[hpv-boats] Low Weight Hull

[Rick Willoughby]

The first boat of my V16 pedal boat design variant is being built in  
Maine, USA.

As well as being the first V16 hull that uses the 32 parameter  
Michlet shape function for optimisation, it is also the first to be  
built in a female mould.

The mould was made from low cost melamine coated particle board using  
a slightly curved board for the bottom and two boards flared up from  
the bottom to form the sides.  The mould is simple to make as it  
comprises just three flat panels with stiffeners.

The shape is drag minimised for 120kg total displacement with a  
heayweight pilot and sustainable power output of 120W resulting in a  
hull length of 6.4m.

The shell made in the mould using glass/foam/epoxy composite and  
vacuum bagged during cure weighs 6kg and is near perfect finish over  
most of the area:
http://www.rickwill.bigpondhosting.com/img_3967.jpeg
http://www.rickwill.bigpondhosting.com/img_3969.jpeg
The finished hull with bulkheads and deck panels should be under 10kg.

Rick Willoughby
rickwill at bigpond.net.au