Making Room for Actuators

This picture shows the work required on the hull. This is looking at the location of the starboard actuator, and the stringer is in the way. It needs to be cut out and rebuilt inboard about 10" or so where the hull is marked. The hull outboard of the new stringer will be built up with almost 1" of additional glass giving a total hull thickness of 1-1/2". The new glass will tie into the ribs and stringers on all sides for a real solid mounting location.

 


Comments on this post:

dacust:  This will be interesting to follow.

drpohl: I always worry when I see a DIY project without the professional services of a naval architect - especially when vessel stability is involved.

Tanglewood: Me too. To address that, I've been working with Grand Banks, the boat designer and builder. They have done both pre-sales and post-sales installation of this exact stabilizer, and others, on this model boat. I'm shadowing exactly what they have done on these other installs, including the layup schedule for reinforcement, relocation of the stringer, buildup schedule for the new stringer, etc. The location etc also meets all of TRAC's requirements, in fact the actuators are almost exactly in their theoretically ideal location.

My bottom line thinking is that the manufacturer knows the boat better than anyone, and if I follow the engineering that they've done for an installation where they warrant the hull, then I should be in good shape. Is it risk free? No, but I feel pretty comfortable.

I'm curious how others see it? Too much risk

delfin: You'll find the ABT folks to be the best there are to work with, or at least that was my experience.

If you haven't had a NA specify the buildup for support, you should. Even though GB has opined, I would get an independent opinion. It won't cost much, and you'll know you have the hull properly reinforced, which on a glass boat is a survival issue on grounding.

kenny_chaos: Nice project.
I appreciate you sharing for the benefit of others but the benefit is usually
a beating for you. Good luck with that.
Anyways, do you have any reference boats?