I spent the last night or two getting ready for this fairly sizeable glass job. 2 layers of six ounce cloth over the keel foil. In the end it took 48 shots of epoxy (more than half of which I'm sure ended up getting squeegied out). Here is before:
And after:
One side came out more fair than the other but I geuss that was going to happen no matter what. It looks pretty good tonight. We'll see what it looks like in the light of day tomorrow.
The original i550 was created for the MicroTon class, and has since been upgraded and redrawn as a one-off sportboat for fleet racing.
Due to it’s simple construction method, there’s not much to the construction process. The whole thing can be cutout, and “stitched” together in a weekend. The construction process is fairly simple and straightforward; The wood panels are cutout and “stitched” together in a string jig to keep the boat symmetric. Once the boat has been stitched, the open hull is left right side up, and the seams glued with glass tape and epoxy. Frames are set in the boat, and taped with epoxy in place. The whole interior can then be epoxied and finished before adding the decking.
Decking comes next, then the hull exterior itself. The boat is still light enough in this stage that it can be easily turned over with the help of come friends. The bottom faired and finished and the hull turned back upright. Rigging is added, and any interior details come next. Sounds simple ? That’s because it is. Total build time is typically about 200 man hours. There is room down below for simple accommodations, and “camp style” sleeping. Plenty of room on deck ensures comfort both up and downwind. A bulbed keel gives stability and righting moment while allowing the boat to keep dinghy like performance.
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