The "Sib-Lim" Challenge

  • 26 Nov 2014 13:48
    Reply # 3158409 on 3144241

    Dear Annie,

    JUNK RIGGED CATAMARANS

    Well sailing across the Atlantic in a wee Wharram would put an but the hardiest soul off cats for life!

    To try an keep the, albeit rather small, flag for junk rigged catamarans flying, a few more comments:

    A)  Build time.  I would question whether it is much different, it would be enlightening to hear Pete's view.  You are working with lighter components that can be manhandled, at least until joined together.  Take a look at  http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/cheapcat.html  A 30ft cat for $21k  £12k (though not sure when)  Built in 900hrs by an Ozzie in his 70s,  designed on the back of a beer mat after a few stubbies  (Annie: a youngster like yourself, inspired by a few glasses of the red stuff could produce a really elegant design!!)

    B)  I have contacted Bernd Kholer, he says a single junk rig may be ok on the KD860 (Orynx is an extended KD860). 

    C) The interior of a bridge-deck cat is a very pleasant and social space,  good views out on at least 3 sides.   There is good contact between galley and sitting area.  If you spend much time at anchor, where there could be any swell, a cat is going to be so much more comfortable.  You can also squeeze up little creeks, without too much worry about being stuck. I would admit, not so good in a rocky harbour, full of steel fishing boat (as around E Scotland).

    D) Heating, yes considerably more than a Mono, but if you are building lots of insulation can be added, so should be cosy enough.

    E) The more I look at the KD860, the more I think what a good looking cat.  Probably about as small as you can go and not look ungainly.  http://ikarus342000.com/KD860page.htm

    Whether I get the time and energy to start my own build, who knows?

    Cheers Mark


  • 26 Nov 2014 09:58
    Reply # 3158335 on 3144241
    Haha, yes Anthony...and you'd probably want a mort-gage to pay for it too.

    I think one disadvantage is the need to scrape hull back to the undercoat  before applying.  

  • 25 Nov 2014 20:14
    Reply # 3157997 on 3144241
    Deleted user

    Don't know about the others but can speak in favour of coppercoat - although it's about 3x the price of regular antifouling.

    The previous owner of my boat did a test area of about a square foot a couple of years ago. When I hauled her out last March the clean square looked very odd, but impressive.

  • 25 Nov 2014 20:04
    Reply # 3157988 on 3144241

    Roger - thanks, looks interesting.  My only reservation is they say it can be expected to last for at least 18 years, which is rather more than can be said for myself...

  • 25 Nov 2014 18:35
    Reply # 3157907 on 3144241

    What about this one?

    http://www.mecmarine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Coppercoat-brochure_2012.pdf

  • 25 Nov 2014 09:01
    Reply # 3157631 on 3144241

    Annie and Peter, thank you both for the information.  Not much warm water around Yarmouth at the moment (or ever...).  ZL is epoxy/ply and has about 15 years' worth of old anti-fouling on her bottom, which is now flaking, so stripping-off time is imminent and I like the idea of something which is going to last longer than a few months.

  • 24 Nov 2014 08:07
    Reply # 3156880 on 3144241
    Deleted user

    Annie, I put a home made epoxy with copper antifouling on Malliemac. It appeared to work quite well last year but since she spent more time in the marina than out at sea it was not really a good test. Since then I have been told about another commercial copper antifouling made by Reactive Resins here in the UK called Synergy. This uses a water based epoxy and does not need to be abraded once applied. I am thinking of applying it to Mallie. I am not sure if it is availble outside the UK. It may be worth a look.

    Last modified: 24 Nov 2014 15:18 | Deleted user
  • 23 Nov 2014 22:55
    Reply # 3156652 on 3144241
    Anthony: the idea is that you mix pure copper powder into mixed epoxy resin and then coat the bottom of the boat with this.  We did it on Badger and I know one or two people who have done it since.  I have the proportions somewhere, but am launching Fantail tomorrow morning, so am a bit short of time to find the bit of paper at the moment.  Scrubbing the hull with a good abrader (such as a heavy-duty Scotch pad) allows new particles of copper to be exposed and they act in a similar manner to copper sheeting.

    Copper as antifouling doesn't work particularly well in warm waters, or primaeval soups caused by nutrient run-off, so the method isn't suitable for Fantail's 5+ft of draught, not in the least because I'm a lousy swimmer and diver.  However, the idea is that Sib-Lim will be beached for the purpose, so I can wade around to scrub off the new growth.  I would anticipate having to do this about once a month.

  • 20 Nov 2014 22:17
    Reply # 3155273 on 3144241

    Annie - slightly off-topic, but could you please expand on "the copper/epoxy antifouling system"?

    Anthony

  • 19 Nov 2014 19:22
    Reply # 3154542 on 3144241
    I reckon that a centreboard case has to be 'openable' at the top, and this, in fact, is the concern I have about leaks, not the structure itself.  I have great faith in wood and epoxy, correctly engineered. 

    While a steel centreboard case makes perfect sense, structurally, it is very hard to maintain.  In addition, you have a solid lump of cold steel in the cabin - all too often near the table and ready to bang - or chill - your knees.  I've done my time with steel and don't like maintaining it!  In addition, the copper/epoxy antifouling system would be incompatible with it.

    The idea of the flange/end plate seems like an excellent one.  It would have to be fairly thick material in order to tolerate the odd rough grounding, but I can't see that that would be an issue.

    One reason I like the bilgeboard/leeboard idea is that one can cant the boat over to clean out the barnacles and oysters that have taken up residence below the waterline.  This is harder to do with a centreboard.

    Yes, I know I'm asking the impossible, but that's the object of this exercise :-)

       " ...there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in junk-rigged boats" 
                                                               - the Chinese Water Rat

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