Ply-foam-ply Streaker?

Who builds these OKs, please?

@Peaky - Thank you. Avoiding fancy stuff like carbon and Kevlar, is there anything else you might be able to suggest please? I've been reading about sheets made from recycled carpet fibres (in the States) and epoxied cardboard (perhaps not). All suggestions for low-tech sheeting most welcome. I think I'm looking for some sort of sandwich that's cheap, light, smooth skinned (reduces fairing) and is as bendable as the marine ply traditionally used in dinghy building. I don't really want to pay a boat-builder to lay-up their own 3-layer panel if something's available off the shelf. You'll have realised that I don't know what I'm talking about.

I've been offered the digitised templates for the Australian Sabre class for free. Hull weight 42 Kgs, 12 foot long, traditionally built in all-ply, all-FRP, or FRP hull + ply decks. I also have a boat builder showing some interest in making one for me. It's a bit of an old design, but ticks many of my Old-man's hiking dinghy boxes. It might be nice to investigate some more modern, yet low-tech materials to help keep the overall weight down. If the Aero is the "Laser for the 21st century", maybe it's time for the "Solo for the 21st century"...

Steve (White)



Edited by Solo4652 - 03 Nov 15 at 3:36pm

I think David Rose built the ply-foam sandwich OKs and I think at least one of them did very, very well at the nationals this year despite being something like 15yrs old

KazR is correct Dave Rose built most or if not all of the ply-foam-ply OKs and she is correct in that they have all been very good performers and are still going well after a reasonable period of time.

Clive Everest used a company down in Plymouth (fibrefusion) who produce carbon foam panels at very reasonable prices. You can supply them with a cutting pattern and they will laser or waterjet cut all the pieces for you. I first came across them when we used them to produce parts for the original Invictus C-class.

Currently there is a great kit OK available from Dan Leech in Aus, where the designer will sell you the cutting file for the build jig and boat which includes the builder license fee. The top few boats at last years worlds were all built from it, and there are a couple in build in the UK and Ireland.

Edited by craiggo - 03 Nov 15 at 11:05pm