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I'm building one too
By:Jack Sanderson
Date: 12/6/2002, 2:49 pm
In Response To: Material: Light weight layup (Larry C.)

Larry,

As you know I am building the same RBA boat for racing. I have come the full circle on the weight issue. I started out thinking about and ultra light boat with carbon fiber and other high tech / high cost materials but am now thinking differently.

My reason for wanting a lightweight boat is that I do at least two races a year that involve portaging around dams. The takeouts and put in tend to be rocky and trying to rush through these can be brutal on the boat bottom. Not to mention that getting in and out of a cockpit quickly stresses the cockpit. For this reason I am now shying away from an ULTRA-light version of the RBA. I want to make sure that there is enough glass on the bottom and around the cockpit to take the abuse of a fast put-in or take out. If this adds 5 more lbs it will be worth it to me not to have a catastrophic failure during a portage.

On the other hand I will definitely be building this RBA lighter than my first boat the Guillemot ES. With 3/16” strips, no plywood bulkheads and better glassing technique I should pick up significant weight savings. The lighter boat on the longer portages (1/2 mile) will make a difference. The last 5lbs isn’t worth a fragile boat to me.

On races without portages I believe there are diminishing returns on lightening your boat. A fast hull shape and efficient stroke is what is going to make the biggest difference for me.

Regards,

Jack

Messages In This Thread

Material: Light weight layup
Larry C. -- 12/5/2002, 12:30 pm
I'm building one too
Jack Sanderson -- 12/6/2002, 2:49 pm
Re: I'm building one too
Larry C. -- 12/7/2002, 8:17 am
Thanks, everyone *NM*
Larry C. -- 12/7/2002, 8:22 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/6/2002, 1:08 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Jeff The Tall -- 12/6/2002, 3:18 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Mike Loriz -- 12/6/2002, 1:11 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Don Lucas -- 12/6/2002, 11:04 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup - Bulkheads
KenB -- 12/6/2002, 1:02 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup - Bulkheads
Shawn Baker -- 12/6/2002, 4:44 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Mark -- 12/5/2002, 6:53 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Mike Loriz -- 12/6/2002, 12:57 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup *Pic*
Chip Sandresky -- 12/5/2002, 7:25 pm
Budget, weaker pressure "vacuum bagging"
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/6/2002, 10:42 pm
Re: vac bagging
Mark -- 12/6/2002, 10:15 am
Re: vac bagging
Jeff The Tall -- 12/6/2002, 2:48 pm
Re: vac bagging
Shawn Baker -- 12/6/2002, 6:16 pm
Re: vac bagging
Chip Sandresky -- 12/6/2002, 5:25 pm
Re: vac bagging
Mark -- 12/7/2002, 12:58 pm
Re: vac bagging *LINK*
david schneider -- 12/14/2002, 12:03 pm
Re: vac bagging
Roger Nuffer -- 12/14/2002, 12:58 pm
Re: vac bagging *LINK*
david schneider -- 12/14/2002, 4:25 pm
Re: vac bagging
Shawn Baker -- 12/6/2002, 6:20 pm
Re: vac bagging
Mark -- 12/6/2002, 4:52 pm
Re: vac bagging
Jeff The Tall -- 12/9/2002, 4:52 pm
Re: vac bagging - OK for Wiki?
Shawn Baker -- 12/6/2002, 6:19 pm
OT: thanks for the pic
Larry -- 12/5/2002, 10:50 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Scott Fitzgerrell -- 12/5/2002, 3:18 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Rob Macks -- 12/5/2002, 4:03 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Shawn Baker -- 12/5/2002, 4:25 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Mike Loriz -- 12/5/2002, 2:37 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Jim Kozel -- 12/5/2002, 3:11 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
mike loriz -- 12/5/2002, 5:09 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Jim Kozel -- 12/7/2002, 9:41 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Mike Loriz -- 12/10/2002, 7:33 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Fred -- 12/7/2002, 10:08 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Jim Kozel -- 12/7/2002, 11:32 am
Re: Material: Light weight layup
KenB -- 12/5/2002, 2:29 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
LeeG -- 12/6/2002, 2:28 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Chip Sandresky -- 12/5/2002, 3:12 pm
Re: Material: Light weight layup
Shawn Baker -- 12/5/2002, 2:24 pm
Out there.
Myrl Tanton -- 12/5/2002, 12:44 pm
Re: Out there.
Ross Sieber -- 12/5/2002, 1:49 pm
RE: Boom! - are you sure?
Myrl Tanton -- 12/5/2002, 3:50 pm
Re: RE: Boom! - are you sure?
Larry -- 12/5/2002, 10:34 pm
Re: Float bag contents
Shawn Baker -- 12/5/2002, 4:23 pm
Re: COTFLGUOAHAHA
Ross Sieber -- 12/5/2002, 5:13 pm
Re: RE: Boom! - are you sure? *LINK*
Ross Sieber -- 12/5/2002, 4:23 pm
Re: Out there.
Don Flowers -- 12/5/2002, 3:15 pm
Re: Boom!
Shawn Baker -- 12/5/2002, 2:17 pm
Re: Out there.
Bruce -- 12/5/2002, 1:18 pm