Sharing an advice from THE Designer

After I received the plans I spent most time reading them, cross checking info and trying to get confident of the project until I felt I was ready to order materials in a logical way: one of the advantage of selfbuilding your boat is that you can spend money a little at a time (a little ... well, not in a single shot, anyway). Now I've ordered materials to stay busy all winter long (maybe longer ;-), before starting with the hulls in spring, working in a greenhouse in my backyard as Jay did. We'll build every flat part and the foils in a single car garage, downstairs.

My main supplier does not stock 0-90° BD knitted glass. DB +/- 45° yes, starting with a fine 300gr (9oz) at a competitive price. So I asked Ian two things (yes ! I haven't yet started to build and I've already bothered him):

1. is fiber orientation critical with biaxial balanced fabric ?
2. is 300gr (9oz) a possible substitute for 330-400gr (10-12oz) ?

Before sending the mail I kept saying myself "BUILD TO PLANS !" but ... well, I wanted to thanks Ian for those amazing plans, anyway, and send him the link to this blog, so I went for it.

He replied quickly (I'm afraid he is a little out of a relaxed 9-5 mon-fri work timetable) and so I think it's useful to share what I learnt: maybe others will come to the same questions and reading here they'll be able to avoid to distract THE designer so he can go on with his more important tasks.

1) fiber orientation:
Yes it can be important, but only where I specifically state orientation, such as floats (0.90). Most bulkheads can be 45 - 45. If I don¹t say anthing then it can be either.

2) 300gr (9oz) use:
It is a bit light to use for 400gm, but may be okay with epoxy resin - but the risk is yours!! With my own boat I would probably use it.

Sure I don't have the experience and ability of Ian in working with composites, nevertheless I'll go for this 300gr (9oz) DB knitted e-glass, rotating it 45° where specified 0-90° and overlapping where needed. Epoxy (Bakelite EPR L1100), peelply and postcure everywhere ! This is for all flat parts. Foils will be all carbon, a la F-22 R.

I've more time before deciding glass fabric for hulls. For the outer skin I've found a fine UniDirectional 290gr e-glass, 127cm (50") high ... I'd use 2 layers, first lenghtwise, last 90° rotated, no overlaps on the same layer ... Luke, build to plans ! ;-)

What do you think, dear friends ? Comments welcome, as always !

Am I spreading reserved info ? I don't think so, but in case Ian knows how to reach me.

Center or dagger board ?

Maybe a poll is useless. In fact, doing my homework, I found these choices:

• Centerboard: Menno, Oliver.
• Daggerboard: Ed, Jay, Grant, Roger, Tor, Luigi.

I prefer centerboard, at present, "its offset case taking up less room in the cabin, plus it will kick back should it hit bottom". These seems good properties for a cruising program. Centerboard case seems a little easier to build, too.

Should I think the majority of you are building racing rockets ? Comments welcome, as always.

Deriva a baionetta o basculante ? Basculante ! Più adatta alla crociera. Ma per perchè quasi tutti la fanno a baionetta ? Pazzi per le regate ? Commentate, gente, commentate ...

Kind of cabins

I voted for aft cockpit + full cabin. I too am building a cruiser, and I fully agree with Tor: Farrier boats are safe, comfortable, FAST cruiser, not racing rockets. I sail in a warmer climate (Northern Adriatic). But I choose aft cockpit because aft cabin scares me a lot:It's a joke and I hope Oliver does not mind if I stole his picture. My choice is mainly driven by personal aesthetics taste, at present. I think, anyway, that an open aft cockpit is better if you are running before the wind, escaping a scaring wave like this:

I apologize for this useless post: I promise I'll stop (as soon as I start to mix resin). I think no more votes are espected about kind of cabins, so it's time for a new poll. Old poll's results here below for history.

I wish you all a good boatbuilding week end.

Il nostro sarà un F-22 col pozzetto aperto a poppa e cabina intera. Caso mai dovessimo prenderci un frangentone scappando di poppa, almeno si svuota in fretta. Poi, detto tra noi, esteticamente la cabina a poppa non mi piace. Buon fine settimana "barcostruttivo" a tutti !

First foam sheets ordered

Foam should be available in 7 / 14 days. Brand name Angeloni ET-75: PVC 75 Kg. 12 sheets (1000 x 2150mm) needed for +/- all flat parts. Still waiting for price and availability about B glass (DB 0-90°).

Q.: As a chain is strong as its weakest point, why should we vacuum bag flat panels while we (usually) don't bag hulls ? To save weigth ? Not a sensible difference, IMHO, and I'll go on a slimming diet, anyway ;-) Time to re-read Ian's building manual ... Comments welcome, as always.

Thanks everybody for voting in cabin pool !


12 fogli di PVC 75Kg ordinati da Angeloni: li vado a prendere la prossima settimana o quella dopo. Sto ancora aspettando prezzi e disponibilità per il biassiale 0-90°: ho chiesto anche a Mugnaini. Sperem !

Domanda: se una catena ha la forza del suo anello più debole, perchè dovrei fare i pannelli sotto vuoto se non faccio gli scafi sottovuoto ? Per salvare peso ? Non credo che cambi molto, e poi mi metterò a dieta, in ogni caso. Vediamo di rileggerci il manuale di costruzione ... Commenti benvenuti, come sempre. Grazie a tutti per il voto nel sondaggio !

F-22 plans arrived !

It took exactly 32 days. They are ... the best I've ever seen: you can feel a sense of ... love for things well done, for semplicity ... they need time to be well understood and are a pleasure to look at.

Now I feel really scared ... but quite determined at the same time. Stop daydreaming, start seeking suppliers. And finish clearing garage. The adventure really begins. Thanks Ian !

There is a poll for you fellow builders to vote: what kind of cabin are you building (and, if you like to comment, why) ? Thanks in advance !

my daughter Gaia compares her 1.66m with 1.58m headroom on FSP

Ci sono voluti esattamente 32 giorni. Sono i migliori piani che io abbia mai visto: emettono un senso di amore per le cose fatte bene, per la semplicità, ci vuole tempo per capirli bene e sono una gioia per gli occhi.

Adesso sono proprio spaventato, ma altrettanto determinato. Basta sogni ad occhi aperti, cominciamo a cercare i fornitori e finiamo la pulizia del garage. L'avventura comincia sul serio. Grazie Ian !

Colleghi costruttori, c'è un sondaggio da votare: che tipo di cabina state costruendo (e, se vi va di commentare, perchè) ? Grazie in anticipo !

F-22 Builders Update :-)

Here it is in my mail box, 21 fine A3 drawings in a zip file. I'll print them ASAP. At last !

RRRRacing vs snail mail

A few days ago Ian (the Designer) sent a message to yahoo f-boats group and offered a sneak preview of the F-22R that is the racing version of the F-22. Look by yourself what a fine boat she is ... a taller rig and carbon foils, but same hulls and beams, if I understand well.

Ian said an update to F-22 plans is due out in this week, too. I'm still waiting for my "base" plans ... and there will be another month to wait for this update ... SIGH ! An electronic delivery (a .pdf, as the studyBook, and some .dwg) would be great; this would made the plans more exposed to illegal duplication, I know, but ...

Recently I bought a book related to my job: Delphi 2007 Handbook by Marco Cantù; this book was written in English by an Italian author living in Piacenza (Italy), revised by fellows technicians residing in different continents, published in USA on lulu.com, printed on demand in Spain and sent to my doorstep in Italy. Globalization ! Maybe Ian will follow this way, in the future, for plans delivery.

Fair winds !