working on it !
BOW CONSTRUCTION and PROGRESS
As of Dec.2009 - IKE moved but did not destroy most of the components. We did loose the "top corners" not yet completed
The bow consist of a Stem / Keel, the Upper Corners and the interface bulkhead to the hulls. The Stem / Keel is designed to take some frontal impact loads into the hull structure. The Upper Corners are similar to those of the hulls, are structural and provide the bonding area between the deck and the sides. The shape is constructed by forcing "planks" from the very front of the timber onto the bulkhead joining the bow section to the hulls. The entire structure will then be completed with several layers of fiberglass using epoxy resin as the matrix.
 |
|
 |
 |
| A rendering of the final shape |
I wish we were there! |
The start of the upper corners THESE PARTS WERE DESTROYED DURING IKE | ready for completion in the shop |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The steel "mold" | completed stem / keel | the "planks" being fabricated | "UNI" glass / foam / glass sandwich | Epoxy Matrix E-glass PVC foam |
The planks are fabricated, using a steel I-beam as a mold. The PVC foam being installed, then the outer layer of UNI glass is applied on top. Lack of enough Epoxy resin has stopped the actual completion of the first bow section. Instead we are fabricating all the "planks" for the opposing bow section. The twenty some planks have now been completed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Starting the construction under the cabin beams |
excuse the mess from foam templates | ready to "tie" the very front |
starting to look like a BOW |
|
After completion of the first halve of the two bows, duplication will be relatively easy. Templates will be fabricated to construct a mirror image of the first unit. Each Port and Stbd section can then be used as a "male" mold, to be duplicated.
Home NASA Aircraft Gliders Turrell "Skyspace" Wind Turbines CF-Concrete Repairs