. Now that I know a 4lb bulb is ideal, I’ll start the work on the lead mold and keel strut while I polish up this prototype. You’re probably wondering why the halves are different colors…well…I was experimenting with tints for resins for a feature yet to be announced….stay tuned.  The hull weight is just about at target at about 363 grams (.8 pounds) – durability really feels good.
 

       
  

The team abord Hydroptere (actually … French) is now waiting for a weather window in which to launch their attempt for the world speed record.  What a magnificent campaign. Hydroptere