Dinghy popularity

Originally posted by scotsfinn Al .... I don't think many on the forum mistake the decorative use of carbon for the real structural benefits of higher tech materials. Doesn't stop it looking good and up to the minute. ...... Or do most of us have alloy wheels on our cars because we all fully understand the benefits of unsprung  weight in a suspension set up .....

Have you lifted many alloy wheels lately?
Many of them on production cars are heavier than steel.
I have alloy wheels on my car because that's what it came with.
Bits of carbon sheet for wear resistance are practical and functional.

Originally posted by JimC For wear resistance I prefer Kevlar.

Yes, but carbon is cheaply and readily available on eBay.
Four quid for an a5 sheet, enough to stop several blocks eating your varnish or gelcoat.

There used to be a great board company called 'F2' - simply standing for 'Form and Function'  We liked them a lot.  If you need to use a material like carbon then great - it is then what it is and is part of the overall set-up.  If it is decorative and you like it then great as well but  it usually costs a tad more and generally does not make the boat any faster  .....   

The 'spartan' and 'practical' approach is the mantra we developed Icon with and one we are still proud to proclaim and champion.  Icon is also produced in vinylester rather than epoxy cos it produed a great boat and the material met all the weight and stiffness targets we set in the initial specificatioin -  we simply did not need to go to epoxy and so saved a useful sum of money.  If we had used epoxy it would have only been there to raise 'marketing appeal' and not to meet technical targets. 

However we went for a full carbon rig cos it absolutely was the right thing to do ... it was required by the original design specification and in addition all the early Icons Cirrus sold had a white finish on their carbon masts.  Again because it is the ideal practical finish ... our only compromise now is to do them in 'natural' finish so they will be recognised as 'really' carbon rather than black (or white) alloy.  When the 'market' realises that 'carbon' has become relatively normal in racing boats and er ... well really practical, then we will revert to white .. or red or yellow or whatever is that does it for you. 

Form and function (and simplicity) was the original idea and today remainsl our ideal.      Spartan is not to everyones taste but ....

Mike L. 





Edited by blaze720 - 07 Jul 13 at 8:47pm

F2 - you are totally correct - it is 'fun' ... The 'form/fun' bit is less critical to the point made than the 'function' bit but I stand corrected  ... and I owned several !

Mike L.    

Originally posted by Peaky Isn't a sheet of PU film better?

Any old bit of tough plastic will do.
but if you want to epoxy it down, then something epoxy based is ideal.