Mmmm flames ..... Looks great cookee. Thanks for sharing the progress with us

The boat looks superb, Cookie - thanks for showing the photos and updating us on the progress..

The 2012 Round Britain race is shaping up as a very exciting event, especially being timed to coincide w/ the next Olympics.

With all the US boaters on this board, and all the resources available here, it would be exciting to get someone to represent us in that event or at least crew a participating boat - I think it would provide a great adventure that could be documented for everyone to enjoy - much like Bobthebulder's Caribbean trip thread.

I think a pair of the Verado 350's would be ideal - the Yamaha V8's would also get the boat moving quite well, and you get a lot more room in the boat for leisure use that way.

Blackjack - Marathon racing is really taking off over here with two other brand new boats being built and we all hope to be ready for the UIM World Championships in Cowes this August in different classes but all around the same length.

RG - I think the flames would definitely be for the US only - we're a bit more restrained over here!

Another diesel engine choice would be the soon to be released Banks supercharged twin turbo 6.6L Duramax. At 800hp/900tq and 5800rpm WOT it promises to revolutionize diesel engine performance.

It's been "soon to be released" for a while now hasn't it?

Anyway more progress to show!

The latest set of photos show the application of the Formica and the boat with the final application of hibuild paint, we then turned the boat to make it easier to polish the deck and cockpit roof. It will stay on the A frames until the gel coat and first few layers of matt of the mould have been applied, it will then be returned to the floor where the stiffening will be applied and the moulds removed.

The grey sheet on the foredeck is protect the Formica when working topsides - it was removed shortly after the photo was taken.

Gelcoat tomorrow!

Engines tomorrow or Thursday I hope.

Well a bit overdue for an update - the moulds came out really well and we're well on the way to building the boat. We have put 1" balsa in the bottom of the hull with two layers of 600 X300 combi mat either side of it with thinner balsa for the sides and deck.

The large vents are big holes in the side of the boat and a potential weak spot, so we have put over 6000 metres of Kevlar thread into the sides, this is then covered over with filler and more combi mat over that. We have also put Kevlar between the join in the two screens.

Just woundering. Why is a 1" balsa core stronger than a 1/2"? I mean the would itself is not very strong and if the glass is the same how much stronger can really be?

Thanks.

In the case above, the strength is govered by a mechanics of materials formula that says the strength increases with the cube of the thickness. So, by doubling the core thickness, you will have 8 times the stiffness and strength.

Just like 2X8 floor joist is 8 times stiffer & stronger than a 2x4 floor joist would be.

Hope this helps.

Couldn't have put it better!

ps Here are some pictures to show what the boat will look like ...........

Thank you. That is surprizing when you are talking balsa. I didn't think it played that much of a role in the overall structure.