Comments on Thom's input: The weight and the non use of carbon in place of aluminum on the ARC 22 was a business decission, not a technical decision. The builder could take approximately 75 pounds out of the boat with carbon parts, like the mast and beams and tillers and cross bar, spin pole, etc and Aramid Fiber rigging. This would raise the cost/price of the boat another $10,000.00 to $15,000.00. Now there is Cuben Fiber sail cloth for another $15.000.00 and a 10 pound weight savings. Where do you draw the line? This is not a decision that requires advanced technology. All of these carbon parts can be purchased from outside suppliers. Do you want to sell 5 boats per year at $20K with a PN of 58 or do you want to sell one boat with a PN of 56 for $50K

Aquarius decided to get the most bang for the buck , the biggest weight reduction for the dollar, and put the carbon in the hulls, CBs and rudders and have a $20K base boat price.

The Aquarius ARC22 hulls are among the best made and lightest weight hulls in the world. Take the metal off and you have a 90 pound hull 22ft long that can take the loads of a 12ft beam double trap. Scale that down to 20ft long and it weighs 67 pounds. Scale it on down to 18ft and a hull would weigh 49 pounds. Now that's technology. Some of the old carbon 22 hulls are over 10 years old and still going strong. The 22 hull is a wave piercing hull shape designed for sailing in the ocean. The high crown deck will split a wave just as easy as the keel and keep on ripping. The eliptical curved hull cross sectional shape is inherently stronger and stiffer than a slab sided hull with a flat deck like.... you know.

Good Sailing,

Bill