Posted by: Geoff Sobering on June 27, 2005 at 14:05:30:
In Reply to: Re: Skins and floor posted by Ken Smith on June 26, 2005 at 21:03:07:
Ken, thanks for the reply.
All the issues around the core-material aside (see below), the real question I wanted to ask is whether a 1/2" spacing between the bottom skin and the floor (whether provided by honeycomb, wood listings, foam, or anthing else) would be too weak.
The possibility of using the honeycomb stuff was just one motivation for reducing the thickness.
On the peripheral question: there certainly is some ambiguity in the "allowed" material you can put between the bottom skin and cockpit floor. I'm actually working on a rule change proposal that would allow any material with a uniform density above some value to be used. I think that "uniform" and "minimum" density limits would control things adequately (i.e. prevent a speed advantage) while allowing builders more flexibilty in building the cockpit.
Your point about the complexity of using cellular honycomb is well made. I'm actually much more in favor of a core material that's *easier* to use, something like a closed-cell foam that you could just cut-to-fit the inside of the hull and glue in place with a coat of epoxy and some weights.
> Besides, Geoff, haven't you got enough on your hands to figure
> out with the new renegade?
Probably, but I *really* want a DN I can fit into, and rather than butchering my current hull anymore, it seemed best just to build a new one...
Cheers,
Geoff S.