RESIN INFUSION
Resin infusion is another process that is becoming increasingly popular, particularly in the marine industry. Laminates are being made lighter and stronger while using much less resin. The cost and technical requirements rule it out for one-off boats whereas vacuum bagging is becoming a serious possibility.
WOOD – DECKS AND SUPERSTRUCTURE
If you have built your hull in timber, you will almost certainly build your deck and superstructure in the same material. To this end, your first job will be to equip yourself with a camber pattern for the decks and another for the cabin top. These master camber patterns will serve in many areas of the construction from this point onwards. Make a careful copy of your camber patterns. If you cut your patterns from heavy plywood or wide boards, you can have both male and female patterns produced at the same time and you will find many occasions when both will be useful. You will be using the camber patterns to transfer the cambers on to many areas of the decks and superstructure so make them strong enough to last.
BULKHEADS
At this stage your bulkheads should be installed and standing square above the sheer. The first thing is to mark out the width of the side decks and, to accomplish this, it helps to mark the camber right across the boat from sheer to sheer - this way you will get an even camber. Later you will mark the amount of the cabin side lay-in and the height and camber of the cabin.
Now is a good time to check the headroom. Do not be tempted to increase the headroom without checking with the designer. An inch or two [25 to 50 mm] of extra headroom may spoil the line of the boat whereas it may be possible to lower the sole before raising the cabin.
If you find you need more headroom it should be done in increments, partly by lowering the sole, partly by raising the freeboard of the hull and partly by increasing the height of the cabin sides so talk to the designer as it is his job to consider all aspects of changing any design especially where the changes may affect the stability of the boat.
Next mark out the cabin top camber and the lay-in of the cabin sides and you now have a sectional view of the side decks and cabin structure. Note: the cabin top camber is usually greater than the camber used for the decks as too much deck camber may lead to more problems than having too little. You could find that you may not be able to work on the decks or cabin top in any sort of a seaway without the possibility of sliding overboard.
