CAL 25 Foredeck Supports (Scott)

Scott, did you sail in the Nationals last year in Port Huron? I think I recall the boat. I've worked on a number of CAL 25s, and thought all had 3 athwartship (love that word) "beam" stringers under the foredeck. Replacements can be anything from foam cylinder to cardboard blueprint tubes cut down the middle. You'll want to jack the middle of the deck up a bit to get the curvature. I like biax cloth. Several coats. Another creative method below. Got the following from a CAL 25 friend who redid the supports. Subject: RE: Foredeck Supports Hiya. The company is called "Compsys", and they make a line of products called "Prisma" composite preforms. They have a variety of pre-made products. Website is www.preforms.com/products.php If I remember correctly, I purchased the kind under the category of "Beams", and found a size that was very close to the dimensions of the original half-rounds in the forepeak. I also called their office and asked if they knew of a factory that could make custom cuts...the standard lengths that you can purchase (even from West Marine, at least if they still carry them) are 4-feet. You can butt-joint them together and glass over the joint, with a recommended overlap of 5-inches or more, but I figured I might as well pay a little extra and get single units...made me feel better. Forget the name, but I found a place in Florida that cut them for me and shipped them. Geoff. From: Husar, Charlie [USA] [mailto:hu… [at] bah.com] Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 12:40 PM To: Swanhart, Geoff (IT Solutions) Subject: Foredeck Supports Geoff, where did you get the brace pieces that you used for the foredeck support in your boat (the things on the inside that go athwartships)? Also, what are they called? Gnerfits or something like that? Cheers Charlie

I know someone who recommended using a swimming flotation "noodle", cutting it in half lengthwise and using that as the form for the stringer. Regards, Read --- On Thu, 1/8/09, Husar, Charlie [USA] <hu… [at] bah.com> wrote: > From: Husar, Charlie [USA] <hu… [at] bah.com> > Subject: [Cal_Boats] CAL 25 Foredeck Supports (Scott) > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 3:54 PM > Scott, did you sail in the Nationals last year in Port > Huron? I think I > recall the boat. > > I've worked on a number of CAL 25s, and thought all had > 3 athwartship > (love that word) "beam" stringers under the > foredeck. Replacements can > be anything from foam cylinder to cardboard blueprint tubes > cut down the > middle. You'll want to jack the middle of the deck up > a bit to get the > curvature. I like biax cloth. Several coats. Another > creative method > below. > > Got the following from a CAL 25 friend who redid the > supports. > > Subject: RE: Foredeck Supports > > Hiya. > > The company is called "Compsys", and they make a > line of products called > "Prisma" composite preforms. They have a variety > of pre-made products. > Website is > > www.preforms.com/products.php > > If I remember correctly, I purchased the kind under the > category of > "Beams", and found a size that was very close to > the dimensions of the > original half-rounds in the forepeak. I also called their > office and > asked if they knew of a factory that could make custom > cuts...the > standard lengths that you can purchase (even from West > Marine, at least > if they still carry them) are 4-feet. You can butt-joint > them together > and glass over the joint, with a recommended overlap of > 5-inches or > more, but I figured I might as well pay a little extra and > get single > units...made me feel better. Forget the name, but I found > a place in > Florida that cut them for me and shipped them. > > Geoff. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Husar, Charlie [USA] [mailto:hu… [at] bah.com] > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 12:40 PM > To: Swanhart, Geoff (IT Solutions) > Subject: Foredeck Supports > > Geoff, where did you get the brace pieces that you used for > the foredeck > support in your boat (the things on the inside that go > athwartships)? > Also, what are they called? Gnerfits or something like > that? > > Cheers > Charlie

(Ya know, I spent a long time pounding my head against the wall trying to come up with the right word, but it just wouldn't come. I knew you guys were pretty bright and could figure out what I really meant though, and so just went with the terms that possessed me.) Anyway, I measured the old half-round BEAMS and indeed did find that it's more than 2-3 layers of cloth. To be specific, it's 3/32" of laminate over the cardboard. I'm using a 2"x4" square section foam (standard blue 3M home insulation boards from Home Depot - you can treat them just like wood in terms of cutting, routing the edges, etc.), and plan on laminating 2 layers of 15oz bi-di cloth and finishing with a layer of 6-9oz cloth (depending on what I've got laying around). The result will be slightly thinner than original, but I think the square section, bi-di cloth, and use of epoxy will more than make up for it. The laminate layers will extend onto the ply 1", 2", and 3" respectively. Combined with the 2 layers of 9oz that I covered all the plywood with from below, I should have something pretty strong & stiff. BTW, I'm using epoxy for everything. Thanks again for all your help! --- Scott --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, Read Howarth <rshowarth@...> wrote: > > I know someone who recommended using a swimming flotation "noodle", cutting it in half lengthwise and using that as the form for the stringer. > > Regards, > > Read > > > --- On Thu, 1/8/09, Husar, Charlie [USA] <husar_charlie@...> wrote: > > > From: Husar, Charlie [USA] <husar_charlie@...> > > Subject: [Cal_Boats] CAL 25 Foredeck Supports (Scott) > > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > > Date: Thursday, January 8, 2009, 3:54 PM > > Scott, did you sail in the Nationals last year in Port > > Huron? I think I > > recall the boat. > > > > I've worked on a number of CAL 25s, and thought all had > > 3 athwartship > > (love that word) "beam" stringers under the > > foredeck. Replacements can > > be anything from foam cylinder to cardboard blueprint tubes > > cut down the > > middle. You'll want to jack the middle of the deck up > > a bit to get the > > curvature. I like biax cloth. Several coats. Another > > creative method > > below. > > > > Got the following from a CAL 25 friend who redid the > > supports. > > > > Subject: RE: Foredeck Supports > > > > Hiya. > > > > The company is called "Compsys", and they make a > > line of products called > > "Prisma" composite preforms. They have a variety > > of pre-made products. > > Website is > > > > www.preforms.com/products.php > > > > If I remember correctly, I purchased the kind under the > > category of > > "Beams", and found a size that was very close to > > the dimensions of the > > original half-rounds in the forepeak. I also called their > > office and > > asked if they knew of a factory that could make custom > > cuts...the > > standard lengths that you can purchase (even from West > > Marine, at least > > if they still carry them) are 4-feet. You can butt-joint > > them together > > and glass over the joint, with a recommended overlap of > > 5-inches or > > more, but I figured I might as well pay a little extra and > > get single > > units...made me feel better. Forget the name, but I found > > a place in > > Florida that cut them for me and shipped them. > > > > Geoff. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Husar, Charlie [USA] [mailto:husar_charlie@...] > > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 12:40 PM > > To: Swanhart, Geoff (IT Solutions) > > Subject: Foredeck Supports > > > > Geoff, where did you get the brace pieces that you used for > > the foredeck > > support in your boat (the things on the inside that go > > athwartships)? > > Also, what are they called? Gnerfits or something like > > that? > > > > Cheers > > Charlie >

Nope, didn't sail the nationals last year. I bought the boat ~2 weeks before they started and didn't have time to get her ready and find a crew. That and I hadn't sailed since '84 and never skippered a boat in a race. :-) --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Husar, Charlie [USA]" <husar_charlie@...> wrote: > > Scott, did you sail in the Nationals last year in Port Huron? I think I > recall the boat. > > I've worked on a number of CAL 25s, and thought all had 3 athwartship > (love that word) "beam" stringers under the foredeck. Replacements can > be anything from foam cylinder to cardboard blueprint tubes cut down the > middle. You'll want to jack the middle of the deck up a bit to get the > curvature. I like biax cloth. Several coats. Another creative method > below. > > Got the following from a CAL 25 friend who redid the supports. > > Subject: RE: Foredeck Supports > > Hiya. > > The company is called "Compsys", and they make a line of products called > "Prisma" composite preforms. They have a variety of pre-made products. > Website is > > www.preforms.com/products.php > > If I remember correctly, I purchased the kind under the category of > "Beams", and found a size that was very close to the dimensions of the > original half-rounds in the forepeak. I also called their office and > asked if they knew of a factory that could make custom cuts...the > standard lengths that you can purchase (even from West Marine, at least > if they still carry them) are 4-feet. You can butt-joint them together > and glass over the joint, with a recommended overlap of 5-inches or > more, but I figured I might as well pay a little extra and get single > units...made me feel better. Forget the name, but I found a place in > Florida that cut them for me and shipped them. > > Geoff. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Husar, Charlie [USA] [mailto:husar_charlie@...] > Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 12:40 PM > To: Swanhart, Geoff (IT Solutions) > Subject: Foredeck Supports > > Geoff, where did you get the brace pieces that you used for the foredeck > support in your boat (the things on the inside that go athwartships)? > Also, what are they called? Gnerfits or something like that? > > Cheers > Charlie >