Hi All,
You should all be aware the foam core construction in the modern world is relatively common and a strength weight ratio plus in sail boat construction. Catalina has used a foam core mat in various above the waterline locations. I have certainly found it on my C270 and Catalina also now uses a solid aluminum core in some locations so hardware can be bolted into it rather than use the old school through bolted scheme. Getting back to the origin of this thread, the hulls of Catalina's closed cabin sailboats are solid hand laid fiberglass with the exception of specific areas that need special reinforcement. The floor of your keel stubs, unless reworked after construction (i.e. Judy's) is cored with plywood. Newer designs like the C270 have a structural grid attached to the inside of the hull while some hulls have foam beams placed and glassed over as hull stiffeners. In the case of the stiffeners the foam is merely a form for a hand laid fiberglass structure and remains in place. I've added the Sail Magazine Catalina Factory Tour article to the files section which describes shows hull construction. Phil Agur <http://www.catalina27.org/public_pages/profile270.htm> s/v Wing Tip C270 LE #184 MMSI 366901790 ,_._,___ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
