Gahh, baking pizzas and reading the forum at the same time.. Truly sorry Robi!

This is the only place I can ask a question and get a reasoned answer.

There is no direct F16 link. But, gel coat is heavy and weak. Replacing it might not be a bad idea.

Let's say you built an all carbon boat. It would be light, strong and relatively more expensive and would also need uv protectin. BN (ballistic nylon) is strong and cheap. You could cover the boat with it and it would be cheaper and stronger than gel coat. Assuming it could be applied like a vinyl wall covering, you could change aesthetic schemes fairly easily.

Remember, it's Sunday afternoon and I'm trying to avoid my lawn mower. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Pete,
to my limited knowledge Ballistic Nylon comes as fiber weave, not a film type material. There are UV protection films, or dent proof films to be applied on car paint to resist denting from small pebbles and gravel. Also glass anti burglary films do a great job for UV protection, dent and abrasion resistance, but they are heavy depending on the degree of protection needed. Check out Oracal special films, or Llumar.

Yes, I have it from several sources that the lightest timber A-cats of the late 80's were 45-50 kg's but they would break their bows of during a pitchpole.

Some moth hulls build out of ply are 15 kg or less (3.55 mtr)

Wouter

Pete,
Do you know the name of the person that tried to provide you with some enlightenment.
What he is saying is possible. It all comes down to the skill of the builder.
So there would be some people who can do this and many more people who could not.
I know some people who built timber A classes 20 yrs ago and they came out at 74kg. Up until a couple of years ago I knew where two of the three were still sailing. I'm aware of No problems other than a crack in the front beam of one of them after more than 10 yrs. No big deal the round aluminium tube was replaced.

Since then with hull shape changes moving the bouyancy lower in the hulls there has been a decrease in the required surface area of the hulls which would normally amount to decrease in weight of the hulls. This is partly why they are now building composite As up to 5kg under min.

So IF you are skilled enough and IF you have a shape that can be easily formed from ply there are people who could do this.

When you say the old boats were heavy or that they broke I put it to you that these boats were built by those who could not do this.

As for the statement As don't last because you don't see the older ones around.
I think this has a lot more to do with the specialist use of these boats. They are not designed as recreational boats and as the hull shapes of the boats at the front of the fleet have evolved so much the older boats no longer are of any use.

Just the way I see it.

Regards,
Phill

simpler still would be a coating of UV resistant paint ..

He is a new club member. I don't recall his name at the moment.

As disposable as an F16, F18 or any other cat(from a strength and design point of view).......

The mk5 Boyer is still a very good platform and with a new set of rags on a good stick will be competitive. I still think the Flyer is as good as any of the other designs that have developed since and is certainly a better looking boat then the Gelteck Flyer.

Still plenty of early Boyers being raced in anger both at club and regatta level...... Still very robust boats too.

There is a mk1 sailing still in races here.. It does need some TLC but otherwise its fine