Found this on a website :
Forte Reinforced Tubular Structures, Inc.
194 Riverside Ave
New Bedford, MA 02746 508-991-4828
Mailto:
Mtdilemma@aol.comForte RTS is willing to market in Europe the carbon beams it produces making use of the filament winding technique both for A class and 18HT catamarans. The beams have been engineered by Pete Melvin and are very light and very stiff.
The well known Gunboat, the Javelin 2 of Peter Johnstone, is fitted with RTS Forte beams.
Description: Structural Spars A Class Strikerless ;
Overall diameter 82.55mm in area of attachment
A class Forward beam ; Weight Kg 2,750 ; Price USD 299,72 ex factory
A Class Aft beam ; Weight Kg 1,650 ; Price USD 255,36 ex factory
Description: Structural Spars 18HT Strikerless Forward Beam ;
Overall diameter in the area of attachment 97mm ; Weight Kg 4,100
Description: Structural Spars 18HT Aft beam -
Overall diameter in the area of attachment 95mm ; Weight Kg 2,750
Price for the set: USD 883,28 ex factory
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(wouter) as comparison a 95 mm by 2 mm 18HT rearbeam in T6 or T7 aluminium is about 4.0 kg and costs about 100 Euro's = 130 US$ This beam with dolphin striker as mainbeam will be about 7.0 kg. However a big section like that is not need as the mainbeam. You can do it for 6 kg without any noticeable loss of stiffness. With respect to carbon beams such a setup may well be stiffer. That Striker setup does really lead to alot of stiffness in the vertical plane. Note how these weights are all excluding any additional fitted like mastfoot and endplates. The same applies to teh carbon beams. Both sets of beams will therefore come out heavier.
All you F16 sailor please note that you may have carbon beams but you may not glue them to the hulls. Sorry.
Wouter
