What is the best way to build a skiff type deck for a USOM. Should I stick with thin ply wood, or build a jog that I can vacuum bag some carbon over? Not sure if building the jig and spending the time will result in a lighter deck. Thanks for the help.
Andrew Miller
For a quick 'n easy, and if it doesn’t have a lot of compound bends or shapes - give foam a try. Cut a chunk of home insulation to fit your hull and then shape. Cover with plastic tape. Layup some carbon or glass and vacuum bag - or just layup with a tendency toward a “dry” resin finish (not so heavyof resin the cloth floats in the resin). Once finished and faired - pop it off the foam, trim and attach to deck. Paint first or last - depending on if you want to do same or different colors and design. A maximum of two layers of 1/2 oz. cloth should be more than enough and add small patches of reinforcement under the deck where sheets exit, or jib club connects. If building with glass, a simple 1 inch square piece of 4-6 oz. should be more than enough. If building with carbon, one layer of whatever weight you are using will work.
it is my OPINION that a skiff type deck in a US one meter is pointless. A skiff type deck, fundamentally is HEAVIER than a flat/monokote one.
in the IOM, you have minimum hull weights that have to be met, so there is no huge penalty for the added weight. also, I believe the vang can only run in tension. . . switch to a compression boom vang on your US one, and you can drop the rig right down to the deck, and get all the benefit of the “skiff” style deck.
just my 2 cents . . . after having looked at it MANY times.
and oh . … but the way. . . just build the mold and make the deck if you insist on a skiff style deck.
Todd,
My initial thoughts for a skiff deck was that it might help in the rougher water that I sail in. Although I have done no research on this (just thinking) it seems to me that if a flat deck goes under water (which it is bound to do here) it will have more resistance resufacing than a skiff deck. Then the “cockpit” area would help evacuate the most water possible. Not to mention I like the way they look. Thank you for your input though. I hope this idea will get tested and maybe I will end up switching, who knows.
Andrew Miller
Is this a valid thought or am I way off here? I understand about trying to build a competitive boat, but as of now I have no other USOM’s to sail against, I am just trying to tailor my boat to the conditions that it will see most. Thanks again.
Andrew Miller
If your not going race I like a wood deck.
Don M.
Andrew,
Your logic DOES hold a certain amount of sense. I think for sure that a raised foredeck would be worth while. . . however, I would say that the dished (skiff) cockpit is NOT worth while, and here are my personal reasons:
- they are heavier (I know, said that already)
- use a compression vang and you can get the rig just as low (yeah, said it already)
- a flat “cockpit” will drain as fast or faster than a dished one
- if designed incorrectly, a dished cockpit can actually fill with water, and retain water when heeled over. There was a photo or 5 from an IOM worlds with people putting monocoat or sail cloth over their dished cockpits to keep them from taking on water when heeled. That would just be plain old counter productive in a US one meter.
- TIME, it will take you notably more TIME to build the dished cockpit than the flat deck, trust me, I have done both, in many different ways. The flat version is always easier, faster, simpler, and lighter.
that being said, there are US one meters showing up with dished cockpits. . . and you MIGHT see me sailing one mid next season. But the only reason I will be making one, is to facilitate the testing of a rig design concept I have been wanting to try for some time now. This testing will be easier to do in a dished cockpit than on a flat deck. Even for this one off, I will build a mold for the deck, just to pull one piece in carbon.
-Todd
Thanks again for the input. Te time isn’t nec. a factor seeing that it is going to be a while until i am sailing anyway its no a big deal. My idea was to have the cockpit, slope toward the stern, as well as beeing narrower at midship than at the stern so it would seem to me on a calm day, the water would have now where to go but backward and out the back. I will need to do some testing I guess once the hull is made. Just an update. I have coated the hull in a thin layer of Interlux Watertite Epoxy Filler and will be sanding tonight or tomorrow, then it will be rady to be bagged, just waiting on my friend to return from vacation. Very happy with the results thus far.
Todd,
If you mind sending me an email at Millrtme@comcast.net , I cant seem to get a good address for you and you have been so helpful would like to have your name in my address book. Thanks alot.
Andrew Miller