Hi,

At the moment I am writting an essay for my uni course. The subject of which it covers is manufacture, materials and design. The basis of it is comparing composites, GRP, FRP, kevlar and carbon fibre to wood. And I'm using the subject sailign dingys as an example. There a few questions that I'm finding really diffucult to find and also I'm including personal preference for which material do people prefere if they had a choice considering looks, performance, maintenance etc.

Does any one know when the first GRP boat was produced?I found the Soling produced the first 5 GRP boats in 1966 but I dont know whether that was first 5 GRP Solings (I know they didnt produce wooden ones) or whether that was first for all sailing dinghys.

It would be useful to also have price differences in one class about having an identical boat in wood and GRP (something like a Enterprise or Graduate or similar) to compare prices. I'm finding it really diffucult to find prices online (I should probually contact companies and ask but Im a student and therefore lazy ).

And personal preference. If you could help I would be really grateful. When I use any info off here I will reference it back to this page and reference from you, so when you post you are giving me permission to use it (thats all that out of  the way!!).

Many thanks

Claire

Put a post on cvrda.org there is a wealth of dinghy history on there. Or wait for Rupert to post you a reply.

the first real reference i can find to a boat built in grp is 1954 on scott baders website scottbader.com thats a big boat though 16.8m, but i believe the first boats where being produced in the late forties.

in terms of cost it depends entirerly on materials used a fully finished mahogany boat will cost more than a ply boat in the same way a boat built out of choppy will cost a lot less than a nomex cored carbon skinned vessel and your best bet is to ring around and ask.

you might need to be quite specific about the type of wooden boat you are looking at aswell as the type of frp boat just as a material cost guide on the frp side glass currently costs about £3 per sq metre (200gsm) and carbon in the region of £20-£30 per sq metre (200gsm)

not that many purely aramid boats around still unfortunatly it doesn't like compression can't actually think of anyone building purely in aramid at the present time maybe someone can correct me

personal preference i would build my next boat out of pre-preg carbon with a nomex and foam core if i had the money to do it, but it will probely end up as vac bagged carbon with a foam core. this is mainly on performance as its painted anyway so that takes care of looks its also so easy to maintain, repair and modify as well.  

bb 

i always thought that the first glass and carbon boats were the 14s and the 18s

This is great thanks. I found that info about the on the Scott Bader website thanks. I also found out that GRP was first introduced in the Second World War with it being put onto planes to replace some plywood, and then it was applied to boats after that. I will have a look at the history of the 14's and 18's cheers. If I had a choice my Europe would be built out of carbon (to make it even lighter ). The info your giving me is great THANKYOU! The essay has to be in tomorrow (this wasnt posted last min or anything  but it will be done!!

Many Thanks

Claire

What course are you doing.

i have just done an allnighter on marine stability of a whitbread 60.  shame i went out first and got a bit peeved.  it isnt too bad for a drunken attempt

In Britain at least, the Kestrel, in the late 1950's, was one of the 1st sucessful boats designed for building in GRP, but I'm sure many boats had been adapted before that. Many early glass boats had flaws due to a lack of knowledge of the building materials, and were both weak and heavy. Finding info on these would require much research, so therefore I don't suppose it will happen...

If I dare mention Dinghy Sailing Mag here, they are running a series of articles on lost classes which may well cross over into this territory.

Just dug out my 1958 dinghy year book, and there is an article in it about plastic construction of dinghies by John Westall (505 designer). He is explaining the concept, which suggests that pre 1957, it was rare indeed, and he discusses foam sandwich as a theoretical concept.

Haha I would do that if I weren't being taken back down to Plymouth tonight by ma Dad! I'm 'studying' Applied Marine Sports Science, which is ace. I think tonight is going to be quite a late night, but I have a 4/5 hour journey in a car so thank god for laptops. This is all great thankyou so much.

What course are you doing olly_love?

Claire

Right its done and handed in! Thanks for your help was really useful .

My Europe is currently sat on my drive as I don't have a club at the moment but when I find summer work it will come with me. Down in Plymouth I sailed it out from Mount Batten and then at home I sail it on my local pond, Emberton Park.

Claire