John I did not set out to offend you or anyone else. Was anything I said false? Don’t the proponents of the 400# boats have exactly what they want? Don’t they use there wallets to support the type of boat they want? In effect keeping the industry in a fixed position as to boat weight in some of the most popular classes? Is not a frequent topic of discussion keeping boat design static so the resale value is not lost? Is there not always someone who brings up the point that if exotic materials are introduced, cat sailing will escalate into an arms race with “who ever has the most money wins”?
John my statement about what they (you) want and deserve was not said with a sneer but with frustration. A frustration that stems from the fact that I love building & rebuilding boats as much as I love using them. My passion is to see boat design pushed to greater and greater heights, not stagnate. I have worked in the boat building industry and know what the materials cost and the labor expertise necessary to make quality composite structures from surfboards and sailboards to 105' Multi Million dollar yachts.
I am tired of people blowing smoke up our butt. Some one states some BS about boat building and everyone jumps on board and repeats it over and over until it is accepted as undisputed fact.
Several years ago I did a cost breakdown for a 16' cat (and posted it on the old forum) as to what the material cost difference would be between e-glass, S- glass, Kevlar and Carbon...it's not as much as what people try to make it out to be. If you are already making a quality boat out of vacuum bagged e-glass/Cross linked PVC foam core/vinyl ester resin, the only difference is going to be the increased cost of the fabric itself, which is a relatively small part of the overall cost of a sail boat. In fact you will have a minor resin savings by being able to use less and/or lighter weight fabrics.
The mold is not going to change, the mold prep is not going to change, the gel coat is not going to change, the peel ply is not going to change, the bleeder cloth is not going to change, and the polyethylene film is not going to change. The labor cutting of the fabric is not going to appreciably increase (Kevlar will require electric shears) ...in fact you will be able to use lighter weight cloth in S-glass, Kevlar or Carbon and achieve the same physical properties. If a worker can wet out e-glass they can wet out s-glass/kevlar/carbon just the same, it’s not some mystical experience.
Companies all over the world have proven they are capable of building lighter boats, it is illogical to build something heavier than it has to be for no reason, other than “that’s the way we have always done it”.
As Sir Issac Newton was quoted as saying “I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people”
