The Composite Boat Building class recently built a prototype of an LS 20 and did some dynamic testing, as in smashed it to see what happens with hand laminated balsa core vs infused Corecell foam core. The hull was then cut into sections that were fully examined, examined, before getting delivered to Marine Systems for further work. Because nothing goes to waste here.
Prior to the fun part of whacking the hull with a mallet, Instructor Justin Taylor had specific lessons in mind. He wanted his students to:
Build a hull with two different, but widely used processes and different materials
Build and install stringers and bulkheads in the hull
Release and demold a large part
Repair and refinish gelcoat and other (intentionally created) defects
After those lessons, the students took a hammer to the hull and examined the parts.
“The intent of the demolition was really just for them to see how certain laminates react to damaging blows,” Justin Taylor said. After they cut the hull, Justin noted, “I made sure the students cut the boat right at the damaged spots so we could get a cross section” and the students got together to talk about how badly the areas were affected structurally.
But the project didn’t end there. Those cut pieces were shared with Marine Systems for further work.
A job in marine systems entails more than simply knowing where to clip and rig wires. A new-build and a repair requires knowledge of how boats are designed and how composites function in a hull. To get to the wires, a systems pro must know how to build shelving, run wiring, or cut a hole in a bulkhead. These real-shape sections were also a challenge for the class’ thru-hull fitting lab.
To prepare them for the hull pieces, Justin met with Nate Andrew’s Marine Systems class to discuss composites basics, such as the difference between materials, how they perform, why people choose specific materials, and expectations a builder has for certain materials (e.g., the difference between Kevlar and fiberglass or epoxy and polyester resin).
After those lessons, the students worked on the sectioned LS 20 hull pieces—cutting, grinding, installing thru-hulls and seacocks.
Not for nothing, Justin also swung by the Wooden Boat Building class for a quick lesson prior to them glassing the decks of the Town Classes.
