The hull was built using the SCRIMP process. Chuck Paine provided the laminate schedule which specified the thickness and angle of orientation for each layer of E-glass. The various layers of E-glass are put in place on either side of the A-rated Corecell, while dry. Then piping for the resin is laid in horizontal strips separated vertically by about 18″. This is all encased in an air tight plastic wrap and a vacuum is applied at the top edge. The magic moment is when the hoses are led to buckets and drums of Derakane 8084 vinylester resin and the clamps removed to allow the resin to flow. The resin is drawn up into the pipes and saturates the materials while slowly moving up the hull. Two months of works comes to fruition in a few hours and 24 hours later a new hull is ready for the next steps. After adding various longitudinal and athwarship stiffeners, the mold was split in half and the hull was lifted out.

Mars Metals built the keel from a CAD file supplied by Chuck. Mars built a mold, positioned the keel bolts, and filled the mold with 17,000 lbs of lead. It arrived at Lyman-Morse and the hull dropped onto the keel bolts without hesitation. It doesn’t get much better than that!

JB personally tightens the keel bolts – May 2007

Everything lines up and the hull drops onto the keel – May 2007

Lots of epoxy – May 2007

The hull is lowered onto the keel – May 2007

Keel in profile – May 2007

Women are from Venus, keels are from Mars (Metals Company) – May 2007

Onto the trailer to be moved to the new building – Apr 2007

Success! – Apr 2007

Crane lifts the hull out of the mold – Apr 2007

The mold is split and the hull comes free – Apr 2007

Longitudinal reinforcement along the upper hullApr 2007

Longitudinal reinforcements are built by handMar 2007

The next day, a hull! – Mar 2007

Hoses led to resin buckets, the moment of truth – Mar 2007

Plastic covers everything and the vacuum pump is in place – Mar 2007

Mesh and distribution lines for resin – Feb 2007

Inner fiberglass skin applied over core at starboard quarter – Feb 2007

Core is covered with inside skin of fiberglass – Feb 2007

Core completely applied at starboard quarter – Feb 2007

Core partially applied over out layer of fiberglass – Feb 2007

Release material is applied first – Jan 2007

Scaffolding is put in place inside the mold – Jan 2007