TMS-20 update

I posted a few pictures on the website for an update. I have not done much to the boat since the Tybee-500. But I’ve been really busy getting some planning and other things in order. It was great to meet some of the Tybee teams in Jupiter at the beach then later for Gumbo and drinks at Craig's Condo. How about that Gumbo! Jake still got that mast foot? Then things got really crazy I ended up scoring a Tornado carbon fiber spar thanks to Faster Damn It and Undecided. I also meet with Kevin Cook to learn about vacuum bagging and carbon fiber and ended up getting his old mold for his boat. So by the end of the week I was driving to Washington DC to work and pick up a mast, a mold, and a free 20’ trailer.

My check engine light came on in Savanna the about 5 hours before the Tybee finished. I figured I’d stop in Pep Boys get a tune-up and catch the end of the race. Well I was a bit longer and $900 poorer - most of the boats finished before I made it to Tybee Island. I’d been up for 24 hours now at 4:30 am and I broke a spring on the free trailer outside Durham. I spend from 6:30 am until 3:30 pm finding a set of springs and putting them on. I sure thought I was going to pull the tag and just be out the 14 bucks for new lights on the trailer but I was able to get er’ done.

I got to Kevin’s and found out a 34’ mold does not fit a 20’ trailer too well. I went to work Monday thinking I only had a few hours of work - it took all week and I had to fly back to Palm Beach in the middle of the week. Part of the deal was I had to get the mold out of his yard before his daughter graduation party. I flew my wife back with me and I had to still work a day (real job) then by Friday afternoon I went to work at Kevin's building a pipe structure to put the mold up in the air over the bed of my trailer. A picture is on the website. One of the pipes cracked and 4x4’s were added Jed Clampett didn’t have **** on me.

Thanks for the Mold Kevin! That will be my next project a 34-foot cat or a TMS-34. I also picked up the Carbon Fiber mast on the trip.

After getting the mast I started thinking Carbon Fiber Hmm….Sure is light….Hmmm.
I found a Fiber Glass dealer who buys seconds, end of rolls ect.. and scored a roll of plain weave 5.7oz carbon cloth for 18/yd. Still a big price but a good deal so now I’ll be building the boat in carbon fiber. I’ve got Kurt Hughes the designer working on a lay-up for the carbon fiber. Instead of going 150% on the ama’s we are adding 4 inches of freeboard and a little length, this will give less wetted surface, better righting moment, and should let us get out on the ama’s. I may go to a little thicker foam also.

I’ve been working on a lay-up table and a hot box for the cloth. I built the table from stuff I had around in the shop from when I built the man shed. It took a little longer but I did not have to buy much. I have the table done and most of the hot box framed out. I need to put on doors and I’m going to glass the outside to make it water proof. That way I do not have to worry about my glass getting wet and the binders washing out.

Anybody have any tips on wiring a hotbox?

Once I get done with that then I will get back to planking out the hull. I have a work trip to St Croix next week every once in a while I luck out! Later……
Mike

http://www.themanshed.net/tms-20-trimaran/?g2_page=9